Official lazy person's stupid question thread

[Steve M.]

[Wildthings]

[4Gears4Tires]

With the engine completely cold I was able to reproduce it.


Link


I think I am going to put it in the air this afternoon and take the valve covers off. It should be noted that it starts instantly and idles fine. The alligator clips are there to make sure the distributor had a good ground when adjusting it, just haven't removed them yet.
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'87 Syncro
Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition

[Wildthings]

How far will the engine turn in the other direction? Any chance your starter drive is staying engaged?

[4Gears4Tires]

[djkeev]

[Zeitgeist 13]

[DuncanS]

'91 tintop 2WD--rebuilt WBX, Matt Steedle tranny 2K ago. Drove into the garage for work two days ago. Went to drive it out. In reverse, no problem, let in the clutch----nothing. No change in engine RPM, no fluid of the floor. WTH????????

[Wildthings]

[djkeev]

Shift couplers broken? Disengaged?

Reverse works but no forward gears?

Dave
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Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[Steve M.]

[Steve M.]

[DuncanS]

Work in the garage was left rear fixed window. Never went near the clutch. When I depress the pedal, it seems like there is hydraulic resistance more than just the pedal return spring. Gears shift into all 5 with clutch pedal down or up with no problem. The shift linkage moves the lever at the tranny, so no disconnect through the shifing mechanism. Thought it might be the master cylinder clevis pin dropping out which connects the pedal to the cylinder. Can't see it as it's way up behind the crash tube. Did find an old mud wasp nest a few inches away though. There were tons of them everywhere when I first bought it. Can't be the master connecting pin as this would mean the clutch is always in and the car would move it it were able to be put into gear. So somehow, the slave must be stuck in a disengaged position.

Has been driving just fine, but both cylinders are not new to me. Clutch pedal action has not changed nor felt different. Drove into the garage, and kaput. A mystery.

No warning. As Click and Clack said when a guy complained there was no warning: "What did you expect, a postcard?"

Duncan

[bryanarchy]

In the spirit of owning one's own stupidity:

I was in the process of replacing the headlights two weeks ago and when the new ones were in place, I couldn't get them to light up. I deciphered how to read the electrical diagrams in the Bentley, followed every wire, tested everything, tried the old lights but nothing worked.

I struggled for a couple days, poking around at it. Finally, I opened the user manual to the dash console section and read "headlights will only work when ignition is on."

I took two deep breaths and was at peace with it all. Pretty happy about the new lights too!

[joetiger]

[Wildthings]

You could open the bleeder on the slave or crack the fitting in the clutch hydraulic line to see if that makes any difference, but if the piston in the slave is moving in and out.

If its not in the slave or master, it sounds like you are in for tranny pull and clutch inspection.

[bryanarchy]

[DuncanS]

Luckily I can easily access the slave.

I want to rotate it 90º and rework the bracket anyway, so I guess this is the time to do it. Scared there is something internal, but I'll mess with the slave and see if I can tell something. I was hoping the third shift mechanics would fix the problem over night, but evidently they failed once again to show up when I needed them.

[DanHoug]

there's a nice patina of rust over everything... if the splines on the input shaft are rusty, maybe it wedged when the thrust of the slave disengaged the clutch. try tapping on the clutch lever arm in the upward direction and see if you can gain any movement. but the key would be to have an observer watch the arm for movement. it doesn't move a lot but if it is moving back and forth your problems may be internal.

old BMW motorcycles have a similar dry clutch are notorious for wearing out the input shaft splines due to a lack of lubrication. on my van clutch re-do, i lubed the splines with a moly lube, not too much, re-bushed and lubed the cross shaft. my clutch pedal action is so light i thought it was disconnected at first.
_________________
-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

[DuncanS]

Thank you, Dan. Luckily with the open viewing, I can get my wife to depress the pedal so I can see. I'll let you know.