Z,

The input shaft sort of floats in a pilot bearing in the flywheel.  I guess to keep it in alignment with the clutch and tranny.  You are right that if the clutch pedal is in, the input shaft should just sit there, no friction between the clutch disk and the flywheel.  However, it the pilot bearing starts to break up in the flywheel I guess it adds friction to the input shaft and it wants to rotate even though no friction is being applied through the clutch disk.  The input shaft does not go in and out of the flywheel.

It has happened to me twice.  Once it was acting like the clutch was not working, and would either try to keep going at a stop or would stall.

Once, it just allowed the input shaft enough wobble that it wore out the input shaft seal to the tranny and I started to loose transmission fluid on the ground.

Too bad a $2 part causes such headaches!!

Kerry
'86 syncro, 175K
kstanley@cas.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Mladen, Zoran [mailto:zmladen@solant.com]
Sent: Friday, August 18, 2000 9:30 AM
To: 'Stanley, Kerry'; vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
Subject: RE: Transmission mystery

I don't understand your theory?  The input shaft does not move in and out of
the flywheel, so how is it getting hung up?  The input shaft simply guides
the T.O. Bearing.

Z

-----Original Message-----
From: Stanley, Kerry [mailto:kstanley@cas.org]
Sent: Thursday, August 17, 2000 8:02 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Transmission mystery

I do not know about the grinding in 3rd or 4th, but I've had the same
problem in first where it seemed like the clutch was still engaged.   I
believe it is the pilot bearing in the flywheel going, and the tranny input
shaft is hanging up in the flywheel where it is grinding up the pilot
bearing.  Cheap part, but obviously all the labor to R&R the tranny.

Kerry
'86 syncro, 175K
kstanley@cas.org
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