Date: Sat, 5 Nov 2011 19:03:51 -0700
Reply-To: neil n <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: neil n <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Transmission Woes
In-Reply-To: <CAH3v19Kdk_F5rk4fL5cukB_661f2wmYZNGfrgzcfzubdNfLVoA@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
If the shift linkage hasn't come loose at the union between front and rear
shift rod, my money is on either the master or slave starting to fail.
If possible, when it's shifting ok, get a helper to measure the clutch
operating arm range of movement. Compare that distance to arm movement when
shifting gets difficult again.
A distant "second": If the brake line leaked enough, and reservoir fluid
level dropped below the flexible hose going to clutch master, would this
allow air into clutch master? Unlikely I imagine.....
Neil.
On Sat, Nov 5, 2011 at 6:21 PM, craig cowan <phishman068@gmail.com> wrote:
> I have longstanding history of random transmission issues. Here's what's up
> this time.
>
> While driving today, I came to a stop light and put it in neutral. When I
> went to get going again it simply would not go into first (or second gear).
> Several tries and some rev matching of the engine finally got it and it ran
> fine for maybe 40 shifts. Then it did it again, won't go into any gear.
> That seems to me like it's a clutch related problem.
> So, I went and bled the clutch. It seems to have bled fine. There wan't
> really any air in there but the fluid coming out was shockingly dark.
>
> There is fluid in the transmission, i tired to add some and sure enough,
> it's full up (with good clean fluid, only a year or so old).
>
> It seems to come and go pretty randomly.
>
> I have tried pumping the clutch when it does it and can't really tell if
> this makes a difference or not. I have noticed though that When it does it,
> if I shut the engine off I can put it into a gear then fire the engine
> right back up just fine in gear (clutch in) and then it will work and shift
> as needed. This seems to conflict in my mind with the idea that the clutch
> is bad, or else it would have lurched when cranking in gear right?
>
> Any thoughts?
> This is an '85 vanagon GL that I turned into a Westfalia years ago, then
> recently turned back into a 7 passanger. It has a BOSTIG zetec engine and
> recently had a break line fail to rust (making me think a clutch line could
> have started leaking...).
>
> -Craig
> '85GL WESTY-7passanger
> ZETEC in the back
> '87 SUNROOF Syncro Westfalia
> '90 GL
>
--
Neil n
65 kb image Myford Ready For Assembly http://tinyurl.com/64sx4rp
'81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco" http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
Vanagon VAG Gas I4/VR Swap Google Group:
http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines