Help w/ 69 VW beetle
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AntiM
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Help w/ 69 VW beetle
Okay, nothing to do with B-man, but assistance required. 1969 VW bug, was running, now will not shift out of first gear. Can be forced to 3rd, but it dies and drops back to first. Thoughts?
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Captain Goddammit
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Yes, go to the samba and ask... I see there are several "experts" here who don't know what the fuck they're talking about... a "service" on a manual trans pretty much consists of changing the gear oil... and is not going to solve that problem. There's no filter or vacuum modulator or anything else like on an automatic. A clutch issue won't stick it in first or sometimes forcibly third, if you line up the revs properly you can shift up and down through all the gears without using the clutch at all.
Without being there, I have to assume it needs to come out and apart.
I'm an American car mechanic, not a VW one, but go to any VW enthusiast site and ask. Definitely don't listen to most Burners about real mechanic stuff!
Without being there, I have to assume it needs to come out and apart.
I'm an American car mechanic, not a VW one, but go to any VW enthusiast site and ask. Definitely don't listen to most Burners about real mechanic stuff!
GreyCoyote: "At this rate it wont be long before he is Admiral Fukkit."
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Dustdevil
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I must beg to differ with the Good Captain. First you make the assumption that the driver has the knowledge and skill to match the engine speed to the road speed to allow shifting without the clutch. Second, after 35 years of doing such repairs on both domestic and import vehicles, I have seen such results from a clutch that won't fully release on many occasions. Mustangs are notorious for stretching the clutch cable and causing the pressure plate to not fully release, thus causing the shifter to feel as though it is stuck in a gear. It could easily be that when the driver finally pulls the shifter out of first, third gear is a close match to the engine and road speed, so it will go into third with a little coaxing. But I have been wrong before.......
Those who think they can and those who think they can't are both right.
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searock420
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Try these guys
http://www.vw-resource.com/index.html
http://www.vw-resource.com/index.html
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oneeyeddick
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I'd have to go with dustdevil on this one, it sounds like a clutch problem...if it has a hydrolic assist, therein is the problem(probably), if not , then something is bent or stretched, or the plate could be loose or something like like that.
Had same exact problem with toyota truck 12 years ago,(only first and third) it was the hydrolic assist.
Good luck with that............
Had same exact problem with toyota truck 12 years ago,(only first and third) it was the hydrolic assist.
Good luck with that............
We have an obligation to make space for everyone, we have no obligation to make that space pleasant.
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Dustdevil
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That year of bug uses a cable operated clutch. Eventually the cable frays and then the length increases. That creates a situation where the pressure plate does not fully release. On the late model Mustangs, the cable housing collapses, effectively making the cable longer. Same result.
Those who think they can and those who think they can't are both right.
very good site. I found info on transaxle really fast:
" der Transaxle "
Transaxle -
What most people refer to an the "transmission" in a VW is actually a "transaxle." A transaxle is used in front-wheel drive and rear-engine, rear-wheel drive vehicles such as the aircooled Volkswagen. Transaxles incorporate both a transmission and a differential into a single unit.
From the Haynes Manual - The manual transaxle is a compact, lightweight aluminum alloy split case (two piece) housing (early models) or a single-piece housing (later models) containing both the gearbox and differential assemblies. Early split-case units have four speeds, with a non-synchromesh first gear; later single-piece units are full synchro four-speed designs.
Syncronizers -
The VW transmission relies on brass syncronizer rings to allow matching of gear speed to transmission input shaft or pinion shaft speed to facilitate grind-free shifting. All forward VW gears have their own syncronizer. Reverse does not have a syncronizer. This brass syncronizer ring is a kind of brake pad acting against the gear itself. Each "brake pad" syncronizer has to stop it's gear from turning every time a different gear is selected. When a car's driver moves the shift lever faster from gear to gear, the syncronizer ring has to stop it's gear from turning in less time than if the shift were made slower. Sometimes a gear change is made faster than what the brass syncronizer can physically handle, and the gears grind together before they mesh, often causing only very slight damage to the gear teeth as the gears are extremely hard. (Reverse gears are the exception here, they are soft.) So, it is possible to overwhelm the syncronizer's ability to perform it's function as the speed of shifting is increased.
