Click and Clack dealt with this question a few weeks ago!  what they said
is that the pressure plate is busted someway.  But to be sure, go to the
place where the clutch "cable" (it is hydrolic...) connects to the
transaxle and see if you can manually move the clutch in  and out.  This
will require a lot of force- i've done it in the past with a rope and lots
of manleyhood and fancy language!  that will help to isolate the
issue.  You can also unbolt the clutch "cable" houseing (on the transaxle
again) and have someone slowly press the clutch pedle in why you give
opposite force to the piston that move in and out.

well, i hope i've been of help and i hope i don't lead you astray!
-Matthew
84

Matthew Pollard             http://www.uidaho.edu/~poll7356
Dept. of Chemistry               http://www.chem.uidaho.edu
University of Idaho                   http://www.uidaho.edu

On Thu, 27 Jan 2000, Anthony L. Mourkas wrote:

> The clutch on my 87 Syncro has never had as smooth an action as that of
> my 84 Westy.  I would compare the feeling to a tight heater control cable
> or a mountain bike brake cable that has sand grit in it, always worked,
> but with a rough action.
>
> A few days back things took a turn for the worse, the pedal had a
> definite rough or tight spot about halfway through it's range of travel.
> Two nights ago it started sticking halfway up on the return from fully
> depressed, I had to pry it up with the toe of my boot to get the pedal to
> release fully.  Before I got home the problem cleared up to where the
> pedal would return to rest, albeit with the rough spot about halfway
> through the range of travel.  Last night on my travel to and from the
> YMCA it happened again and this time the sticking was worse requiring
> more effort to pry the pedal fully up to rest.
>
> While sticking halfway up the clutch is partially engaged, producing
> quite a bit of slippage especially at anything other than a very light
> throttle, and prying up the pedal did cause the clutch to fully engage
> sometimes causing some interesting lurches as it did so. I might also
> mention that I noticed a bit of squeaking coming from the pedal linkage
> or master cylinder after I got home.  Haven't checked the fluid level
> yet, have not noticed any leaks.
>
> Any thoughts on the nature of my difficulties for the hydraulically
> challenged?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Tony
>
> Anthony L. Mourkas
> Hampden, Maine, USA
> 1984 Vanagon Westfalia
> 1987 Vanagon GL Syncro
> 1991 Jetta Eco Diesel
>