When I renewed my crankshaft seal and clutch I replaced my transmission
input shaft as it was a bit chewed up from a PO's problem with a pilot
bearing.  Yes, you can get to the coupling by removing the bell housing.

Mike

David Kao wrote:
> Before AAA tow truck arrived I did try to yank the drive shafts to see
> if any of the CV joints had disconnected or broken off. Both shafts were
> tight and did not move at all. I ruled out CV joints at the time. But I will
> check them out again. The input shaft sleeve is really the most likely
> part that is broken. Can it be reached and replaced by taking the bell
> housing off? If yes then I guess I may still have a tranny that can be saved.
>
> David
>
> --- Karl Mullendore <groups@WESTYVENTURES.COM> wrote:
>
>> A little mechanical education? I'm quite aware how the Vanagon
>> transmission works. :-)
>>
>> The fact that the noise is still there in neutral doesn't mean a CV
>> still couldn't be the culprit...mechanical drag internally will still
>> cause the output flange to turn if the CV joint was broken.
>>
>> That said, I do know of at least one person who broke one and then
>> another input shaft sleeve in his Syncro; turned out the needle bearing
>> of the input shaft was kaput. I hope it's not a new tranny you need!
>>
>> Karl
>>
>> David Kao wrote:
>>> There are two driving shafts in the transmission. You can call one
>>> input shaft and the other output shaft. The output shaft drives the
>>> ring gear and the drive shaft and CV joints. With the gears set in
>>> neutral the output shaft is not spinning. So the noise really can not
>>> be from the CV joints. It is probably a shattered sleeve on the input
>>> shaft that connects the main shafts in the bell housing and the main
>>> shaft in the gear box. Or there is something in the gear box. If it is
>>> the sleeve I am extremely lucky. It can be easily replaced. I have had
>>> a chattering clutch for many years. The sleeve may be worn badly then
>>> finally gave up.
>
>
>
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