~~~
Symptoms of Transmission Problems
Dave wrote - First thing away from the curb it ground badly going into second gear -- in fact I couldn't even get it into second.
Rob responded - Sounds like two issues -
Sloppy shift. Take a look at the shift bushing in the chassis "tunnel" and the shift rod coupling under the access panel (under the rear seat) -- I'll bet that one or both are worn. Also, make sure that the shift plate (the plate at the base of the shifter) is bolted down firmly... if it moves around it can cause strange shifting symptoms.
(It's not likely to be these, since you fixed them up before. It is faintly possible the rear coupling has come loose (grub screw) -- you said the replacement did not have a lock-wire on it.)
Grinding. Is the clutch adjusted well? If so, the 2nd gear synch rings in the transmission may be worn.
My synchros are worn on 2 and 3, and a fast shift will produce a graunch. As a simple test -- try double clutching -- that means shifting to neutral, taking your foot off the clutch the straight back on and change to the next gear. When downshifting (3 to 2 for example), rev (blip) the engine a little whilst in the neutral with clutch out, then into the new gear. If this process gives a smoother change with less grinding, the synchros may well be worn. The process described above "matches" (manually synchronises) the input and output shaft revs in the gearbox, so a worn synchro will not have to work as hard to do it for you. So if the synchros need help to produce a smooth change -- they are worn.
It's a Big Deal to repair -- the gearbox has to come out for this job -- best undertaken with a full gearbox rebuild, since other parts (bearings etc) are sure to be a little worn too. Serious VW gearbox work needs special tools too -- best left to the experts.
(Another possibility is that the clutch cable tube has become unwelded inside the tunnel. This will result in a spongey feel to the clutch pedal, often with a clunking sound as the loose tube slaps the tunnel side when you use the clutch. The rear weld is visible just in front of the rear coupling -- this broke on mine twice, and has been rewelded with no problem. If the center or front welds have let go, the are VERY difficult to get too. John Henry describes the process of finding them in an article on his web site. But it involves cutting holes in the side of the tunnel to find the weld -- not nice!)
Dave - I replaced the shifter bushing, hoping that would tighten the shifter up a bit, but it didn’t. It stopped the horrible rattle, but there is still way too much play in the shifter. A change in the transmission fluid didn't make any difference in the sloppy shifter. This says to me that our transmission needs work.
Rob - VW transaxles are TOUGH though, so if it's going okay (albeit still a bit sloppy on the gear change) it should last a while yet. The main problem to watch for is the problem I have -- crunchy gear changes, meaning worn synchro rings, and jumping out of 4th, which means a badly worn selector fork. The gears and bearings seem to last very well so long and the oil gets changed once in a blue moon.
Dave - We haven’t had any of the problems you describe. I haven't noticed the grinding problem my son talked about, just the loosey goosey shifter. But I didn't have any trouble finding all of the gears without any grinding.
Rob - I can only guess he's 'forcing' the gear changes with fast shifts, and with a loose-ish shift linkage, it might be out-foxing the synchromesh for a slight graunch. I've always found that with the VWs low compression and fairly heavy flywheel, it takes a second or two for the revs to drop as you take your foot off the throttle, so rushing a gear change forces the gears to mesh when the engine is still revving higher than the new gear. This refers to changing up-- 2 to 3, 3 to 4 etc. Changing down I always ease the revs up (even double clutching if I have to force it in a hurry) to try and match the engine revs to the new gear. Of course all that should not really be necessary, but our gearboxes ARE getting old, and mine's never been out of the car, so the synchromesh is getting worn-- easy to crunch gears.
