Date:         Fri, 10 Jan 1997 13:55:12 +0100
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Philippe Oudot <p_oudot@worldnet.fr>
Subject:      Re: Bucking Clutch

At 13:46 09/01/1997 -0600, you wrote:
>Ron Salmon wrote:
>> 
>> >Recently my '86 Westy has developed a problem with the clutch. After I
>> >have been driving in stop-and-go traffic for awhile, the clutch begins to
>> >"chatter" when I try to start from a stop.  The only way I can prevent
>> >this from happening is to rev the motor up to about 3000 rpm while I let
>> >the clutch out. Any ideas on what is causing this, and what needs to be
>> >done to fix it?
>> 
>> My '85 just got a brand new clutch disk, pressure plate, and throwout
>> bearing, and a resurfaced flywheel.  Now it's get the above problem.
>> (Funny, it didn't do it before I replaced the clutch!)  The only hypothesis
>> I've heard yet is that maybe the motor mounts and/or trans mount(s) are
>> worn, causing some flex when the clutch is disengaged.  The trans mount
>> looks a little cracked, but not horrible.  Any other ideas?
>> -Ron Salmon
>
>   My 86 Synco chatters when it is hot and is pretty much ok when cool.
>The hotter it gets the more it chatters. It has a new pressure plate and
>disk.( actually I have been living with it for about 30,000 miles. A
>very reputable shop in Portland said that they have been seeing a lot of
>worn cross shafts on Vanagons causing this problem. It seems that the
>throw out bearing isn't held perfectly parallel to the clutch because
>one of the pockets that cradle the throw out bearing is worn farther
>than the other. I just havn't had the ambition to take the tranny out
>again to check this out.   Todd Francis
>

Seems to be a new Syncro's syndrom. One more again. My '89 TD Syncro has the
same problem but I'm pretty sure on what's going on. There is a small
needles bearing (pilot bearing) on the main shaft in the transmission. It's
only a $10 part that MUST be changed when you fix your clutch. Not expensive
for a VW part.
VW change this piece when they redo a clutch, but others don't do it each
time. It's a well known common problem dixit a good VW mechanic, not only on
Syncros. I'll check on that when I'll put a 1.9 or 5 cyl 2.5 liter TDI,
don't know yet. Still checking with German tuners.

Philippe Oudot
'89 Syncro TD Oettinger 16"
French Syncro Club