clutch questions on my 93 EV

[markcm2]

I've just bought a 93 EV 5spd manual weekender westfalia.

I've only driven it once, from Chico, CA to Bellingham, WA. Now I'm going to do all the typical maintenance such as timing belt/ water pump...

I notice a few things on this 800 mile drive I'd like to ask the group about.

The van intermittently sputtered pretty bad under load for the first few hundred miles although I didn't notice any on the second half of the drive. The van had not been driven much for months before I bought it so for now I'm suspecting it was gas.

The main thing I want to ask about is clutch and motor/transmission mounts. The van has 147k on it and I dont know if the clutch has ever been replaced. It seems to hold fine although it will intermittently chatter really hard when launching in first. Sometimes it chatters so hard I have to stop and start over; other times it will launch completely smooth.

On a related note, I noticed sometimes when coming off power that the drive train will "slap back" pretty hard. It doesn't always do this but its not too uncommon either. I'm wondering if this is maybe engine or transmission mounts.

I bought this EV specifically for road trips. I am about to replace the timing belt and I'm wondering if I should just do the clutch now. I'm quite mechanical and support all services and repairs on our 3 Audi's and one passat although I've never done a clutch...

I also wonder about highway cruising and RPM. The RPM seem terribly high on this van, I spin about 3500 @ 65mph and closer 3900 @ 70mph. I've read about people putting a slightly taller 5th gear in these to drop the RPM when freeway cruising but... even though the RPM is high it isn't loud and I don't feel any bad vibration. Are these designed to run up in the 3900 rpm range safely? Or should I consider a slight 5th gear change when I do the clutch?

[tds3pete]

Before you replace the clutch, check the transmission mount. They get worn and allow the engine to rotate on accel/decel. It also allows the engine to "lope" at idle. The best way to check it is to climb under there and see if the rubber bushing is tight in the mount. Also try to rotate the engine by hand and with a wooden pry bar and see if it moves in the mount.

Replacement is easy and the change is dramatic if your mount is bad. My mount was shot at 108k when I bought the van. My clutch lasted until 180k.

Motor mounts are not as dramatic, but they make a big difference in idle smoothness. Mine were shot at 140k.

Personally I would recommend doing both engine and tranny mounts at your mileage. The cost is not great, it's easy and you will like the results.
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'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