Dave - I took out the back seat and had a look at the shift rod connection to the transmission shaft by way of the shift coupler. The major thing I found -- the sloppiness is in the transmission shaft itself, not a result of a defective coupler. I'm getting very discouraged with this little car.
Rob - This probably does mean some gearbox work will be needed sometime. It's a shame when you've put so much work into it and new problems keep cropping up. I guess the trouble is that Beetles can take a huge amount of abuse and still run okay (testimony to the excellent engineering in them) but they DO wear out eventually, just like anything else, and it looks like it's all happening for you at the "same" time. And the trouble is now that if you decided to get rid of it, someone else would benefit from all the effort you've put in so far. Like being between a rock and a hard place.
~~~
Rebuild/Replace Options
Dave - I found rebuilt transmissions in the RMMW catalog under "Transaxle." They want $450 plus $40 shipping. The local VW shop wants $180.95 labor if the car has independent rear suspension (IRS), and $206.80 labor if it's a swing axle. They also gave me a price of $450 for the rebuilt transmission. You know, it might almost be worth $200 for the labor ... I just called the VW dealer in a neighboring town -- they want $240 to do the work and $2000 for the transmission!
Rob - So I guess the labour cost IS around the $200 -- 3-4 hours work for the professionals sounds about right, since this would include dropping/reinstalling the engine. $2000 for a new transmission -- a Mexican one I suppose. Twice the price of a new Mexican engine in US $ -- seems a little pricey. But rebuilt should be fine. The gears themselves are apparently very tough, and so is the case (it has to be to support the weight of the engine), but the bearings and synchros and spacers and change mechanism etc all need repair/replacing, so $450 sounds about right to me.
Dave found a high-performance transmission at Aircooled.Net for $625 (after core).
Having the transaxle rebuilt is an option that is just as good and less expensive. Dave checked TopLine Parts, with whom he had done business before. They indicated that they don’t do transmissions, but a company in their building, "Der Transaxle," does. 2910 East Miraloma Avenue, Unit C, Anaheim, CA 92806 (714) 630-7292.
Dave called "Der Transaxle" and spoke with Jim, the proprietor. Dave described to Jim (heck of a helpful guy) his problems with the transmission (sloppy shifting, can't shift into second); he says that's very typical. It is also typical to have problems shifting into reverse. When Jim rebuilds a transmission he goes completely through it and replaces all worn parts. He even corrects a design problem with reverse gear! Jim convinced Dave that the best and cheapest way to go is to package his transmission up and ship it down to Der Transaxle to be rebuilt. Jim charges $175 plus parts; the average total cost is $300-325. The transmission weight is about 90 lbs; shipping is $45.50 each way (UPS), so the total cost, including shipping, is about $416.10. You don’t need to clean it, Jim said; just drain the oil and wrap it in a couple of garbage bags.
~~~
Transaxle Removal
Dave - Once the engine is out, I can't imagine that the transmission is all that hard to take out and put back in. Just heavy -- I suppose I'd need to borrow or rent a transmission jack or some such.
Rob - Mechanically it's a straightforward job. I don't think you even have to remove the rear brake/bearing assemblies on yours (I do on mine -- swing axles swing off the transmission). Just have the car sitting on the jackstands (under the torsion bar tubes) and you can use your trolley jack to take the weight of the box. I don't think it's as heavy as the engine.
Dave - As I understand it, you just remove the bolts that attach the IRS to the transaxle and wire the axles up to hold them in place.
Rob - Sounds right -- meaning the outer end of the drive mechanism (brake assemblies and bearings) are not touched.
Dave - If I can find the longitudinal center of gravity is on the transmission, I can conveniently support the transaxle at that point with the jack.
Rob - It's just forward of the drain plug I think. The nose cone has less weight in it than the main part of the box, so I think the balance point would be between the drain plug and the forward end of the main box.
As he was getting into the transaxle removal project, Dave wrote - The car is way up in the air -- I just removed the engine, and the car is supported on the jackstands resting on on blocks of wood. Now I need to build my jack pedestal under the transaxle with the jack on top of it -- then disconnect the transaxle and balance it on the jack (seems precarious). Now, how do I lower it to the floor?
