TheSamba.com :: View topic - My clutch came back to life today?! How come?

Wed Nov 18, 2009 7:45 pm

My area was flooded recently, leaving my '69 door sill-deep in brackish water. When low tide came, I was able to drive it to higher ground with no issues, save for a pretty water logged carpet. After the water subsided, I parked the car back in my parking spot. Still, no problems.

Fast forward a couple days, and about 20 towels to get the carpet dry. I start her up to go for a drive, and the clutch is gone. While running, it won't shift into any gear. :x

I figured my clutch was shot but I didn't give up. Everyday when I got home from work, I would start her up and try to shift but got nowhere. Until today. Took a couple tries, but the clutch came back tonight. I drove a victory lap around my complex, making sure all gears were available. :D

My question is, what was keeping my clutch from operating the past few days? My theory is that all the water caused something in the clutch linkage to bind up with rust and my attemped shifting eventually broke it free. Anyone have any better ideas?

~Kyle

Wed Nov 18, 2009 8:28 pm

Clutch disc rusted to the flywheel or mainshaft. I suggest driving it alot right away and hopefully that will wear the rust off and it will be OK. Double check no water got into the engine and hope your axle grease seals are doing their job. Be sure the water didn't get up to the voltage regulator under the back seat. If saltwater put a hose into the center tunnel, remove the front inspection cover and flush out the crap. Same for heater channels, fresh water flush them out.

Wed Nov 18, 2009 9:27 pm

DrDarby wrote: Clutch disc rusted to the flywheel or mainshaft. I suggest driving it alot right away and hopefully that will wear the rust off and it will be OK. Double check no water got into the engine and hope your axle grease seals are doing their job. Be sure the water didn't get up to the voltage regulator under the back seat. If saltwater put a hose into the center tunnel, remove the front inspection cover and flush out the crap. Same for heater channels, fresh water flush them out.

Water reached right up to the regulator, but so far no electrical issues. The motor oil looks okay, but it's time for an oil change anyway. I'm going to change the tranny oil as well (long overdue). If I hose out the center tunnel, would I have to re-grease the shift rod?

Wed Nov 18, 2009 9:48 pm

Please change ALL of your fluids, transmission, engine.

It could be your clutch bonded to the flywheel, stranger hings have happened.

Wed Nov 18, 2009 10:28 pm

tundrawolf wrote: Please change ALL of your fluids, transmission, engine.

It could be your clutch bonded to the flywheel, stranger hings have happened.

Yes! Flush and reflush. As a kid, I launched my '70 into a creek once, and after we fished it out and got it home (and sobered up), we found all manner of junk in the cases. What was oil became coffee-creamer. The car simply wouldn't go in reverse until I flushed all the creamy-residue out of the tranny, and it ran like smoking hell. After a good long flush (three successive fluid changes) I escaped with out too many troubles.

Thu Nov 19, 2009 11:04 am

ok, I can't help commenting on this. I think you should sue VW. They claimed our cars would float. Obviously yours didn't. I think we have grounds for a class action lawsuite.

Thu Nov 19, 2009 12:35 pm

Fitz. wrote: tundrawolf wrote: Please change ALL of your fluids, transmission, engine.

It could be your clutch bonded to the flywheel, stranger hings have happened.

Yes! Flush and reflush. As a kid, I launched my '70 into a creek once, and after we fished it out and got it home (and sobered up), we found all manner of junk in the cases. What was oil became coffee-creamer. The car simply wouldn't go in reverse until I flushed all the creamy-residue out of the tranny, and it ran like smoking hell. After a good long flush (three successive fluid changes) I escaped with out too many troubles.

Yeah, but briefly your engine became an oil/water/air cooled hybrid. Way cool!