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Mon Aug 27, 2012 11:39 am

So I'm kinda a newbie. Learning a lot as i go....But I'm stumped now.

A few weeks ago, taking my son to football practice, my bug just started to lose power. The motor revving strong (like normal) but no power. None in any gear nor reverse. So I figured, gotta be the clutch (or clutch components). Ordered a new clutch kit.

http://www.socalautoparts.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=111198165AD+

Now this weekend, dropped the motor, installed kit. And since the motor was out, cleaned up a few things, painted a few more.... Put it all back together, and still now the gears do not engage. (Here comes the dumb on my part...)

Long story short, I did not have my keys. So as we were rolling the car out of the garage, to park back in the yard (till i get my keys) I pressed the clutch, stuck it in first, released the the pedal..... and nothing. The car kept rolling, as if it was in neutral... any leads would be great. Thanks in advance!

Mon Aug 27, 2012 12:01 pm

Under your rear back seat there's a plate blocking the shift rod coupling. Ensure your coupling screw is engaged on the hockey stick and not slipping. What about other gears? Do they go into gear? If all this and your trans can't shift into any gear with the engine off, something is happening inside the trans. Did you use a alignment tool when installing the clutch and disk?

Mon Aug 27, 2012 12:20 pm

First of all, thanks for the reply...

I will check the coupling screw today after work... it seems to go into all gears just fine, with the motor on, or off. When the issue first occurred, the vehicle would attempt to move the more I accelerated. Then quickly quit moving all together.

Yes sir. Made certain clutch disk was aligned and motor seated correctly on installation.

Mon Aug 27, 2012 12:35 pm

No wierd sounds? Are you running drums or disc rears?

Mon Aug 27, 2012 12:37 pm

No, no sounds. Just as if she was in neutral.... still on original drums for now...

Mon Aug 27, 2012 1:01 pm

Is your clutch arm returning all the way? Maybe the clutch linkage is jammed up somewhere and putting pressure on the pressure plate? I would not suspect the shift coupler since you had all the symptoms of a slipping clutch before you took it apart so you were getting into gear before. Do you have the correct pressure plate and throwout bearing combo? Later transmissions the throwout bearing acts directly onthe pressure plate fingers whereas an early pressure plate has that machined ring on the pressure plate for the throwout bearing to press against. I would expect if you had an earlier pressure plate with a late throwout bearing the pressure plate would be partially pressed just by bolting the engine up. Just a thought.

Good luck!

Mon Aug 27, 2012 1:42 pm

How about the obvious of stripped rear drum splines?

Mon Aug 27, 2012 2:12 pm

^^^^^^^^^^^

Mon Aug 27, 2012 2:17 pm

is the collor still on it ?does it require the coller?

Mon Aug 27, 2012 2:47 pm

The clutch pedal seems to be the same. Not any higher or lower. Also, no drag or roughness in the motion.So that seems to be fine.

The pressure plates (new and existing) do have the ring (collar) on the spring fingers. They are the same.

Now, I did not think about checking the drum splines. I will check that as well.

Mon Aug 27, 2012 3:07 pm

60ragtop wrote: How about the obvious of stripped rear drum splines?

That's a new one to me!

Mon Aug 27, 2012 9:00 pm

So I didn't have much time to mess with the bug today. However, I was able to pull off both hub caps, started her up put into gear (1st). And wouldn't you know, the passenger side axle nut was there spinning. So it does appear that the drum splines are stripped. Should I be worried about the splines on the axle?

Mon Aug 27, 2012 9:04 pm

Get some new drums and torque to specs.
should be ok.

Tue Aug 28, 2012 6:07 am

thus the proveriable loose nut behind the wheel.getter done and have fun.

Tue Aug 28, 2012 7:14 am

RPGreg2600 wrote: 60ragtop wrote: How about the obvious of stripped rear drum splines?

That's a new one to me!
newbie :?:
from previous experience that is the first thing to check and easy to do, just pop off the hubcaps and check for spinning axle.

Tue Aug 28, 2012 8:14 am

Glad you found it. Wierd sounds(to me) wouldve constituted stripped splines ~. Disc splines usually give out sooner cause they are a little bit softer than OG drums, but it happens. Gotta torque it correct. Ive busted two CB disc rotors under torqueing it ( so it seems). Newest replace I put 390 on there. Its holding. Sometimes I forget to be specific.

Tue Aug 28, 2012 8:16 am

it would seem I should read more carefully...

Tue Aug 28, 2012 8:36 am

I have been torquing axle nuts to 400-450 for years due to the fact of inadequate quality drums and rotors

Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:00 am

At least now you can stop worrying about your clutch, for a while.

Is the upshot here that there are parts, brake drums or disc hubs, of such poor quality that a correctly torqued axle nut could loosen in use? That's pretty hard for me to imagine.

Was there recent work done on the rear brakes of this bug?

Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:03 am

yes they can loosen.hmm that reminds me I need to check mine.