Date:         Sat, 1 Apr 1995 14:53:12 -0500 (EST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Joe Clark <jclark@nexus.polaris.net>
Subject:      Re: Whistling Gland Nut Disease

This talk of speed-independent, clutch-pedal-affectable mystery noises 
recalls a short tale of 5 years ago in the '68 Westy:

A-travel from Tallahassee to Charlotte, NC (1k miles rt), I was between
Macon and Athens when I began to notice a TO-bearing-like noise that grew
as the miles went by.  After a while it began to get really loud and
throbby, but would quieten somewhat with a bit of pedal (just enough to
take up the free-play). 

I parked at a truck stop and was glad to have a camper.  The next AM I 
pulled the engine and went over the clutch parts closely, but could find 
nothing.  Baffled, I entertained theories that included the failure of 
bearings within the engine or tranny, both of which are Terra Incognita 
for me.

(Do you know that "pit of the stomach" ((we know where the feeling _really_ 
is, of course)) feeling that comes with the anticipation of having no 
recourse but the Union 76 mechanic on the Interstate?  But of course you 
do.  That's why we're both on this list.)

Well, I was lining up the engine with the bell housing, planning to just 
limp on until it quit (the most positive way of solving mystery problems, 
BTW :-).  I pushed on the flywheel teeth and lo, it moved.  Like, 
tilted.  Like, when the engine case didn't.

My gland nut had come loose.

The dowel pins was all wallered out, as my Dad would say, and I'm sure the
100 or so miles I drove after the sound first commenced may have had
something to do with that.  I was able to snug up the nut enough to
eventually get to Charlotte and back home.  I later drilled four new holes
for the dowels and never had the problem again. 

In retrospect I'm guessing a previous 600-mile round trip to Daytona, 
towing a small boat, *may* have started the whole problem :-)

Joe

Not the same old Joe Clark          **                jclark@polaris.net
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