TheSamba.com :: View topic - Shutter/Jerking feeling at Woodward Dream Crusie???

Sun Aug 17, 2008 7:32 pm

Yesterday I headed out to the Woodward Dream Cruise for the first time in my 78 Westy.

I've never had any problems with the engine before but during the cruise I felt something I've never felt before.

If you are not familiar with the dream cruise, there are over 40,000 classic cars, and it's bumper to bumper just cruising down Woodward.

I got to Woodward around 7pm, and not long after I hit the traffic, when I would let the clutch out in 1st, it would feel extremely jerky, and shutter terribly, almost as if I was shifting in the wrong gear too soon. So then I pulled off the road and zipped up and down the side streets to get some more air going to the engine. That helped for a second, but not too much. So then I decided to take off from 2nd gear and that made it better. But not long after it started doing it in that gear also.

Was my bus overheating??? Or is there something else wrong???

Sun Aug 17, 2008 7:35 pm

Check your clutch cable adjustment (freeplay).

Sun Aug 17, 2008 7:49 pm

Don't have a solution, sorry. - but I just got back from the 'cruise' - the most awsesome colletion of absolutely 'cherry' cars I've seen. What a BIG TIME party with people that LOVE cars. Most of these cars (and there are tons) are not just 'pretty nice', but 'showroom' cruisers with mostly very cool people. I can't image the total car value in that one location.

I must say, I never saw a bus other than a local rig near my friend's house in Birmingham. I was disappointed in that, but what a time! If you've never been - get there, if your semi close by.

Wed Aug 20, 2008 6:41 pm

Anyone else have any input??

Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:21 am

I think it may be a flywheel problem. Sometimes when a clutch wears down it puts grooves in the flywheel. Has the clutch been replaced lately?When pulling out in first, or backing up, if you let up on the clutch pedal "slowly" (stop and go traffic) you will feel a shudder or bumping as the vehicle starts to move. When pulling out in a normal fashion it is not as noticeable.

Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:38 am

I would be looking first at the Temp Sensor II and then at the fuel pressure.

Sat Aug 30, 2008 8:25 am

I have been having the same problem with mine and my mechanic says that oil may be getting on the clutch plates and flywheel causing it to slip and shudder. I adjusted the clutch cable and that has seemed to help.

Sat Aug 30, 2008 10:18 am

This is a very commen problem it seams that 9 times out of ten it is the bowden tube. If you follow your clutch cable back to where it goes through a flexy black tube by the tranny that is the bowden tube. This keeps constat pressure on your clutch cable. It should have an s bend in it that has 1 in deflection. My 71 bus did this too out of first and I went through everything, my bowden tube had the correct amount of deflection but I pulled it out and there was junk all in it and the insides were torn up. I replaced it and lubed it up and had no problems with it ever since. Bowden tube is a 8 dallor part

Sat Aug 30, 2008 11:04 am

Is this problem something that you can just live with? Or should it be fixed?

cause mine has the same problem... but I can't really afford take my van into the shop...

or is it a a simple fix that you could explain to me?

Sat Aug 30, 2008 11:24 am

http://www.thebugshop.org/bsfqbwdn.htm

This link should help alot with the adjustment and replacement of a bowden tube, and if I could do it I think anyone could.