Pilot bearing chewed up-Cause of shifting issue?

[shiningstar76]

I was having an issue with the new 72 where it would not go into gear while running. I pulled the motor and the pilot bearing came out mauled to pieces.
-Was this a likely cause of the shifting issue?
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KK4NTP
96 Tacoma
86 4Runner
My bus caught on fire and is now on the other coast with someone who gave me money for it.

[Skoolieman]

Yes! I just had this happen to me on my 69. I guess there is two styles of TO bearing. One rides on a sleeve that bolts to three holes on the bell housing. if the sleeve is not there the TO bearing does not engage straight on the pressure plate.

This thread in the beetle forum saved me this time! Thanks again Glenn for the pics and writeup!

Edit: here is the link: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=148307&highlight=
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'69 Westfalia Camper~Cassidy
1600dp with H30/31 carb 009 distributor and alternator conversion

[onion456]

yes. pilot bearings and i go way back. i once had a roadtrip to a VW show 250 miles each way, my pilot bearing crapped out AT the show. i dropped the engine at my campsite, used firewood to keep it off the ground =D couldnt locate a new pilot bearing, decided to just dig the old one out and found that i coud sorta drive without it... so i drove home 250 miles without one. just had to be careful in first gear & reverse, it would occasionally sound funny/bad in those gears. higher gears were ok.

i dont know why it was so impossible to shift when the pilot bearing was there but in pieces, and then so easy to shift when it was completely gone. but there you have it.

also, i was gifted a vangon, that has/had lots of problems, one of which was it wouldnt go into gear with engine running. dropped the trans, clutch looked great, and sure enough, pilot bearing was wasted. replaced pilot bearing, put the same clutch back on, and problem solved. got to return the very expensive clutch kit i had previously bought =)
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'76 Sage Green Westy 2.0 FI
'76 Creamsicle 7-passenger 2.0 CS FI
'85 Tan Westy

[shiningstar76]

I finally got the motor back in. I have put in a new clutch, T.O. bearing, and pilot bearing. I have not wired it all back up, but a quick check of the shifting reveals easy locating of the gears. Before it was much akin to swimming in the dark. Now the gears are nice and clean. I'll report back when I get it wired up, if for no other reason than posterity and future search button use.
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KK4NTP
96 Tacoma
86 4Runner
My bus caught on fire and is now on the other coast with someone who gave me money for it.