Date:         Fri, 31 Jan 2003 08:13:00 -0700
Reply-To:     Ben McCafferty <ben@VOLKSCAFE.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ben McCafferty <ben@VOLKSCAFE.COM>
Subject:      Re: Clutch Drag Problem
Comments: To: "Michael A. Radtke" <michael.radtke@BULL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <3E39AA41.ACD21102@bull.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

I would guess that you're losing the clutch master or slave cylinder.  Like
brakes, you can pump up the clutch when it has a small leak, so the
intermittent symptom is possible.  I would look for leaking fluid by either
the master or slave, and if there's none, consider that you may be losing
seals inside one of them.  You can try bleeding the system as well, but air
bubbles would be less likely to produce the symptoms you're describing.
tx,
bmc  :)
Ben McCafferty
ben@volkscafe.com

Volks Cafe
1823 Soquel Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA  95062
831-426-1244
http://volkscafe.com


> From: "Michael A. Radtke" <michael.radtke@BULL.COM>
> Reply-To: "Michael A. Radtke" <michael.radtke@BULL.COM>
> Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 15:42:09 -0700
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Clutch Drag Problem
>
> Hello,
>
> Yesterday, I experienced a bad case of clutch drag.  Enough to make the
> car creep in 4th gear and to require starting the car in gear to drive
> it.  This happened at start up at about 75 degrees F.
>
> The problem persisted for 20 minutes of driving but went away 2 blocks
> from home.
>
> I let the car cool a few hours and then test drove it again.  I couldn't
> reproduce the problem, but then it suddenly came back just as I was
> about to give up.  After two shifts, the problem was gone again.  I
> couldn't get it back again, so I gave up.
>
> This morning I drove to work, 20 minutes, without any problem.
>
> There is no change to the clutch feel and the "real" friction point
> stays where it should be even when the clutch is dragging.
>
> What's going on?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mike  Phoenix, AZ