Date:         Mon, 01 Apr 1996 16:39:00 -0800 (PST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Maher, Steve (SD-MS)" <SMAHER@gi.com>
Subject:      The Clutch Eater


I knew it was too good to last.

Went on a road trip from San Diego to San Jose and back over the weekend
with five other people in the V6anagon. A good time was had by all, until
the moment we topped Pacheco Pass between I-5 and Gilroy. The driver
tried to shift, couldn't quite make it, popped the clutch a few times,
and a horrible vibration started. Pushing in the clutch pedal didn't
help, and in fact didn't even disengage the clutch. We traded seats,
and I limped the bus the rest of the way into San Jose, and back to
San Diego Sunday night. Thank God for Muir and his vaguely-remembered
description of how to drive without a clutch. I thought it was
tongue-in-cheek when I first read it in '71, but have since used it
twice. Yesterday being the latest.

There has always been a harsh vibration in the shift handle of the
V6anagon at certain speeds since the day I got it. The PO pointed this
out to me before I bought it, and before he put in the new (German,
even) clutch I sent him.

Yes, this is the V6anagon's second clutch failure in 6,000 miles. The
first was what prompted the PO to sell it-- he was very upfront and
frank about it. He had showed me the clutch disc after putting in the
new one I sent him-- ever seen the center section literally torn out
of a clutch disc? This thing was in two (or more) pieces.

Well, now things have happened again. This time, tho, the clutch is
permanently engaged. If you push the clutch pedal to the floor, it feels
pretty normal (well, maybe just a hair lighter, but not much). But the
V6anagon doesn't seem aware that you've done so-- clutch stays engaged
as though the pedal was all the way up.

And, the part that worries me the most: that pounding, roaring vibration
when engine RPMs are between 2500 and about 3200. Happens in all gears,
and shakes your teeth right out of your head. Outside this RPM range,
the engine is smooth as silk, as good power as it ever had, we cruised
500 miles at 65 mph and 3500 RPM with the van feeling absolutely normal.
No more fluids than usual seen dripping out of the engine or tranny (it's
always had a couple of small oil leaks from valve covers and water pump).

My first guesses: something broke in there, maybe the throwout bearing
or throwout arm, and a piece wedged itself into the pressure plate,
causing an imbalance that happens to resonate around 3000 rpm. Anyone
else have any experience and/or guesses on strange clutch failure modes?

It wouldn't surprise me if this was related to the harsh vibration the
V6anagon has always had. Maybe the vibration finally killed something?

Then the larger question: Why does this car seem to have an appetite for
clutches? I haven't exactly been nice to this clutch, and it is handling
more torque that it was originally designed for. The Kennedy people who
designed the adapter, say it can handle it, but now I wonder. Also, for
several months I've been hearing a strange screech from the rear of the
car whenever I sped up the engine abruptly (starting out from a standing
stop, double-clutching to downshift, etc.). I thought this was a loose
alternator belt, which I tightened a week ago. Sound seemed to go away,
but then came back a few days before the San Jose trip.

I had sent the PO four pieces of a clutch (disc, pressure plate, throwout
bearing, pilot bearing inside the gland nut) when I bought the V6anagon
from him, and he said he installed "the clutch", and had the flywheel
resurfaced (I had to coach him on that, he didn't seem to be aware that
it was a good idea). I wonder, though, if he replaced the pilot bearing
or not. In fact, wonder if he replaced it when he first put the Chevy
engine in the car-- he put the old clutch back in instead of a new one.
If he did put it in, did he grease it? The world wonders.

Anyone ever had any experience with pilot-bearing failure? Does it make
strange screeching sounds before it goes? Does it chew your transmission
shaft to bits? The gland nut? Flywheel?

Any input would be appreciated. I'll pull the engine maybe next weekend,
and let you know what I find in there.

TIA,

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 Steve Maher   smaher@gi.com       '80 V6anagon w/Chevy 2800
                                   '66 Mustang Coupevertible, for sale

 Check out the cars at http://www.lookup.com/homepages/76242/home.html

     *** I'm a Native American, born in Illinois. Or does ancestry
                   make a difference after all? ***
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