Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 11:04:09 -0600
Reply-To: Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Rebuilt transaxle grinds
In-Reply-To: <01a601d02387$f9d4bbd0$ed7e3370$@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Stuart,
I respectfully submit that this advice may be premature given what the OP
states. He says the transmission is grinding into second gear. If a back
clutch, clutch plate or pilot bearing were the problem, it is likely
(though not absolutely, I admit) that the problem would occur in all gears.
In my own experience, I bought a vanagon with 220,000 miles on it. I didn't
know it, but the transaxle was on its last legs. When I got it rebuilt, it
would not shift into second without serious grinding. I had the shifter
professionally adjusted and it was and is working fine at 366,000. I see a
pattern here. It would seem, from my limited data, that when these
gearboxes wear, the shifter gets adjusted along with the wear to
compensate. Then, when the transaxle is made new, the changes that took
place over the deterioration of the transmission must be reversed to
recompensate. This may not be the case with David's transmission, but the
fact that the problem is not happening in all gears cannot be overlooked.
The shop should at least adjust the shifter per Bentley before pulling
parts out.
Jim
On Mon, Dec 29, 2014 at 10:53 AM, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com>
wrote:
> I think your shop is screwing something up. If the hydraulics are good,
> this can happen with a bad or crushed pilot bearing, my guess on what's
> causing this.
>
> Much less likely is a warped (factory defect) pressure plate, but that
> actually happened to me once.
>
> Someone is going to have to pull the tranny again and look for these
> things, and likely replace the entire clutch along with the pilot bearing.
>
> Good luck!
>
> Stuart
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> Of David Boan
> Sent: Monday, December 29, 2014 5:12 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Rebuilt transaxle grinds
>
> I have an '85 Westy and six months ago put in a GoWesty engine and got a
> rebuilt transaxle from German Transaxle at the same time. My local shop
> installed both, and put in a new clutch and cooling system. Second gear
> would grind and shift hard into second, so pulled the Trans and sent back
> to German Transaxle. They replaced second and the syncro, but also said
> they were fine and the problem likely in the clutch or linkage. Shop says
> the clutch and linkage are fine and say the problem is with the transaxle.
> The problem continues and shop says they are done trying to fix it. Very
> frustrating being in the middle.
>
> I am looking for a shop in the Chicago area that can look at the Trans and
> welcome any suggestions or any advice about the problem.
>
> Thanks
> Dave
> Wheaton, IL
>
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