With brief interruptions, mine has been shuddering since 100K.  That was
265K ago.

BTW, I'm suspecting the tranny mount.

Karl Wolz

----- Original Message -----
From: "l p" <lphm@HOTMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, September 22, 2000 4:19 PM
Subject: clutch shudder

> Moby developed a clutch shudder overnight (actually, on return from the
> service station she was towed to after last trip for fuel system related
> problems--could towing be cause of this?  who knows).  Anyway, next Friday
I
> need to leave for river running extravaganza in Utah, 2500 mile round
trip.
> I probably won't have time to do any work on the car before then.  My
> question is:  is this a reasonable thing to do, given my newly shuddering
> clutch?
>
>
> For background, I checked the archives, found that this is a fairly common
> problem for vanagons.  Symptoms are heavy & fairly brief "shudders" that
> seem to come from the rear end heavily and briefly when starting in 1st or
> reverse, especially under load (on hills or quicker getaways) (other
drivers
> also noted symptoms in 2nd gear, not me).  Many people have been baffled
by
> this problem, and a lot of part$ tend to get thrown at it, with varying
> results.  The definitive cause didn't seem to have been identified, but
> possible causes include oil on clutch plate, problems with the throwout
> bearing and/or cross shaft that supports it (I'm just quoting archives,
I've
> never been inside a tranny), flywheel, engine/tranny mounts, a certain
brand
> of clutch plates, & other theories like air in hydraulic line, etc.
>
> Anyway, trying to read between the lines, it seemed that people often took
> their time to fix, or just lived with, the problem, making it annoying but
> relatively benign at least in the short term.  If this is true, I think I
> would be inclined to go ahead and risk the drive to Utah.  Anyone that can
> offer advice to the contrary?  TIA.
>
> Lloyd
> Vancouver, Canada
> '84 1.9 Vgon "Moby", slightly broken again, as usual
>