TheSamba.com :: View topic - Failed Inspection

Mon Jul 08, 2024 6:59 am

What options do I have to upgrade my clutch hose?

I failed inspection for not having a retaining clip on my clutch hose (pictures below). I believe the hose is OEM and not certain there is a clip. Anyone know if there is a clip?

I'd like to upgrade to the Burley clutch hose kit, but don't have a bracket on the frame to install the clutch hose retaining clip

Burley Clutch Cylinder Hose
https://burleymotorsports.net/product/vanagon-hydraulic-clutch-slave-cylinder-hose/

Clutch Hose Retaining Clip
https://www.heritagepartscentre.com/us/251721488-clutch-hose-retaining-clip.html

Picture of Bracket not featured on my van

Here are pictures of my setup

I'm guessing my only option to add the Burley hose is to weld a bracket onto the frame. Looks like that is what this dude did

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9512622&highlight=#9512622

Mon Jul 08, 2024 7:05 am

Uh, I don't think there is a clip there. Let me check my van.

Edit: I don't have that bracket at all. It looks like a simple L bracket. Is it even oem? It's just bolted with that one bolt to the slave. I would just remove it, even if it means disconnecting the line.

Mon Jul 08, 2024 7:21 am

There are clips that belong in some models.
Your photos show a wrongly positioned hose bracket at the clutch slave.
That bracket doesn't go there at all.
Why not look at your Bentley under "CLUTCH"?

Mark

Mon Jul 08, 2024 8:05 am

crazyvwvanman wrote: There are clips that belong in some models.
Your photos show a wrongly positioned hose bracket at the clutch slave.
That bracket doesn't go there at all.
Why not look at your Bentley under "CLUTCH"?

Mark

Thanks Mark!

Good to know that the metal bracket I have shouldn't be there. A 40 year old van certainly has had a lot of opportunity for modification over the years. That is why the Samba is so great to get a peek under the hood of other vans that might have the same setup.

I did look at my Bentley (Section 30) and it only features the short rubber hose that transitions to hard metal line on the gearbox. My frame and gearbox do not have the provisions for this design. This wouldn't be the first time that I have noticed missing information or even incorrect information in the Bentley. The Samba is an awesome resource to address these gaps in documentation. Drove me cray when I replaced the oil pressure sensor on my 1.9L only to find out the wrong pressure set-point was listed on the wiring diagram!! 1.8 bar? Damn you Bentley!

Searches for replacement hoses have multiple reference to replacing the "plastic" hose and the OEM part number on my hose leads me to believe mine is original.

https://www.busdepot.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=clutch+hose

There is even a diagram on the Burley posting that seems to show a 3rd variant of the clutch hose, part 35A. Very similar to what I have but it uses a banjo fitting on the end rather than the union featured on my van.

https://burleymotorsports.net/product/vanagon-hydraulic-clutch-slave-cylinder-hose/

Hoping I can find some knowledgeable folks here that have first hand experience with this.

Mon Jul 08, 2024 8:10 am

4Gears4Tires wrote: Uh, I don't think there is a clip there. Let me check my van.

Edit: I don't have that bracket at all. It looks like a simple L bracket. Is it even oem? It's just bolted with that one bolt to the slave. I would just remove it, even if it means disconnecting the line.

Thanks Man!

Do you have the some union type "brake hose" connection on yours or a banjo fitting? If you can snap a picture that would be great!

Mon Jul 08, 2024 8:22 am

They do inspections like that?

Mon Jul 08, 2024 8:58 am

My 83.5 has a similar bracket. I just bypassed the bracket using Burley's hose.

Mon Jul 08, 2024 9:23 am

The Bentley shows the early versions of the clutch hose/pipe setup with lengths of meta pipe joined to rubber hose.
Around 86/87 this was updated to a flexible plastic line from the frame crossmember to the slave.
The banjo end fitting version was originally for Syncros but can be found/used on 2wd.

