Hello Latebay! So I'm composing this email under poor circumstances since I've just had to push my VW t2 Rosie half way home due to her not picking up any gears, luckily the roads were dead and it happened after I finished work at 11pm at last night. So I haven't managed to find out the total diagnosis for it but what I can tell you is I was driving it home and came to a traffic light which was red thus I stopped, turned to green selected gear one and took off, went to two fine then as I went to three nothing happened, the accelator just went down and the gear even though in postion didn't hold. I can select the gears fine whilst the engine is running and not running. I dip the clutch all the way down but it doesn't seem to find the biting point if that makes sense? I select gear one and when I return my foot off the clutch the car does nothing but before would start to creep forward. Just did some quick research, could I be needed a new clutch? People also claiming the clutch cable could need shortening/tightening if it is the latter is this something I could do? Or has the gearbox gone and it needs replacing? Would appreciate any insight one what it could be! Just sucks I take her out of dry storage after a month or so because the weather is nice and my first night it I had to tow her home Kind regards Lino PS My dad just a quick look at it before I started work and he mentioned something about a cable being disconnected from the back or something ? I do remember last night going over a pothole that was quite bad could it be the clutch cable afterall and is this an easy fix?
Have a look at the arm sticking out of the near side of the gearbox and see if the cable has disconnected itself.
Its got to be inside or downstream of the gearbox. Check your CV joints havent popped out one side.. pothole might have provided the shock.. If the cable breaks the clutch wont disengage and you cant put it into gear engine running without a crunch as the wheels stop the gearbox from moving. If the clutch throwout bearing assembly has collapsed it might hold the clutch disengaged but probably make a racket. Clutch cable rusted over winter ? Clutch disk rusted onto splines ? Leaving a bus standing still for months is mechanically one of the cruellest things. Oil runs away, things rust up, grease turns to wax, rubber perishes because its not constantly flexing.. Strange failure...unless you only think its going into gear because the gear lever moves... and its the little bolt connecting the operating shaft of the gearbox to the coupler at the gearbox nose. That little bolt is on the road somewhere...
Thanks for the reply, the gears are definitely going into place because I can feel the clank as its slots in each respectable gear. I haven't had the chance to look at it properly because I'm currently at work. I had some work done from Kustom Revival before Christmas and I know they installed a new clutch cable if I'm not mistaken. Shes also been in dry storage over Christmas to prevent her from the harsh weather and I've been on hoilday thus the time she spent stationary. So what is specific I need to look for to make the diagnosis, I really do appreciate all the replies and help on the matter.
Sounds to me as though the shift rod linkage has worked loose and nothing to do with the Clutch. Look at Diagram and check it is tight https://www.coolairvw.co.uk/Item/Sh...oupling_-_T2_-_1962-79_-_1_Screw_Version.html and check this thing is tight. https://www.coolairvw.co.uk/Item/Sh...2_68-79_Gearshift_Coupling_-_Top_Quality.html
If your dad has seen a disconnected cable at the back I’d start there, the cables should be connected to something. Can you select the gears with the engine running and your foot off the clutch?
Worth making sure it is the clutch cable disconnected and not something like a heater cable he's looking at.
You said Kustom Revival did some work on the van before Christmas and you think they fitted a new clutch cable. I would be speaking with them right now. Check their invoice to see what work they did.
If I'm not mistaken yes I can do that, it's just I did so much troubleshooting yesterday it's all abit over the place in regards to what I can remember.
As a first step, just get under the van and see if the clutch lever on the transmission is actually moving when somebody up front presses the pedal.
You need to check all simple things. Things falling off. Stupid things. Things a garage did. So e.g.. the clutch cable being adjusted too tightly and once the clutch beds in it slips... thats cheap and fiddly but simple to try- loosen the adjustment a couple of turns and see if the clutch starts biting. Then adjust until the clutch pedal dips 1 to 2 cm before meeting the increased resistance of the clutch plate springs. I have also had a clutch slip when it got a spray of gearbox oil on it due to a hard oil seal on the gearbox side. Doing 65mph foot hard on floor overtaking a lowered Caddy pickup going up a slight hill. Generally engine oil leaks from the crank case seal just end up all over the bottom of the engine. When my gearbox failed it was progressive. First and second gear gave up. Still had third so was able to get home from the chipshop when we got home from hols in the bus. Killed it driving round Devon.
So I briefly checked the undercarriage looking for what was suggested and to my horror found this, sorry for the brief video but my phone was about to die and just managed to capture this footage from the back left wheel. This is the result whilst going over that pothole undoubtedly, man what a headache and I dread to think what other damage its done if the gears etc still aren't working. I can make a claim on this right? Will be doing my research tomorrow and taking pictures on where it was for sure.
The pothole didn’t cause that; the bolts have just backed out. When was the last time you checked them?
As above, the pothole didn't do that. Loose CV bolts, no locking washers or spreader plates will cause it to come undone. Stick it back on with the right kit, and they won't come undone
I don't have a clue, I don't think that I've checked them before , as mentioned I had alot of work done at Kustom Revival so I very much doubt something like this wouldn't of been checked over as those guys have been truly fantastic to me. I still firmly believe the pothole is the culprit even if they were a tad loose because it didn't sound too great whilst going over it and the issues arrose seconds after. I'm just enquiring to KR now also and they've confirmed it could very well be the reason why there's no acceleration. Seems I need some tools and muscle and it should be a fixable issue. Thank you for your continuous support though, this VW community rocks ✌️❤️
They wouldn't have checked them if there was no reason to. They were likely already loose when you hit the pothole.
The pothole might have been the final straw but it wasn’t the root cause, those bolts were loose long before the drive shaft fell off. If the drive shaft isn’t connected the bus wouldn’t accelerate – it’s the bit that makes the wheels on the bus go round and round. That must have been making a hell of a racket as you pushed/towed it but on more positive news – the clutch cable is still attached. Maybe it’s time for a course on basic maintenance.
