Date:         Mon, 26 Sep 2005 10:30:59 -0700
Reply-To:     mark drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         mark drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Re: 4 speed shift problems
In-Reply-To:  <008001c5c2b5$898b3d00$6401a8c0@daryl01>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed

As Daryl said, suspect the clutch pilot bearing due to the fact that it
occurs or gets worse as the vehicle gets warmed up. The dying pilot
bearing grabs onto the input shaft so that shaft continues to turn at
engine speed even with the clutch pedal down to the floor. When the
tranny is cold, the very thick oil inside makes the shaft want to slow
down so the grabbing effect of the dying bearing is overcome by that and
shifting is ok. As the tranny and it's oil warm up, the thinning oil
drags less on the shaft so the dying bearing has a greater ability to
keep the input shaft spinning fast when it should not be and this makes
it harder for the syncros to mesh as you shift gears.

The clutch pilot bearing is not even a $5 part but it often gets
overlooked at clutch time because it can be difficult to change without
the right tool or experience.

Mark

Daryl Christensen wrote:

> I would think it is the pilot bearing ...They seem to work ok cold and
> get
> worse when hot when they first go bad...Gotta pull the trans anyway,
> so repl
> the clutch and change teh trasn fluid just for giggles...Daryl of AA
> Trans
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Shawn Wright" <swright@ZUIKO.SLS.BC.CA>
> Subject: 4 speed shift problems
>
>
>> A friend of a friend just drove their '84 Westy from Quebec to BC,
>> and it
>> began having shifting problems in the Rockies, trouble getting into gear
>> without grinding. I spoke to the them on the phone and it sounds like it
>> is
>> common to all gears. I drove it today, and couldn't get it to *not*
>> shift,
>> but it
>> was cold, and I could detect slightly more difficult shifting after
>> only 5
>> minutes of driving. I noticed it appears to be leaking gear oil, so I
>> suspect
>> low gear oil causing overheating. Master and slave cylinders are new,
>> and
>> operate fine, no sign of air in the system. Clutch is definitely
>> worn, but
>> not
>> slipping.
>