Our AS just won't shift when the car is running. I've had my wife out to make sure the servo is moving the clutch lever...it is. I just replaced the vacuum hoses and the servo diaphram. I tightened up the shift lever and can hear the CV operate when I put forward/backward pressure on the shifter.
If my servo is moving the clutch lever, but I still get grinding when trying to get into any gear at a standstill...what else could be my problem?
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!!
Travis
Hiya Travis,
Welcome to the VW Loony Bin!
I'm guessing that this car is new to you and you have not ever (since you've had it) been able to complete a shift. Correct? And this car has been sitting somewhat neglected for a protarcted period of time. Correct?
If so, know that it is common for the clutch plate to "weld" itself to the carrier plate on long time non-moving cars. We have seen this problem a buncha times here at VWAR. You'll need to break the clutch plate free from the carrier plate. And actually, that's rather easy to do.
Here's a quote from Evan (Singlecab61) on how he broke his clutch plate loose.............
"I jacked up the back of the car so the rear wheels could spin freely. I bypassed the neutral safety and started the engine with the transmission in 1st (mid range). I revved the engine to around 2500 RPM. With the engine held at 2500 RPM I held the shifter to disengage the clutch and very briefly stomped the brakes. The tranny gave an earshattering bang and the clutch broke loose!!! ........... It worked!!!"
Now Travis, if your car meets the criteria in the fist paragraph (not shiftable and has been sitting for eons) this is definitely worth a try. On the other hand, if this puppy has been shifting slicky all along and just recently decided not to cooperate, then your problems lie elsewhere.
In any event, check back with us and we'll get that AS working.
Thanks Mike! I actually tried this earlier in the evening and got no earth shattering "bang". As I re-read the instructions, though, I realized that maybe I didn't hold down the gas when I hit the brakes. Another issue could be that the brakes are shot. The parking brake seems to work so I was using that. I may try it again tomorrow...staying on the gas as I hit the brakes. If that doesn't work...are there any other ways to get it separated?
I appreciate the help!
Hiya Travis,
Everything that I've heard of is basically a variation on Evan's approach above. Of course, there is the disassembly alternative.
Travis,
I had the same problem when i first got my bug. All my vacumm lines were leaking, clutch servo was shot, had a the wrong type carb on the engine, and my throwout arm was out of adjustment. I basiclly went thru each systrem, making sure it was working right before moving on to the next system. I had the dreaded stuck clutch disk too and bad brakes. i adjusted the brakes until they were right, a very tedious operation if the brakes are really out of adjustment. This is how i got my clutch disk free: 1. got all the A/S systems working 2. got the brakes adjusted and working. 3. started the engine until vacumm was built up in the vacumm canister, turned off engine 4. tighten down on the gearshifter until the contact is made and the servo canister operates 5. put car in low gear 6. with the help of an assistant, push start the car (ya gotta get around 15 mph for the torque converter to do its thing) 7. speed up and slow down until the clutch disk comes free (use accelorator only to rock the car) 8. once free, enjoy the easy driving of an A/S.
Finally, make sure all the adjustments dealing with the clutch servo are correct, or your car will never go into nuetral (ask how i know)
Marcus
Still no luck with my clutch problem. I've tried many different things. I rebuilt the rear brakes last night and that greatly improved my stopping problem. With those fixed, I decided to take another crach at freeing the clutch disc today. I jacked up the rear wheels, started the car in 2nd gear, reved it up til the tires were spinning and then pushed the shifter to disengage the clutch and slammed on the brakes. I must have tried more than a dozen times, in all 3 different gears. I also tried driving it around the neighborhood, revving up and down with the shifter pushed down...still no luck.
Any other ideas? If I push the shifter down and the car still drives in gear...a stuck clutch plate must be my problem, right? I can't shift into any gear from a dead stop. I can sort of shift on the move if I get the RPMs right.
I need to put wire re-inforced vacuum hoses on...the ones I put on are too soft. I still get movement from the servo, though...so it seems like it ought to work.
Any additional guidance is much appreciated. How difficult is it to pull the thing apart and pry the plates loose?
Thanks!!
You may want to make sure the clutch release arm is tight on the throwout bearing shaft. This will cause the servo to move the clutch arm, but it will not actuate the clutch.
If that is good, adjust your rear brakes and try my brake stomp method again. You have to be able to lock up the rear wheels when you stomp the brakes or it will not work. The clutch did not snap loose the first try. It took 2 separate attempts before it free'd itself on my car.