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jrschuler
Samba Member
Joined: October 06, 2015
Posts: 4
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 Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2017 10:33 am Post subject: 1978 West Clutch Cable? |
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I have a 1978 Westy, and was driving it on a longer trip...stopped at a stoplight and couldn't get it into any gear. I could get it into first if I turned the engine off and bumped the starter while I slid it into gear. After that I just hit my shifts at the right rpm...and got it home.
The next day I tightened up the clutch cable a little bit, drove it, and the shifting still felt a little "notchy" to me. Tightened up the cable a little more and it feels fine now, but it looks like I'm running out of room to adjust the clutch cable any more...its about to the end of the threads (towards the front of the bus). I recently had the engine rebuilt and when I was putting everything together the clutch looked like it was in good shape.
New clutch? Clutch cable old and stretched out? Any bearings and/or bushings? This is my first VW, so I have a lot to learn. Thanks for the help! |
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busdaddy
Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004
Posts: 51123
Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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| Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2017 12:16 pm Post subject: Re: 1978 West Clutch Cable? |
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Welcome!
Try another cable first, sounds like yours is stretching as it slowly breaks.
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Tcash
Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2011
Posts: 12844
Location: San Jose, California, USA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2017 1:53 pm Post subject: Re: 1978 West Clutch Cable? |
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| jrschuler wrote: |
I have a 1978 Westy, and was driving it on a longer trip...stopped at a stoplight and couldn't get it into any gear. I could get it into first if I turned the engine off and bumped the starter while I slid it into gear. After that I just hit my shifts at the right rpm...and got it home.
The next day I tightened up the clutch cable a little bit, drove it, and the shifting still felt a little "notchy" to me. Tightened up the cable a little more and it feels fine now, but it looks like I'm running out of room to adjust the clutch cable any more...its about to the end of the threads (towards the front of the bus). I recently had the engine rebuilt and when I was putting everything together the clutch looked like it was in good shape.
New clutch? Clutch cable old and stretched out? Any bearings and/or bushings? This is my first VW, so I have a lot to learn. Thanks for the help! |
Clutch Failures
On flat ground, Engine off in neutral it should shift into 1-4 without to much problem.
If you had to tighten the clutch cable, as busdaddy posted inspect the cable. As the clutch disc wears out, unlike on other cars we loosen the clutch cable adjuster we do not tighten it.
Clutch Free Play
Inspect the rear shift coupler and the front shift bushing while you are at it.
Shifter Parts ID T2
Good luck
Tcash |
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50336
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| Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2017 1:59 pm Post subject: Re: 1978 West Clutch Cable? |
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| Remove and clean the ground strap on the front of your transmission. Replace it if it seems very ratty. When the ground strap goes bad the starter current will pass along the clutch cable causing it to rapid stretch and soon fail. |
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jrschuler
Samba Member
Joined: October 06, 2015
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2017 2:56 pm Post subject: Re: 1978 West Clutch Cable? |
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| Awesome guys, thanks for all of the replies. I'll let you know how it goes. Hopefully I'll have some time this weekend to get at it. |
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jrschuler
Samba Member
Joined: October 06, 2015
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2017 6:54 pm Post subject: Re: 1978 West Clutch Cable? |
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| Hey, thanks again everyone. I replaced the cable, shift coupler, and the bushing up front. The cable was about to break, the shift coupler was pretty “wallered out,” and the bushing up front was mia. Shifting it now is a completely different experience...hahaha. |
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50336
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| Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2017 8:20 pm Post subject: Re: 1978 West Clutch Cable? |
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| Good work, hope you got hold of a quality bushing so that it shifts well for a long time to come. |
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jrschuler
Samba Member
Joined: October 06, 2015
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2017 1:33 pm Post subject: Re: 1978 West Clutch Cable? |
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| Wildthings wrote: |
| Good work, hope you got hold of a quality bushing so that it shifts well for a long time to come. |
Thanks! I got it from Wolfsburg West...do you think they have good stuff? Im super new to all of this. |
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williamM
Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2008
Posts: 4333
Location: southwest Arizona
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| Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2017 1:44 pm Post subject: Re: 1978 West Clutch Cable? |
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 Glad to see it was a straight forward maintenance issue-- one thing I noticed was if offered a choice between Brazilian and German parts --ALWAYS take the German part. Because the fact there is a choice-- means the Brazzi part is a piece of shit- especially with door n window seals.
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