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Date:         Tue, 16 May 2006 13:11:28 -0400
Reply-To:     Tim Demarest <tim.demarest@POBOX.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tim Demarest <tim.demarest@POBOX.COM>
Subject:      Re: suddenly clutch just gone?
Comments: To: chris <vanagon@FRONTLEFTSPEAKERPOSSE.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <4469F903.1080407@frontleftspeakerposse.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed

Since it was that low, you probably have a leak somewhere. Clutch and brake hydraulics share the same reservoir, so look for leaks in both systems. If the fluid gets low, the clutch goes out first (the takeoff for the clutch master is higher up than the takeoff for the brakes).

If you aren't losing fluid anywhere (then shame on you for letting it get so low :-), you may still need to bleed the clutch line to get the clutch action back, due to air in the line. There's a bleeder screw at the clutch slave, right front of the engine compartment. It's a loooong line, and thicker than the brake lines, so bleeding will take a while. I've had good luck with a mitey-vac bleeder for one-man line bleeding.

If the system is holding fluid, and bleeding doesn't fix it, then either your clutch master or slave cylinder is likely to be shot.

Tim

At 09:08 AM 5/16/2006 -0700, chris wrote: >for some reason these things never seem to happen when ive driven the >van myself the day previous... and I wish it did, so I didn't have to >wonder if these things are related to *how* the others drive it. > > >anyway, so I get up this morning, load up the dogs and get ready for a >nice wake-up at the beach when I realize the clutch pedal just *whoomp* >drops right to the floor with zero resistance. > >admittedly I don't know a lot about how they work and thought at first >it was some sort of cable given how much it dropped and how quickly, but >im looking through the bently and don't actually see a cable, just all >hydraulics. > >checked the brake fluid resivour, and it was nearly a little DOT3 bottle >low (from the MAX mark, just a bit below the MIN mark really.) > >So I top that off, but its not getting anywhere. (nor did I think it >was, even with as little as I know about the system.) > >What can I check next? > >Mine is an 81 aircooled if that makes a diff. >I had the whole tranny replaced just last year, but didnt have the >clutch done at the time as the PO claimed to have had done it not too >long ago as is. (against the advice of the local mech that did the trans >work.) > >is this how a clutch goes out? Just out of the blue you hop it and the >pedal drops to the floor? or IS there some cable somewhere and im just >missing any reference to it in my Bently? > >I hate it when the list of things that need to be addressed start >growing larger than the list of things that are working well at the >moment. grrrrr. > >any help, suggestions, or misc tomfoolery is always welcome. > >thanks. > >-- >Chris >'81 (AC) Vanagon Westfalia 'Rocky' >nor*cal > >frontleftspeakerposse.com


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