Rob - I'm not sure of the exact weight, but it can't be much more than 80-100 lbs (for comparison, the complete engine is about 200lbs). So it might well be possible to have two guys under the car and lower it manually to the floor. Draining the oil out first would reduce the weight by about 7-8lbs too.
Dave - A picture in the Haynes manual shows using a piece of 2x4 on the trolley jack to support the transaxle. It looks like it would be possible to build pedestals on either side for the 2x4 to rest on, then balance the transaxle on the 2x4 and gradually lower it to the floor by removing a piece of wood from each side, one at a time, just like we did for the engine. I think a little wooden cradle might be in order to hold the transaxle securely.
Rob - Personally I'd not bother with a cradle -- I'd probably just have the jack slightly BEHIND the balance point -- say under the drain plug, and pull the transaxle backwards on the jack and have something to stop the nosecone falling downwards (cross beam on bricks just in front of the jack?), and then let the jack down so the back of the box is low enough to get a hand on to the top of the bell housing whilst standing in the engine bay (take the engine lid off so you have head room), then kick the jack out backwards and lower the back of the box to the floor -- you'd only be "lifting" about 60lb of the transaxle weight this way the nose cone is still supporting the front end. Easy then to lower the front (lighter) end to the floor.
I'm assuming only one person to do the job. If you can get a friend -- the job would be a cinch.
Dave did construct a triangular cradle (see the following picture); even with that lowering the transaxle was precarious. The best way to do this job is with two people. Dave discovered that the longitudinal center of gravity is NOT under the drain plug -- it's further forward. He learned this the hard way when he dropped the front of the transaxle -- only about six inches, and onto his wooden pedestal, so no harm done. Dave decided that When he reinstalls the transaxle he I will carefully determine the best jacking point and note it in the procedure.
(See the Transaxle Ready for Reinstallation picture below for a good shot of the cradle.)
~~~
Shipment for Repair
Dave called UPS to see just how they would want a 90-lb object packaged -- they said to ship the transmission in a heavy cardboard box, 2-4 inches of foam insulation all around. Address outside and inside; and seams thoroughly taped. Ground shipping = $45.55 from Richland to Anaheim.
A friend at Western Sintering found a very sturdy barrel to package Dave's transaxle in and shipped it to "Der Transaxle" in Anaheim, California for Dave. A great service, for which we are most grateful!
~~~
" der Transaxle "
Transaxle -
What most people refer to an the "transmission" in a VW is actually a "transaxle." A transaxle is used in front-wheel drive and rear-engine, rear-wheel drive vehicles such as the aircooled Volkswagen. Transaxles incorporate both a transmission and a differential into a single unit.
From the Haynes Manual - The manual transaxle is a compact, lightweight aluminum alloy split case (two piece) housing (early models) or a single-piece housing (later models) containing both the gearbox and differential assemblies. Early split-case units have four speeds, with a non-synchromesh first gear; later single-piece units are full synchro four-speed designs.
Syncronizers -
The VW transmission relies on brass syncronizer rings to allow matching of gear speed to transmission input shaft or pinion shaft speed to facilitate grind-free shifting. All forward VW gears have their own syncronizer. Reverse does not have a syncronizer. This brass syncronizer ring is a kind of brake pad acting against the gear itself. Each "brake pad" syncronizer has to stop it's gear from turning every time a different gear is selected. When a car's driver moves the shift lever faster from gear to gear, the syncronizer ring has to stop it's gear from turning in less time than if the shift were made slower. Sometimes a gear change is made faster than what the brass syncronizer can physically handle, and the gears grind together before they mesh, often causing only very slight damage to the gear teeth as the gears are extremely hard. (Reverse gears are the exception here, they are soft.) So, it is possible to overwhelm the syncronizer's ability to perform it's function as the speed of shifting is increased.