Over the years people swap trannys between years/models and you find a mix of parts that may not belong together.

Mark

Mon Jul 08, 2024 10:09 am

ebennett wrote:

I failed inspection for not having a retaining clip on my clutch hose (pictures below).

was this in PA?

Mon Jul 08, 2024 11:12 am

dabaron wrote:

was this in PA?

Yuppers, Downingtown. The mechanic was very thorough and nailed me for a bunch of things I think other's would have over looked.

Mon Jul 08, 2024 12:04 pm

ebennett wrote: dabaron wrote:

was this in PA?

Yuppers, Downingtown. The mechanic was very thorough and nailed me for a bunch of things I think other's would have over looked.

Do you have a list of all the items that "failed" PA safety inspection? I'd like to see what else he or she found.

I see no reason why that missing clip on the clutch hose should have failed inspection.

Mon Jul 08, 2024 1:06 pm

revolution337 wrote:

Do you have a list of all the items that "failed" PA safety inspection? I'd like to see what else he or she found.

I see no reason why that missing clip on the clutch hose should have failed inspection.

LOL, some legit, some a little silly. The van had been sitting and not inspected in decades. I installed a new windshield, upper control arms + bushing, upper ball joints, rotors, bearings, SS brake hoses, master cylinder (& BMW E30 booster), rear shoes, wheel cylinders as well as non-inspection stuff like a clutch, shifter linkage, gas hoses, gas tank vent tubing, v-belts, ground wires, etc.

List of failed items:
*rear brake shoes not adjusted far enough out
*high beam indicator not bright enough
*dash/instrument cluster lights not bright enough
*reverse lights not working
*worn front transmission mount
*clutch hose not secured to mount
*low on blinker fluid

The last one is not real

Mon Jul 08, 2024 1:09 pm

How much does it cost for this inspection and how long does it take? I am amazed they pointed the retaining clip issue out.

Mon Jul 08, 2024 1:53 pm

I've never heard of this level of inspection being required. Are you sure you didn't take a wrong turn and gat inspected in Germany?

Mon Jul 08, 2024 2:09 pm

Not sure about out there, but in IA we need inspection if there has been a collision, or the vehicle has been in storage (at the courthouse) for some arbitrary number of years prior to approval for plates. Other reasons would be if the vehicle was listed as non-running at time of sale. The red tape trappers are spawning more and more kinds of traps every year all around the world.

Mon Jul 08, 2024 2:19 pm

But no mention of 3 hose clamps ganged together?

Mon Jul 08, 2024 2:50 pm

ebennett wrote:

LOL, some legit, some a little silly.

Wow, that's nuts. I grew up in PA and remember having to get vehicle inspections. I don't think I ever failed, even with my POS bug.

Having lived in a NO inspection state for so long I sometimes worry about the safety of my cars and those around me. I think I'll keep living here though.

Mon Jul 08, 2024 2:53 pm

MarkWard wrote: But no mention of 3 hose clamps ganged together?

In all fairness, one of those hose clamps is broken so it is really only 2.

Mon Jul 08, 2024 2:57 pm

MarkWard wrote: But no mention of 3 hose clamps ganged together?

Right? That caught my eye too.

ebennett wrote:

List of failed items:
*rear brake shoes not adjusted far enough out
*high beam indicator not bright enough
*dash/instrument cluster lights not bright enough
*reverse lights not working
*worn front transmission mount
*clutch hose not secured to mount
*low on blinker fluid

The last one is not real

hehe

Rear brake shoes and reverse lights make sense (if the shoes do need adjustment).

Dash and high beam indicator not bright enough??? How is that measured? Dash lights that are too bright disrupt my night vision. I've intentionally dimmed a high beam indicator because it was so bright it distracted me.

Good luck passing the inspection.

Mon Jul 08, 2024 4:47 pm

steve244 wrote: They do inspections like that?

Thats what I was thinking - how do they know what they're looking at or for? :shock: