How burnt is too burnt?

[Basilbomb]

Upon pulling my engine ('80 Riviera) I found that the PO had burned the clutch. He had replaced the clutch hydraulics just before I bought it so it was giving him some trouble, 'though he waited too long. The clutch works fine but the disc is dark (though not very worn), the flywheel is cracked and discoloured and the pressure plate has some hot spots. The throwout is a gonner. The question is do I have to do a complete clutch kit ~$250.00 even if this old one was working okay?

[mightyart]

If you have it out I'd do a whole clutch kit, It would suck to have to pull the whole thing out in a couple of months because it was more worn than it looked.

[Captain Pike]

replace the flywheel as well
_________________
LEARN TO SELF RESCUE
59 Panel bus, 1966 Single cab. 73' 181. 73 Westy. 91' H6 Vanagon 3.3L.
.....................All Current.......................

[r39o]

[Basilbomb]

I was afraid someone would say that...

[Terry Kay]

It's easy for us to advise you to do it all, but it's the only way to do the clutch right.

If that flywheel has visable cracks that you can report--throw it out.
If it's heat discolored it has to be distorted.
The pressure plate has to be junk too--along with the disc.
Just toss it all and replace it all.

You'll write a thank you note here one day--: )
_________________
T.K.

[r39o]

This is THE way I do the job for myself. There is no sense what so ever in tryig to cheap a clutch job out. The clutch parts and what not ARE the cheap parts of the job. The R&R is the big pita, time consuming part of the job. Do you want to do the job twice? Thought not, no body does.
_________________
"Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!

1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....

Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently)

[Basilbomb]

'Course one could learn to speed shift and then a clutch becomes redundant. Save a few bucks....

[scottcollins72]

Yeah until the tranny explodes from misuse

[tds3pete]

As I always say...."When in doubt, yank it out"
_________________
'58 Westy camper-come and gone
'73 Westy-bought new in Holland,now gone
'86 Syncro weekender-come and gone
'79 Westy...Oscar
'95 Eurovan Camper/5 spd...Marsha Mellow

[Basilbomb]

The problem is that these vans are like sailboats, the deeper you look, the more you have to replace, and the money never really stops flowing. I think the only solutions are:
1) Bad eyes
2) A rich aunt who leaves you lots of money
3) The ability to convince yourself that if you ignore it it don't exist. It's amazing how long you can pull this one off. Works for most POs

[tencentlife]

"Boat: a hole in the water, lined with wood, that you pour money into."

[tencentlife]

All the above is well-considered and very good advice, if you ask me. Best to replace questionable components if you can afford to. But I'm going to offer a contrarian view. How questionable are the components? None of us can really tell from here, with just your brief verbal description. If you are short on cash, or unwilling to spend what you have, you should do some more legwork before you make a final decision. The only replacement for money is time.

To start with, you need to take your flywheel to a reputable machinist and get his opinion of it, while he has it in his hands. Scoring and heat bluing will definitely prevent your knowing if you have a usable core or not. Only a qualified person will be able to tell, by inspecting it himself. If he needs to grind it smooth to give you his final opinion of it, pay him to do it. That's because it's usually only $25 to get a flywheel reconditioned. You should be able to gamble that much against a couple hundred dollars or more to replace the flywheel. These are forged flywheels, they don't often crack. Make sure what you think are cracks really are, before you boat-anchor this expensive component.

You should also ask the machinist to check out your pressure plate with a straightedge. Hot spots on the pressure plate are not a definitive sign that the plate is warped; they can be expressions of the irregularities in the flywheel. That can be measured easily, and it is also easy to assess the strength and evenness of tension of the pressure plate springs. Once again, a qualified technician can tell, if you let him check it out.

Unless the disc is in good condition, unburned with lots of wear material remaining, then you should replace it as a matter of routine. And the TOB is always replaced, unless you know it's new. That's because these components are designed to wear, and are quite cheap. So is a new mainseal.

The reason I'm saying this is because I think that it is especially easy to R&R the tranny on one of these vans. If I were in your shoes, and had little money to spend, I would be checking out the stuff I have to see what is really usable, so I could get the van back on the road without breaking my bank. If you're not qualified to assess the components, take them to someone who is. If they're all truly trashed, then it is what it is, and you'll have to figure out how much you're able to spend. But if some of them are serviceable, then you could run for a bunch of years on them before you need to do the job again. And it's not such an ugly job, so maybe that's worth it to you. Bottom line is, I sure wouldn't go out and spend 4 or 5 hundred dollars based on the opinions of a bunch folks who have a couple of sentences to go on. Spend a little more time, find the real answers.

[Captain Pike]

I see a purple flywheel with cracks I toss it all. Pilot,rear main seal,rubber ring in the flywheel,disc,plate,TO and trans shaft seal. clean it all out and start over.
_________________
LEARN TO SELF RESCUE
59 Panel bus, 1966 Single cab. 73' 181. 73 Westy. 91' H6 Vanagon 3.3L.
.....................All Current.......................

[Basilbomb]

Though I was hoping someone would say naaaw, go ahead with the old stuff, I knew better. All new rubber, seals, clutch kit. New (used) flywheel (turned) for $65. I do hate tossing stuff that still works, though.

[CF]

save trhe old stuff for a later sale on e-bay as NOS

[Alan Brase]

[flyingCoyote]

[Terry Kay]

"Go Ahead, do it on the cheap"

Al,
I'm so dissapointed in you I'm gagging---

If a guy enjoys, get's off, rollng around under his Van, eating dried up grease, and getting rust and dirt grime in his eyes, smashed finger's---yea go for it---

Phooey----

And here I thought all ths time you were a perfectionist---
_________________
T.K.

[Alan Brase]