Clutch problem in Mexico

[Microbusdeluxe]

Just south of the border outside Mexicali on our way further south when the clutch in our 1989 syncro began to exhibit too much free play. With my hand I can get about 3/4” of slop in the pedal with a further 3”of very easy pushing before it starts to feel right. No weird sounds, goes in and out of gear ok, no leaks at the master or slave (both fairly new), reservoir not leaking but it ain’t right especially considering we’re going to be down here all winter.

So is it a worn pedal at the clevis pin? In need of a bleeding? Something else? Any suggestions on a mechanic or garage in Yuma?
Thanks in advance
_________________
'69 Squareback RIP
'65 21 window deluxe sold before the price spike, damn it.
'70 rhd bay now a taxi in South Sudan
'81 Westy sold
'89 hightop Westy Joker syncro 16" now with Bostig!

[Ahwahnee]

I'd start by bleeding it. No equipment required (if you're willing to spill some brake fluid on the ground) - just a wrench (8MM?).

[Ahwahnee]

[Sodo]

Heres a comparison for you.
On my '90 with Smallcar bellhousing and VW Golf internal concentric slave-bearing, stock pedal, 190k miles. (I've never rebuilt the clevis, removed, or even looked at it.)

"Top slop" pedal rattle is about 1/4 inch.
At about 3/4 inch down I can feel the throwout bearing contact the pressure plate spring.

That 3" you feel might be air in the line or a faulty master or slave or pressure plate.
Of course an attempt to bleed air out is your first task.

I had to replace my clutch disc recently with similar symptoms.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=705216&start=0
Some of the disc cushion springs broke, coils came out and gummed up the pressure plate mechanism.

Result was similar
(so much free play at top that clutch could not disengage)

Clutch release fork can break and cause the 3" of free play.
Here's a pic (Beetle I think) but similar problem.

Good luck with this....
_________________


'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[[email protected]]

Have someone push on clutch you should see a fair amount of movement at the slave if it does not move much try bleeding. Easy to do. If you have a container try to catch fluid. Don't let fluid run low in reservoir.

[Microbusdeluxe]

Mucho gracias (that week of Spanish lessons in Ensenada was worth something) for the tips. I bled it and things feel better.

I think the problem was 3 little things combining together. First there was a bit of air in the system, I heard it gurgle on the first pump. Second I have a stripped bolt holding the slave support rod that just won’t tighten all the way allowing some flex which may add to slop at the top of the pedal. When we get to a more convenient campsite I plan to remove it, see if it’s the bolt or bottom of the hole (more likely) and then try either a new bolt, a washer to keep it from bottoming out or a bit of epoxy and do a insert when we get back. And finally there is probably some slop at the pedal/clevis pin interface (120,000 miles on the rig). That little chore will definitely be done at home.

So adios amigos, la playa is calling and then the Copper Canyon railroad and who knows what else.
_________________
'69 Squareback RIP
'65 21 window deluxe sold before the price spike, damn it.
'70 rhd bay now a taxi in South Sudan
'81 Westy sold
'89 hightop Westy Joker syncro 16" now with Bostig!

[Ahwahnee]

De nada (had 2 years in college 50 years ago and that's about all I recall).

Pretty normal to need to bleed it if it hasn't been touched in a very long time, glas you got moving again.

[Tobias Duncan]

I had a buddy with a similar bolt on the support bracket that would not tighten.
As I recall he soon realized that there should be two bolts side by side where he only had one.
It was long ago though and I could be misremembering the whole thing.