No Ben, the throwout bearing is pushed INTO the fingers of the diaphragm
when you step on the pedal. The rest of the time it just rides around
looking at the pressure plate from really close up!

 Sounds like its time to rebuild or replace the transmission, unfortunately.

On 1/24/06, BenT Syncro <syncro@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On 1/24/06, peter shaw <mindthegap012000@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >
> > I purchased the vanagon several years ago, sight unseen, in a "as
> is"  and
> > not running. All I knew was that the engine didn't turn over.
> >
> >    The original PO (not the middle man) was contacted about the truck
> > and  told me that he thought the transmission was ok but that it seemed
> > to  get into 2 gears at once. I queried this group about this and  there
> > didn't seem to be much insight to the symptoms and since I had  not
> driven
> > the truck as had nothing to offer.
> >
> >    So upon starting up the engine, with the CV's disconnected
> > something  was making some noise.
> >
> >    So, the symptoms: When the engine runs it makes some grinding
> > noises,  and I depress the clutch the noise stops. The noise seems to be
> > getting  worse but maybe it's just my poor brain. Prior to installation
> > I  drained the tranny fluid and didnot see much shavings but there was
> > a  lot of thick gooy crap on the plug. Reinstalled the redline
> > tranny  stuff.
> >
> >    I am thinking of connecting the cv's to the tranny and getting
> > the  linkage connected and driving it but thought I could get some
> > input  first.
> >
> >    So, any (all) of you tranny experts, what does it sound like?
> >
> >
> >    peter
>
>
> Peter,
>
> I'm no expert but it sounds like a bad throw out bearing to me. The
> bearing
> is pulled away when you step on the clutch.
>
> BenT
>

--
Jake
1984 Vanagon GL
1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
www.crescentbeachguitar.com