~~~
Symptoms of Transmission Problems
Dave wrote - First thing away from the curb it ground badly going into second gear -- in fact I couldn't even get it into second.
Rob responded - Sounds like two issues -
Sloppy shift. Take a look at the shift bushing in the chassis "tunnel" and the shift rod coupling under the access panel (under the rear seat) -- I'll bet that one or both are worn. Also, make sure that the shift plate (the plate at the base of the shifter) is bolted down firmly... if it moves around it can cause strange shifting symptoms.
(It's not likely to be these, since you fixed them up before. It is faintly possible the rear coupling has come loose (grub screw) -- you said the replacement did not have a lock-wire on it.)
Grinding. Is the clutch adjusted well? If so, the 2nd gear synch rings in the transmission may be worn.
My synchros are worn on 2 and 3, and a fast shift will produce a graunch. As a simple test -- try double clutching -- that means shifting to neutral, taking your foot off the clutch the straight back on and change to the next gear. When downshifting (3 to 2 for example), rev (blip) the engine a little whilst in the neutral with clutch out, then into the new gear. If this process gives a smoother change with less grinding, the synchros may well be worn. The process described above "matches" (manually synchronises) the input and output shaft revs in the gearbox, so a worn synchro will not have to work as hard to do it for you. So if the synchros need help to produce a smooth change -- they are worn.
It's a Big Deal to repair -- the gearbox has to come out for this job -- best undertaken with a full gearbox rebuild, since other parts (bearings etc) are sure to be a little worn too. Serious VW gearbox work needs special tools too -- best left to the experts.
(Another possibility is that the clutch cable tube has become unwelded inside the tunnel. This will result in a spongey feel to the clutch pedal, often with a clunking sound as the loose tube slaps the tunnel side when you use the clutch. The rear weld is visible just in front of the rear coupling -- this broke on mine twice, and has been rewelded with no problem. If the center or front welds have let go, the are VERY difficult to get too. John Henry describes the process of finding them in an article on his web site. But it involves cutting holes in the side of the tunnel to find the weld -- not nice!)
Dave - I replaced the shifter bushing, hoping that would tighten the shifter up a bit, but it didn’t. It stopped the horrible rattle, but there is still way too much play in the shifter. A change in the transmission fluid didn't make any difference in the sloppy shifter. This says to me that our transmission needs work.
Rob - VW transaxles are TOUGH though, so if it's going okay (albeit still a bit sloppy on the gear change) it should last a while yet. The main problem to watch for is the problem I have -- crunchy gear changes, meaning worn synchro rings, and jumping out of 4th, which means a badly worn selector fork. The gears and bearings seem to last very well so long and the oil gets changed once in a blue moon.
Dave - We haven’t had any of the problems you describe. I haven't noticed the grinding problem my son talked about, just the loosey goosey shifter. But I didn't have any trouble finding all of the gears without any grinding.
Rob - I can only guess he's 'forcing' the gear changes with fast shifts, and with a loose-ish shift linkage, it might be out-foxing the synchromesh for a slight graunch. I've always found that with the VWs low compression and fairly heavy flywheel, it takes a second or two for the revs to drop as you take your foot off the throttle, so rushing a gear change forces the gears to mesh when the engine is still revving higher than the new gear. This refers to changing up-- 2 to 3, 3 to 4 etc. Changing down I always ease the revs up (even double clutching if I have to force it in a hurry) to try and match the engine revs to the new gear. Of course all that should not really be necessary, but our gearboxes ARE getting old, and mine's never been out of the car, so the synchromesh is getting worn-- easy to crunch gears.
Dave - I took out the back seat and had a look at the shift rod connection to the transmission shaft by way of the shift coupler. The major thing I found -- the sloppiness is in the transmission shaft itself, not a result of a defective coupler. I'm getting very discouraged with this little car.
