Clutch Pedal to floor - cable not broke

VAVWFAN

OK, 69 Westy was shifting normal 1st -thru- 3rd, then went to go into 4th, and pedal went to the floor, with little restriction. I was less than a mile from home so I turned around and parked it. "Cable I thought!"

I checked the cable run yesterday and it's in-tact, and moving the shift lever on the tranny. I tried adjusting but no help.

I'm assuming the problem is in the throw-out bearing area, but trying to determine most likely culprit (so I can preorder parts).

There was no noise, associated with failure, just ineffective pedal movement.

Can anyone suggest "possibilities" or other things I should look at before I pull engine????

Thanks

LeeE · Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 8:33 am Post subject:

I had (maybe) the same thing happen with my '69 years ago. The throw-out bearing clips had come loose, weren't installed properly. Hopefully that's all that has happened to you.
It's an easy fix but unfortunately does require pulling the engine, maybe not all the way out but at least back far enough to be able to get at the clips.
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VAVWFAN · Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 9:06 am Post subject:

Thanks - gotta get another engine anyways, though current is OK for around town. Time to kill two birds with one stone it seems!
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minispdrcr · Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 9:18 am Post subject:

There was just a thread like that not long ago. The shifter arm on the transmission had cracked and was not moving the mechanism.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=514196&highlight=clutch+pedal
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busdaddy · Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 9:36 am Post subject:

Try another cable, they can break internally and appear fine outwardly. If it doesn't make a difference keep the old one as a spare. Lay the 2 side by side as well for a length comparison.
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borninabus · Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 9:39 am Post subject:

most commonly the clevis pin breaks.

did you look @ the cable end under the pedal?
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VAVWFAN · Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 9:56 am Post subject:

Well, my grandson was pushing the pedal, and the arm was moving what appeared to be full trave. I looked at that clevis fitting being cracked and it isn't, but as I was moving the arm by had, I heard a matelic "tinkle" inside the bell housing, so my guess is the T/O bearing clips - "duogh!"

That said; I want to get something other than a floor jack to pull the engine this time. Does anyone have recomendations?? I've heard motorcycle stands work, but dunno?!? I've don't VW engines about 9 times in my life, and while relitively easy, I'm not the most experienced in this forum, but as I advance in age, I sure wouldn't mind making the job as easy as possible...

Suggestions kindly requested!!
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If it weren't for "last minutes;" -- nothing would ever get done!

drober23 · Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:23 am Post subject:

The Motorcycle jacks work fine. For a '69, a good floor jack is plenty though.

If you use a motorcycle jack, some people put a piece of wood across the two "arms" for better stability.
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aeromech · Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 1:51 pm Post subject:

Your shift fork may be broken inside the bell housing. So, you say you're getting full travel on the arm but the pedal went to the floor? Only way to know is to pull the engine.

Jacks:

I use floor jacks and motorcycle jacks to pull bus engines. The problem with the motorcycle jack is that it doesn't go up as high as the floor jack. So, raise the rear of the bus up enough to get the rear wheels off. Then remove the rear bumper. When you get the engine onto the motorcycle jack (and plywood platform) you should be able to slide it right out the back.
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ccpalmer · Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 4:53 am Post subject:

ccpalmer · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 5:18 am Post subject:

aeromech · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:59 am Post subject:

Why are you saying to remove the rear wheels?

I use an impact gun and removing the rear wheels is really easy for me. Once off, it allows easier access for me to reach things like the fuel line, clutch cable, and heater box cables during an engine swap. I've pulled engines while leaving the bumper in place too but found that being able to slide the engine out the back is easier than raising the bus high enough for the fan shround to clear the bumper. The bumper comes off easiely using an impact gun especially if there are no splash guards to disconnect (which is usually the case).

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_________________
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (2 ea.) 1978
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

VAVWFAN · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 10:34 am Post subject:

Gary; Haven't pulled engine, nor looked into the shift fork replacement,,,,,will be evaluated soon.

However, if the fork is broken, is it a tough job to replace, or pretty straight-forward??

Thanks again!
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If it weren't for "last minutes;" -- nothing would ever get done!

aeromech · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 11:20 am Post subject:

sellitsoon · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 3:01 am Post subject:

I put a wooden cross brace on a small furniture dolly and used a regular floor jack. Best part is that the engine will be on wheels so it's easy to wheel around the garage nice it's out.

Tom Powell · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 7:41 am Post subject:

Here's a homemade dolly to wheel the engine around the garage. I've used it with wood blocks and wedges to pull and replace the engine, but a motorcycle jack would be far better and easier. There are big cracks in my working surface and the two large wheels did not get stuck in the cracks like a floor jack did.

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Aloha
tp

pieterotto · Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 9:21 am Post subject: T/O Frok

hi there, i am busy building up a beach buggy.
i am nearly done and just finished off the last wiring on the lights.
i took the buggy for a test drive and the same thing hapenned to me - no clutch pressure and a funny noise came from the bell housing area.
OK, I pulled the engine and found it to be the throwout fork that broke and the throwout bearing was rotating freely around the shaft - hence the funny noise.
OK, i got a new fork, but struggled the whole day today to get the old fork out, and still struggling.......
I eventually discovered the circlips and removed them. Then I had to grind off the lever where the clutch cable fits to. Now the fork is moving freely from left to right and the lever where the clutch cable fit to is removed.
Now, how do I get the fork out of the bell housing?

VAVWFAN · Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 3:36 pm Post subject:

Well, I finally pulled engine and found the T/O bearing on the shaft, and the two little clips sitting in the bottom of the bellhousing.

The shaft and forks are OK, and I don't see what caused this, except perhaps the little clips vibrating loose.

Curious if a looser than normal clutch adjustment could've caused this? T/O bearing had about 1,100 miles since installed. Clutch and transmission was fine prior
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If it weren't for "last minutes;" -- nothing would ever get done!

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