You got it, the throw out bearing rides against the pressure plate full
time, and is always 'bearing away' ..i.e.,  turning under very light load.
They just seem to get away with it. 
  
The piston in the slave only returns upward as far as the pressure plate
pushes it. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
AAG - Larry Word
Sent: Saturday, December 01, 2007 5:47 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: 85 Vanagon - Clutch throw-out level moverment ?

Tonight, in the middle of bleeding my new master cyl./slave cylinders, it
dawned on me that I don't understand something about these van's I've always
taken for granted - without some sort of "return spring" for the throwout
level (on the bellhousing), what makes the slave cylinder return to its
original "upright" position?

Is it simply the clutch pressure plate?  If so, why do other car manual
transmissions/clutch have a return type spring on their system?

Thanks for group's insight - I'm always amazed by the good answers I receive
from the Vanagon community.

Thanks

Larry 
Ga.