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Date:         Mon, 16 Sep 2002 09:45:55 -0700
Reply-To:     warmerwagen@HOTMAIL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      AW: AW: Help with diagnosis (please)
Comments: To: Clive Smith <clive.harman-smith@NTLWORLD.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Well, it's just a theory. I know someone who had the flywheel come off so this got me wondering. Usually trans problems show up in other ways , I'm not inclined to think that your trans is the source of the oil light coming on, and the engine's reluctance to turn over . From your description the main seal may be leaking - oil loss in a large quantity here will lower your oil pressure enough to sound the alarm. Oil will get on your clutch so that "juddering" or slipping - could also be from a warped pressure plate or worn disc, release bearing. Release bearings get real noisy when they wear out and this can sound like the trans is noisy. I am pulling an engine right now because of a bad clutch release bearing etc.

Robert 1982 Westfalia 1991 Syncro Vanagon

----- Ursprüngliche Nachricht ----- Von: Clive Smith Gesendet: Monday, September 16, 2002 5:12 AM An: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Betreff: Re: AW: Help with diagnosis (please)

Well Robert, now that is a very interesting diagnosis, very!

However, would this imply that oil would be getting on the clutch faces?, which is not apparent from its good function, although a degree of 'juddering' has just become noticeable.

Thanks Robert, I really think the transaxle has got to come out to take a look, particularly as the gearbox is very noisy and has lots of slack (wear) which creates a shunting effect at low speed when rolling on a neutral throttle. The oil does seem to be coming from the clutch housing area, although I thought at one stage it might be gearbox oil, but looks too thin and doesn't have that gear oil smell.

Clive '88 Syncro Transporter

----- Original Message ----- Wrom: UTFJMVRESKPNKMBIPBARHDMNNSKVFVWRKJVZCMHVI To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Monday, September 16, 2002 8:03 AM Subject: AW: Help with diagnosis (please)

Well My guess Clive is the flywheel is coming off and at an angle making the starter engage with difficulty. The oil is from the Main seal being pushed sideways from the loose flywheel. The vibration is from the unbalancing caused by the sideways flywheel .I have heard of gland nuts breaking . It's possible that the flywheel bolts weren't tightened, or a few have back out or fallen off. That could explain the loss of oil and warning light also.

I had an engine seize after all the oil drained out from a lost sump plate stud. After refilling, the motor ran three more years before blowing. A pressure switch could fall out, or a relief valve could stick. Something here doesn't sound good. I'd bring my bicycle along just in case. When my engine finally blew, I had to walk six miles in the worst of places.

Robert 1982 Westfalia

----- Ursprüngliche Nachricht ----- Von: Clive Smith Gesendet: Sunday, September 15, 2002 4:57 PM An: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Betreff: Help with diagnosis (please)

Ok, we all seem to be in the wars this weekend.

I would like some help, but the symptoms are a confusing on ''88 Syncro 2.1 DJ with supposedly 55,000 miles on rebuilt engine.

Several things happening.

After vans longest run for a while (only 50-60 miles)... temperature gauge middling, ran OK until a vibration at 60-65 mph getting worse, to the point that rear-view mirror blurrs, not thought the steering so could it be a rear driveshaft (prop shaft has been removed).

... then pulling off a motorway and going around a sharp uphill bendy bit, the oil light starts flashing and the buzzer comes on. lifted off and stopped within a couple of hundred yards, turned off. Upon re-starting on level ground, the starter had ahell of a job turning motor over, as if its hydraulic locked. However, once it got a piston over TDC , it spun and started, no oil light no nasty noises, and idled OK. Turned off and restarted with exact same starting difficulty, so cruised off home (2 miles) - ran fine.

When parked up noticed oil dripping from under frame beneath exhaust cross pipe at front(ish) of engine and some more hot oil that was forward of the driveshafts alongside transaxle. The enderframe that was really quite covered is the front and wider cross-member of the two on the syncro with 3 or 4 holes pressed into it. Like a drip, drip, which slowed down considerably in 5 minutes.

Dipped oil after an hour and it was 1/4 way up from MIN, towards max. on reasonably level surface. Also, engine runs fine, no light etc BUT quite a grumbling noise (from pilot bearing, 1st motion shaft of gearbox) which disappears when clutch is down - this noise was there before but not so loud and so dry sounding.

Maybe some of these events are not related, but would appreciate some feedback, without me prejudicing what I think the hell is going on, whatever it is, it didn't exactly leave me in a good frame of mind this evening.

Ta... Clive '88 Syncro TransporterHolen Sie mehr aus dem Web. Unter http://explorer.msn.de/intl.asp#de gibt es einen KOSTENLOSEN Download von MSN Explorer.Holen Sie mehr aus dem Web. Unter http://explorer.msn.de/intl.asp#de gibt es einen KOSTENLOSEN Download von MSN Explorer.


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