84 van does not move, runs great

[Krumby]

Aloha
I have a 1984 westy that I rent out it’s has had about 25 different renters in the the last 10 months.
So yesterday one of them was driving and all of a sudden the engine revs and the bus is not moving.
I’m thinking the clutch went out I’m gonna start pulling the trans out today. The clutch is about a year and a half old.
I pulled one of the cv joints last night and the tranny seems to go into gear so I’m hoping it’s not that. I turn the hub and the tranny just turns I put it gear and the tranny has some resistance
Anyone else have had this problem?
I appreciate the help
Mahalo
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84 Westy “Betty”
71 bus gone but not forgotten
2015 Harley dyna

[oceanair]

Clutch sounds likely -- 25 renters, who knows how much they burn the clutch on those hills...
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84 Vanagon Pop Top Conversion from Tin Top, 1970 Ghia - all sweet rides! Love em!
Previous: Green 72 Tin Top, White 72 Westy, Blue 64 Beetle, Yellow 71 Squareback, 2014 Jetta TDI Wagon - wish I could have them all back!

[alaskadan]

Did you watch for an axle spinning while in gear, before you pulled a cv? With an open differential and an axle removed it won't move in gear, all power will be diverted to the side with no axle. Clutches can grenade and suddenly stop working but they usually give warning signs of slipping long before it just won't move. I'd really rule out cv issues before pulling the trans.

[Krumby]

How Do I check cv joints to see if they are bad ?
_________________
84 Westy “Betty”
71 bus gone but not forgotten
2015 Harley dyna

[Krumby]

How Do I check cv joints to see if they are bad ?
_________________
84 Westy “Betty”
71 bus gone but not forgotten
2015 Harley dyna

[Krumby]

There was nothing moving at all under there the shifter goes into gear and the clutch pedal seems to feel fine. Just nothing happens when in gear no grind no nothing.
_________________
84 Westy “Betty”
71 bus gone but not forgotten
2015 Harley dyna

[danfromsyr]

I've got your money on clutch disc.
good thing those renters paid you for your services.
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[Vanagon Nut]

[ALIKA T3]

Hi David!

It's the clutch bro, most americans can't drive stick shift for shit.
When I was renting mine, I was very glad to have an automatic as well to offer up. The manual one I was renting I bought it with a dead clutch, and dead transmission bc the renters tried so hard at it (from the previous company...)
I replaced clutch and transmission, rebuilt the engine and never had a single problem in 6 years, it was rented out to people I was very insistant on having manual transmission skills.
I sold it to a young man, I had to teach him how to drive stick. He said he had a Jeep before, and burnt 2 clutches on it before selling it.... Well, a few days later, he paid me to replace the clutch too It was gone, I couldn't believe it, just the metal was left!! Never seen that!! Some people are deaf and clearly not gifted

You better order a flywheel now, it's fncked, guarantee and a new rear main seal and o'ring from Gowesty, also the pilot bearing and little felt. Get the Sabo brand seal they sell, everything else can be purchased elsewhere. Double check the edge of the flywheel for sharp edges at the seal snout, I've seen a few poorly machined and it would have cut into the seal if I hadn't been careful, trust NOTHING. Easily dressed with a file.

Aloha from Nicaragua braddah
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Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget

[DanHoug]

man, i just don't have the calm attitude it would take to rent out a Vanagon... a Ford Focus, sure. there's so many ways Vanagons can be abused with three simple controls... throttle, stick, and clutch. other cars can stand abuse because their engine controls and structure withstand ignorance, but these run on the ragged edge of actually needing expertise to keep their 30 year old bits turning. it's a combination of VW building to the very limit of product life plus 100k miles wear. uff ta. i'd be the Soup Nazi.
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-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com

[wcdennis]

Did you check the castle nuts? If they aren’t torqued down, it can result in axel spline failure and suddenly you are no longer moving.

[ALIKA T3]

[Krumby]

Yup it was the clutch completely gone see photos,
Before I rent I always ask are you over 25 and are you proficient in driving a manual transmission. It scares away some people but I watch people take off and I cry every time.
The bus makes me good money one of the reasons I got it was to rent it out. It pays the bills to restore it. If they break anything they pay simple rule. Driving on Maui is slow driving and every single person wants to drive the road to Hana which is where I guarantee the clutch is getting ruined. I don’t allow it to go up Haleakala at all.
I don’t get how people don’t know how to drive stick. Saving grace is I do all the work myself.
With help from all you guys which I greatly appreciate!
Mahalo for all your help.
Check out the photos and cry with me
David

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84 Westy “Betty”
71 bus gone but not forgotten
2015 Harley dyna

[Vanagon Nut]

I hope the FW can be saved and that disc material hasn't fouled up anything in clutch housing (though I doubt that would happen).

That's a drag but it seems it's one example of the "cost of doing business".

Even if a customer has a manual tranny daily driver that's no guarantee they won't lie about having pushed the clutch past its' intended design or avoid mentioning that the clutch is slipping/shuddering.

Seems to me that 25 different rental periods isn't bad for that kind of wear; you could see that after 5 renters who drive it ok on level road, mild inlines but come time to find a camp spot, slip the clutch way too much pushing the van too hard too far up some dirt-gravel type road.

Maybe stipulate no off road use in contract? Install "black box" type GPS tracking unit?


Neil.
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1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA

1988 West DIY 50º ABA

VE7TBN

[Krumby]

I do have a tracker in the bus that tells me if they go out of my geo fence on the island. I know there every move and I have a strict no off road policy with Betty.
I have caught people breaking the rules and they will lose there deposit if they do.
David
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84 Westy “Betty”
71 bus gone but not forgotten
2015 Harley dyna

[?Waldo?]

Pull the trans input shaft seal and check the slinger in the bell housing for movement.

Make sure you either have the felt ring and holder or use the diesel vanagon pilot bearing and modify the flywheel appropriately.

Check the release forks for wear - they should be semi-circular.

Get the flywheel turned.

Clean all the crap out of the bell housing.

[skills@eurocarsplus]