Date:         Thu, 2 Oct 1997 09:21:28 -0500
Reply-To:     "Kerry G. Stanley" <kstanley@CAS.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon mailing list <Vanagon@Gerry.SDSC.EDU>
From:         "Kerry G. Stanley" <kstanley@CAS.ORG>
Subject:      Re: '87  Syncro Westy Transmission failure-HELP!!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

>>Bill wrote:
>>
>>I was driving my 87 syncro westy home the other day.. about an hour
>>of highway driving. I came off the highway and stopped at a light.
>>When the light turned green I went to shift into first (I was in
>>third with clutch depressed), I couldn't get the shift out of gear
>>and into first. There was no noise, grinding, smoke, apparitions or
>>anything.. just no action.
>snip
>>
>>Here's what I've observed since. I can shift into all gears with the
>>clutch depressed, but when I release the clutch, it seems as if the
>>transmission is jammed.. I can release the clutch and the engine
>>seems to take some load but no movement whatsoever. True in any gear
>>including reverse. Ultimately with the clutch released it will just
>>stall out if I let it go that far.
>snip

Bill,

The identical thing happened to my '86 syncro last year.  The list
consensus seemed to be weak sychronizers in the tranny.  Mine froze up
completely with no warning.  I could neither move it or really shift it.
We slid it up on a rollback!!

The options seemed to be 1) rebuild 2) purchase a rebuilt or 3) locate a
used tranny and hope for the best.  I lucked out and found a used from a
recycler (junk yard!).  Still cost about $600 plus $100 to install (it was
0 degrees and I was't doing it in my driveway).  If you go this route you
may want to redo all clutch related parts while the tranny is out.  This
would of course be extra.  I'm in PA, and Dennis Haynes came recommended
for rebuilding.

I still have my old tranny and still think I'll get around to taking it
apart.  Of course I've been saying that for over a year now.

I doubt you have anything wrong with the clutch.

Kerry
'86 syncro
158k