Hi ! I'm shure many of you have asked this question before but I can't find a definitive answer on all the topics on this site.
I have a 1970 AS with original everything; I would like to ajust the clutch freeplay like described in the Bentley, but what I don't get is the final check for 6.5 mm between locknut and adjusting sleeve; what about the desired 4 mm between servo mounting and adjusting sleeve ?
Shouldn't that be checked again after lock nut has been replaced :?:
Note : the clutch does not slip on my car, it's just that the 4 mm looks more like 8 mm, and I would like to PREVENT slippage before it occurs. Or should I leave it as it is ? (If it ain't broke, don't fix it :roll: )
Thanks for taking the time to answer.
Louis
Louis,
I've got three manuals and am sweating on the arrival of the Bentley.
The three I've got essentially say...."you adjust it like blah blah when you've got a new plate" and this is where the 8 odd mm comes in. Nowhere in the "to adjust freeplay" section does it mention re-checking the measurement after you've set the top adjuster to the 6.5mm distance from the nut, simply because you'll use up some of the base's distance adjusting to the 6.5mm gap.
BIG DISCLAIMER....
I haven't adjusted mine so I'm not able to give a 100% accurate answer.
If it aint broke don't fix it!!!!
The manuals state that if Reverse progressively get's harder to select then it's time to look at freeplay adjustment.
I fervently wish the Bentley book was in my clutches as it has far more Autostick specific stuff in it than any others I've come across.
Enjoy
Volkenstein
Hi ya Volkenstein !
Thanks for the reply. Like they say ; if it aint broke ....
It's just that since I have the engine out, it's a lot easyer to get to the ajusting and lock nuts ont the servo. Like I said, the clutch does not slip, but there is a small, one time "tock" kind of noise that seems to be coming from the trans when I accelerate after shifting into 1 st (only when the car is warm).
I have the Bentley and beleive me when I say that it's not very helpful on Stick Shift info. But then again, it's very hard to trouble shoot a technical problem without seeing or driving the car.
The worst that can happen is that I'll have to take the engine out again...
At least I found a brand new NOS actuator (with diaphragm) and a complete clutch assy. Just in case...
Regards.
Louis
Hiya Louis,
If it's worth anything, I really haven't paid that much attention to the "gap" in adjusting the clutch on my 70 Bug. What I've done instead is to loosen the locknut and turn the adjusting sleeve (five complete turns as I recall - or was it six? No matter, I think that's in the Bentley) That seemed to do the trick for me.
But I would echo what Volkenstein had to say. If your clutch is working, leave it be. And remember this, your clutch action is the result of a NUMBER of factors coming into play. Clutch adjustment, control valve adjustment, vacuum system condition and hookups, and idle speed and engine condition. Any (and all!) of these can affect how your shift feels.
Of all the references out there, Bentley has, by far, the single best technical section on the AutoStick. I've made a practice of collecting VW manuals as I've progressed through the ins and outs of VW. I usually wind up with the Bentley under the car.
Mike
1970 AS Bug
Hi Mike!
I decided not to touch the freeplay adjustment.
I agree that the Bentley manual is the best there is for AS (even for manual trans). Others like Chilton's or "Complete idiot book" (even says that AS should not exist... :roll: ) don't compare.
For regular maintenance on brakes, suspension and such, the Bentley is great, but for trouble shooting, like specific carburator or AS problems, you need to figure it out for yourself or talk to someone who has actually worked on AS in the 60's and 70's.
I know someone who has been working on air cooled VW's for more than 30 years, and he does not know much about AS. On a positive note, he tells me that they can be very reliable if you do regular maintenance.
I drove a total of 3000 miles last summer and never had a problem, except for brand new points that went bad really fast :x . Like any other air cooled, frequent oil changes, valves, points and timing adjustments can make a big difference.
Anyway, I'm waiting for tins to come back from powder coating, then I have to install a new ceramic coated exhaust and new heater boxes.
Can't wait to put the engine back in and take it out for a ride (spring won't be here for an other month or two :cry:)
Louis
I pulled My gearbox/clutch apart years ago when i first pulled the engine out.. for some unknown reason I moved the clutch activating shaft..??
so it took Me ages to get the clutch to work and get it into gear...
I finally took a couple of My manuals to a local mechanic [not VW] and he explained what I needed to do... I had been trying to adjust the clutch - in the incorrect direction... so I had to take the vacuum diaphram assembly off , which meant taking off the heater box... I had to move the arm forward towards the front of the car, and do up the locking bolt on the arm
and I finally got it to work... I just kept adjusting it until i could get into reverse without crunching.... the measurements are nothing like the books
I made two of those small measuring blocks to adjust the clutch, but it didn't work... naturally... why I took the clutch arm off, I don't know!!!
anyway, now all the gears work etc, but I have a noise in the gearbox...
I'm checking everything else too, as I found a few loose bolts in one CV joint... I found two cv joints had allen key heads and two had the splined type of bolt heads... so I've just bought a tool to check those today...
Lee -- 68AutoBug --
http://community.webshots.com/user/vw68autobug
If I try to go into reverse too fast after starting the engine, with high idle,
its winter over here... 3C or Zero C some mornings...
I can crunch reverse... but if I just go gently, it goes in no problems, so I presume My clutch is adjusted correctly....
Its nothing like they say in the books.....
but it works great.....
I actually started with reverse crunching every time, so i kept adjusting until it will go in without crunching.... slowly...
no problem with the other gears...
Lee -- 68AutoBug -- Australia --
http://community.webshots.com/user/vw68autobug