My guess is the tranny too...If a driveline or VC or clutch failed, it would
still shift with eng off typically. A front nose bearing would cause some
shaking, but unless something suddenly broke, it would give you some
warning. Not a lot we can see from here unfortunately... Grab the driveshaft
and see if anything moves up/down and then all you can do is pull the trans
and see how it feels with it all out and disconnected..
Feel free to holler with questions..Good luck with a shop..Not many VW
guru's on your corner of the world that I know of...
Daryl of AA Transaxle
(425) 788-4070
aatransaxle.com
86 Syncro Westy
Zetec in the trunk
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anthony Egeln" <regnsuzanne@YAHOO.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, August 16, 2009 2:31 PM
Subject: Transmission or clutch gone

Well, I had a catastrophic something failure a little while ago....

Driving down the road at 45 mph, and suddenly the car shakes like it went
over a pile of rocks.

Then it smoothed out and I went another 1/4 and tried to shift and couldn't
shift. I turned into a subdivision and pulled over. I can't shift it and
when I let out the clutch it seems like it is still in gear. Got a ride home
and now awaiting AAA to bring the van home.

My first thought was that the viscous coupling kicked in, because it
shuddered & shook so bad for that brief moment, and I never heard of a
clutch suddenly failing. So I'm wondering if its the clutch or maybe the
tranny granaded.

Any thoughts?

Second problem is I have absolutely no place here in north Florida to take
it for repair anymore. There was one shop but for various reasons, I no
longer have confidence in their ability to work on a vanagon.

Thanks, Anthony
'89 Syncro GL (Hidalgo)