Rob - This probably does mean some gearbox work will be needed sometime. It's a shame when you've put so much work into it and new problems keep cropping up. I guess the trouble is that Beetles can take a huge amount of abuse and still run okay (testimony to the excellent engineering in them) but they DO wear out eventually, just like anything else, and it looks like it's all happening for you at the "same" time. And the trouble is now that if you decided to get rid of it, someone else would benefit from all the effort you've put in so far. Like being between a rock and a hard place.
~~~
Rebuild/Replace Options
Dave - I found rebuilt transmissions in the RMMW catalog under "Transaxle." They want $450 plus $40 shipping. The local VW shop wants $180.95 labor if the car has independent rear suspension (IRS), and $206.80 labor if it's a swing axle. They also gave me a price of $450 for the rebuilt transmission. You know, it might almost be worth $200 for the labor ... I just called the VW dealer in a neighboring town -- they want $240 to do the work and $2000 for the transmission!
Rob - So I guess the labour cost IS around the $200 -- 3-4 hours work for the professionals sounds about right, since this would include dropping/reinstalling the engine. $2000 for a new transmission -- a Mexican one I suppose. Twice the price of a new Mexican engine in US $ -- seems a little pricey. But rebuilt should be fine. The gears themselves are apparently very tough, and so is the case (it has to be to support the weight of the engine), but the bearings and synchros and spacers and change mechanism etc all need repair/replacing, so $450 sounds about right to me.
Dave found a high-performance transmission at Aircooled.Net for $625 (after core).
Having the transaxle rebuilt is an option that is just as good and less expensive. Dave checked TopLine Parts, with whom he had done business before. They indicated that they don’t do transmissions, but a company in their building, "Der Transaxle," does. 2910 East Miraloma Avenue, Unit C, Anaheim, CA 92806 (714) 630-7292.
Dave called "Der Transaxle" and spoke with Jim, the proprietor. Dave described to Jim (heck of a helpful guy) his problems with the transmission (sloppy shifting, can't shift into second); he says that's very typical. It is also typical to have problems shifting into reverse. When Jim rebuilds a transmission he goes completely through it and replaces all worn parts. He even corrects a design problem with reverse gear! Jim convinced Dave that the best and cheapest way to go is to package his transmission up and ship it down to Der Transaxle to be rebuilt. Jim charges $175 plus parts; the average total cost is $300-325. The transmission weight is about 90 lbs; shipping is $45.50 each way (UPS), so the total cost, including shipping, is about $416.10. You don’t need to clean it, Jim said; just drain the oil and wrap it in a couple of garbage bags.
~~~
Transaxle Removal
Dave - Once the engine is out, I can't imagine that the transmission is all that hard to take out and put back in. Just heavy -- I suppose I'd need to borrow or rent a transmission jack or some such.
Rob - Mechanically it's a straightforward job. I don't think you even have to remove the rear brake/bearing assemblies on yours (I do on mine -- swing axles swing off the transmission). Just have the car sitting on the jackstands (under the torsion bar tubes) and you can use your trolley jack to take the weight of the box. I don't think it's as heavy as the engine.
Dave - As I understand it, you just remove the bolts that attach the IRS to the transaxle and wire the axles up to hold them in place.
Rob - Sounds right -- meaning the outer end of the drive mechanism (brake assemblies and bearings) are not touched.
Dave - If I can find the longitudinal center of gravity is on the transmission, I can conveniently support the transaxle at that point with the jack.
Rob - It's just forward of the drain plug I think. The nose cone has less weight in it than the main part of the box, so I think the balance point would be between the drain plug and the forward end of the main box.
As he was getting into the transaxle removal project, Dave wrote - The car is way up in the air -- I just removed the engine, and the car is supported on the jackstands resting on on blocks of wood. Now I need to build my jack pedestal under the transaxle with the jack on top of it -- then disconnect the transaxle and balance it on the jack (seems precarious). Now, how do I lower it to the floor?
Rob - I'm not sure of the exact weight, but it can't be much more than 80-100 lbs (for comparison, the complete engine is about 200lbs). So it might well be possible to have two guys under the car and lower it manually to the floor. Draining the oil out first would reduce the weight by about 7-8lbs too.
