Date:         Sat, 24 Oct 1998 19:32:34 EDT
Reply-To:     Jwilli941@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Todd Hill <Jwilli941@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Jim Sperl's clutch engagement problem
Comments: To: vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Hello,

Usually clutches do not catastrophically fail but give hints
before going out.  Yours, however, did just that??  Simply
gave up the ghost with nary a whimper??  Does the trans
grind whenever you attempt to put it into gear?  Any leaks
spotted both before and after M/C and slave cylinders replaced?
How does the fluid in the reservoir behind the gages look?
Still at the 'full' mark?  Have someone work the clutch pedal
while you inspect the clutch slave cylinder actuation (the
normal safety practices should go without saying).  Is the
T/O bearing arm working as it is supposed to?  If so then
check up under the dash and take a look at the pedal assy.
If the clutch slave is working but the T/O bearing arm is not
then you might have a broken finger on it.  The T/O bearing
is therefore only being held by one finger and is off center
and not allowing the clutch pressure plate to disengage fully.
If both the slave cylinder and T/O arm are doing their jobs
and the pedal assy. looks good but the clutch pedal still
does not come back up then you may still have some air
trapped.  Its a long way from the reservoir to the slave so I'd
probably bled it several times and then recheck.  We used a
pressure bleeder for this when I was a VW dealer tech and
we still had the occasional problem with trapped air.

Good luck and keep us informed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Todd Hill
VolksWerks Transaxles
Olympia, WA