On 8/27/02 12:05 PM, "David Brodbeck" <gull@CYBERSPACE.ORG> wrote:

> On Tue, 27 Aug 2002, ed maikranz wrote:
>
>> The clutch in my 81 aircooled vanagon is growling at
>> me.  After just a few shifts it starts to act up.
>> mostly when taking off from a stop in 1st I get a
>> growling/groaning noise as I come off the clutch. from
>> time to time i get a slight noise shiftint to second
>> also.  Today when  I came to a stop with my foot on
>> the clutch it felt like it was trying to grab as well.
>> Is it time for a new clutch, or is there possibly a
>> hydraulic issue to be addressed?
>
> Sounds like your pilot bearing is going bad.  Eventually it'll start to
> growl all the time when the clutch is down and the transmission is in
> gear.  Then it'll start to grab a bit and make you grind going into
> reverse.  Then one day it'll seize up and you won't have a clutch anymore.
> BTDT.
>
And the deteriation can happen very quickly.  BTDT and got the new clutch
bill as well.