Date:         Sun, 6 Jun 2004 16:32:09 EDT
Reply-To:     Oxroad@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jeff Oxroad <Oxroad@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: How do you know if the front tranny mount needs replacing?
Comments: To: vanagon@ASTOUND.NET
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

In a message dated 6/4/2004 5:44:03 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
vanagon@ASTOUND.NET writes:


> Trying to get this "bucking" situation under control and wondering if the
> front mount could be part of  the culprit.
>
>

My front transmission mount is visibly torn and I'm saving for a new one. I
have a PIA of a bucking problem which goes like this.

If I come off the gas pedal to slow down the bus jerks, usually a few times,
with a kind of clunk, clunk, clunk making driving uncomfortable. The feeling
is that of being in the wrong gear- a gear too high for the current speed--and
the bus begging for a lower gear and all this times about 10. But of course
this is when I'm in an acceptable RPM range.

Moving forward from a stop I have to ride the clutch ever-so-slightly to keep
the engine from clunking a bit. Because of the postion of the front mount and
the way it functions it appears my engine and trans are twisting a bit
clockwise and counter-clockwise enough to create this uncomfortable clunck. It must
hit each side of the twist with the force of a huge slegehammer. It can't be
good. My guess is if you follow your own bus while someone else is driving you
could see the engine twist from side to side by watching the muffler and that
twist could indicate that front mount is a little tired.

I'm not sure it's the front transmission mount. But like I said it is visably
torn. I figured I'd share my experience in case it might help.

Best
Jeff
83.5 Westfalia
LA,CA