Dave - A picture in the Haynes manual shows using a piece of 2x4 on the trolley jack to support the transaxle. It looks like it would be possible to build pedestals on either side for the 2x4 to rest on, then balance the transaxle on the 2x4 and gradually lower it to the floor by removing a piece of wood from each side, one at a time, just like we did for the engine. I think a little wooden cradle might be in order to hold the transaxle securely.
Rob - Personally I'd not bother with a cradle -- I'd probably just have the jack slightly BEHIND the balance point -- say under the drain plug, and pull the transaxle backwards on the jack and have something to stop the nosecone falling downwards (cross beam on bricks just in front of the jack?), and then let the jack down so the back of the box is low enough to get a hand on to the top of the bell housing whilst standing in the engine bay (take the engine lid off so you have head room), then kick the jack out backwards and lower the back of the box to the floor -- you'd only be "lifting" about 60lb of the transaxle weight this way the nose cone is still supporting the front end. Easy then to lower the front (lighter) end to the floor.
I'm assuming only one person to do the job. If you can get a friend -- the job would be a cinch.
Dave did construct a triangular cradle (see the following picture); even with that lowering the transaxle was precarious. The best way to do this job is with two people. Dave discovered that the longitudinal center of gravity is NOT under the drain plug -- it's further forward. He learned this the hard way when he dropped the front of the transaxle -- only about six inches, and onto his wooden pedestal, so no harm done. Dave decided that When he reinstalls the transaxle he I will carefully determine the best jacking point and note it in the procedure.
(See the Transaxle Ready for Reinstallation picture below for a good shot of the cradle.)
~~~
Shipment for Repair
Dave called UPS to see just how they would want a 90-lb object packaged -- they said to ship the transmission in a heavy cardboard box, 2-4 inches of foam insulation all around. Address outside and inside; and seams thoroughly taped. Ground shipping = $45.55 from Richland to Anaheim.
A friend at Western Sintering found a very sturdy barrel to package Dave's transaxle in and shipped it to "Der Transaxle" in Anaheim, California for Dave. A great service, for which we are most grateful!
~~~
Would that include you Capt GD?I see there are several "experts" here who don't know what the fuck they're talking about
Frankly I'd trust a bunch of burners to figure out what's wrong with something and fix it than my local mechanic who is going to tell me ANYTHING as long as it makes him more money. My transmission might be held together with duct tape but it works.
Camp FuckIt + MT - 7:15 & D (maybe)
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mdmf007
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Are you kidding? There are like 60 parts on a Volkswagen. The only simpler machine is a Massey Ferguson Tractor Pre-WWIIBitterDan wrote:Would that include you Capt GD?I see there are several "experts" here who don't know what the fuck they're talking about
Frankly I'd trust a bunch of burners to figure out what's wrong with something and fix it than my local mechanic who is going to tell me ANYTHING as long as it makes him more money. My transmission might be held together with duct tape but it works.
I have had enough VW Bugs to know what the fuck is going on. Hard shifting - wont come out of first? Start with the clutch adjustment. Then throw out bearing.
Transmissions are very simple in a VW - keep oil in it they rarely break. Those little motors just do not have the oomph to break something.
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Captain Goddammit
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No it wouldn't include me... I was born with wrenches in my hands... the last clutch I replaced was in my '55 Chevy. 23 minutes total, no power tools.BitterDan wrote:Would that include you Capt GD?I see there are several "experts" here who don't know what the fuck they're talking about
Frankly I'd trust a bunch of burners to figure out what's wrong with something and fix it than my local mechanic who is going to tell me ANYTHING as long as it makes him more money. My transmission might be held together with duct tape but it works.
I keep forgetting that most people don't really know how to drive... factoring that in, yes the clutch not releasing COULD be the trouble but I still doubt it.
Shit, I've driven home in vehicles after the clutch or linkage was broken... just shut it off at stoplights, start it up in gear to get going, shift "big truck" style... and by the way, shifting without the clutch is how you normally drive a big truck, and I do that a lot too.
