Date:         Sat, 13 Dec 2008 13:09:14 -0800
Reply-To:     Luke Bakken <luke.bakken@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Luke Bakken <luke.bakken@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Transaxle trouble.
In-Reply-To:  <6acc6ca40812112255s1e66cd2eie82f224213ec1087@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

> Well, sure enough, I came to a stop light tonight and could not get
> the van into 1st ... or 2nd ... or 3rd ... or 4th ... or reverse ...
> or super-low. Two nice guys offered to push me to where I could park
> and I found I could get the van into gear once it was moving. So I
> strategically drove around in 2nd gear, timing the lights and (slowly)
> running stop signs to get home. I had to stop one other time and
> couldn't get it into gear again but another nice guy single-handedly
> pushed me and I got it back into gear and managed to get home.
>
> Now, I changed the transaxle oil and put in Redline MT-90 on Nov 24th
> just prior to a 7-day road trip and everything was fine on the trip.
> Is this just unfortunate timing for my transaxle to die? Am I a victim
> of "transaxle sudden death syndrome"?
> (http://www.gowesty.com/library_article.php?id=117)

Hello again everyone, an update ...

I just checked the van and found that I can shift into any gear with
the engine turned off - both with the clutch engaged and disengaged.
Admittedly, the shifting is not perfectly smooth but it does go into
gear.

However, when I turn the engine on, I can't get the van to go into any
gear with the clutch disengaged - I just feel resistance when I push
the shift handle. No grinding. The clutch itself feels normal - not
soft or squishy.

I checked the brake fluid reservoir in the dash and the level was
fine. I also checked for drips under the van and found none.

My newbie-vanagon sense is that this means the clutch is not
disengaging correctly, right? I should look to see if the master or
slave clutch cylinder (or both) is bad?

Thanks to everyone who emailed me with stuff to check,
Luke

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