Hi forum I have had a useful discussion with Mike but would like to open my problem up to the forum. I do not have the IT skills to move my previous concersation with Mike over, so here is a summary: We recently broke down on Tavistock hill when my clutch was slipping up the hill and bailed out into a friendly drive, the AA did not think it could be corrected by the side of the road and so we were transported back I had a clutch replaceement about 3 years ago. The trip was quiet hard on the bus up and down a lot of hills for 2 hours with many hill starts. Up until now I had not noticed a problem. When I got the van back off the lorry it drove perfectly well up a steep slope to my house and the next day the clutch seemed fine , it stalled when I tried to pull off in 4th and the clutch pedal is fully up, it disengages after about an inch depression and having examined the clutch wire and butterfly nut it all seems in perfect order! So what is going on, what can I try to find the problem and correct it. Mike discussed adjusting the clutch cable but I don't really understand what to adjust it to. I also find working under the van a problem with BPPV. Your thoughts Darron
A good starting place would be to understand what you`re looking at and need to adjust , forget the internet - buy a Haynes ... My take would be the clutch got very hot and started slipping , plenty of hill starts don`t help ... Next day it had cooled down and was fine . I would check the return spring on the clutch arm and slacken off the cable to get a lower biting point on the pedal , half way would be better ??
The correct adjustment is when using your hand on the pedal it's very easy to push the first 20mm. If the first 20mm isn't really obviously easy your clutch cable needs loosening.
Lasty I have checked the return spring it looks in good condition, adjusting might be difficult for me as I get vertigo under the van I don't have a work shop and a pit /lift at the moment. Thanks Darron
Zedders I will double check the clutch pedal again , it seemed from memory that this was right as you stated. Darron
In which case it would bite further down than you describe in your first post. About halfway up. Disengaging after 1 inch, the cable is 100% certain too tight.
Zedders So the total clutch range is 223mm, easy pedal play for the 1st 20mm, then clutch plate starts disengaging at 133 mm, just over half way, which is as you think it should. So if the cause is over heating of the clutch plate apart from not driving up too many hills is it worth just adjusting the clutch? Thanks Darron
As your clutch is adjusted correctly the slipping when hot is most likely to be a leaking flywheel oil seal contaminating the clutch.
Zedders OK , this sounds like you will have to examine the clutch plate to be sure of this ? For me reliability is everything and therfore I don't have the place or the knowledge to do this work. I will need to take it to a local garage, none really specialise in VW vans, but atleast I have some insight to the problem. This seems like a big job as it may be worth , replacing the clutch. Thanks Darron
If that what it is, engine out. I wouldn't let a "normal"garage do it personally but it depends on the garage.
Zedders To be honest I don't see much oil on the floor, again it all depends what would be described as a normal amount of oil under the van. I will look again and take a photo, you guys will know what looks acceptible Thanks Darron
A normal amount is sort of theres a drip hanging every time you look under the front of the engine. An abnormal amount is you see regular drips at idle and it uses a noticeable amount of oil between petrol fill-ups. Also oil on the clutch gives the odd judder as you slip the clutch. For you what is annoying is that engine out and in again is simple if you know what to do. The problem is the monkeys with OBD2 sockets in their heads are clueless ... As you know. ... But you might still find an old hand even in a long standing VW main dealer who has handled aircooled. If Techenders happens thats only 111 miles from Raglan... Its 112 miles from Hamble where I live..
It's actually quite difficult for oil from a flywheel seal to contaminate the clutch as it's the other side of the flywheel, but it can build up in the housing on a long trip and leaks more when hot. It happened to me once. There was no juddering or warning, it just started slipping up hills. But I changed mine. As Mike says, if the clutch is now working but "grabby", likely is contaminated if not presently swimming in oil. There is also an o ring seal in the flywheel that would leak onto the clutch side of the flywheel. Hot oil does find the gaps.
I did once have an incident where I damaged the gearbox input shaft seal which was rock hard, then gearbox oil got into the clutch along the driveshaft, then the clutch slipped smoothly...
Another sign of losing oil are oil spots / stains on the tailgate and engine lid - come and have a look at mine if you need an example ...
Hi all I have taken photo but not sure how to attach at the moment. There is oil around the seal area engine/clutch junction but not really alot no drips ,just a film. It looks like I am going to look at getting a garage to look at the clutch but not sure of whether to get parts before hand to make sure correct as the van will be just sitting in the garage may be more time efficient to get all the needed parts and get the garage to do the work, if they are not needed , clutch will be allways needed in the future. Are the clutches standard. Darron
What is the name of that VW garage @Beaver works (worked at) didn't they do Aircooled VW's in Bristol?
Type-1 should be 200mm but you never know. Type-4 should be 210 or 215 for 1700 and 1800 and 228mm for 2000...but again you never know until you get your hands on it, 40-50 years of history. Your garage will have a same day delivery account for parts with Europarts or similar, I'd leave it to them.