I'm standing by my recommendation to ask these kind of questions on car enthusiast message boards.
GreyCoyote: "At this rate it wont be long before he is Admiral Fukkit."
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Tiahaar
- Posts: 1142
- Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2003 9:13 pm
- Burning Since: 2003
- Camp Name: Starship Palomino
- Location: Mojave Desert, CA (also Forever via Pandora)
Indeed! Reminds me of this time back on the farm. I was quite the little mechanic geek, and one of the 10 wheelers was acting up and not letting the brownie shift. It had always been a dog of a truck, no low range, and we farmhands dreaded doing field work in it. So I crawled underneath to look at the shift linkages and found the connectors all loose and wobbly. Got everything tight, did some centering adjustments, and tried things out. Wow, what do you know, the truck actually had a 4 speed brownie, not a 3 speed, and the extra gear range was...you guessed it...the lowest. (5and4...5 speed main gearbox, 4 speed brownie secondary gearbox) So it became a good truck!AntiM wrote:but you know threads take on a life of their own.
However...later that summer one twit was driving it home, missed a shift going downhill (claimed the brownie jammed) then let the clutch out after letting the truck roll up to about 30ish with the tranny in granny...BAM...no more clutch.
Then the boss had the nerve to blame ME for making granny available in the brownie!!! Also being an outspoken little punk I gave him my best 'what the hell do you mean by that?' rant...he relented, I kept my job. Burning Man 2003-25; Desert Carillon, HypnoHorse, Ulaume's Chimes, Iron Native, Black Rock Solar, Portal Collective, Center Camp Café Stage and Sound Tech, 747 Project
Starship Palomino
Starship Palomino
I try to repair the cheapest shit first when I am not 100 percent in my diagnosis.
I would do clutch checkin out first. It IS the most likely candidate and cheaper to fuck with. Often when one takes a ride to a shop they are assumed to be ignorant and often misled in the repairs to drive up the cost. I only trust mechanics personally known by me or those I trust with my bank account.
My personal exp has been that MORE often the problem you described is a clutch issue. Due to the age of the vehicle it could wind up needing a whole shitload of work in the long run and the owner should take a close look at everything. Also consider doing some work that "will need to be done soon" while its already at the shop.
I would do clutch checkin out first. It IS the most likely candidate and cheaper to fuck with. Often when one takes a ride to a shop they are assumed to be ignorant and often misled in the repairs to drive up the cost. I only trust mechanics personally known by me or those I trust with my bank account.
My personal exp has been that MORE often the problem you described is a clutch issue. Due to the age of the vehicle it could wind up needing a whole shitload of work in the long run and the owner should take a close look at everything. Also consider doing some work that "will need to be done soon" while its already at the shop.
This account has been closed as demanded by Wedeliver.
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Captain Goddammit
- Posts: 8589
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 9:34 am
- Burning Since: 2000
- Camp Name: First Camp
- Location: Seattle, WA
[youtube][/youtube]Captain Goddammit wrote:Now, if you're gonna ask the burner board what to do, the REAL answer is to just yank out the VW stuff and swap in a 455 Olds with a Toronado transaxle. It's been done... makes a Bug run real good.
Better
This account has been closed as demanded by Wedeliver.
I have no experience with VWs, but a lot with transaxles.
First, lubricate thoroughly the clutch cable and adjust or replace.
Check for soft motor or trans mounts and supports- all critical sometimes.
And as Ygmir mentioned, check the shifter linkage, which is nominal on some cars at best.
On one car, the later models had an upgrade that swapped if you used the whole set.
No more issues.
First, lubricate thoroughly the clutch cable and adjust or replace.
Check for soft motor or trans mounts and supports- all critical sometimes.
And as Ygmir mentioned, check the shifter linkage, which is nominal on some cars at best.
On one car, the later models had an upgrade that swapped if you used the whole set.
No more issues.