Anthony,

If need be, a reputable auto shop should be able to pull the tranny for
you and re-install it. Once out, you will have to ship it out somewhere
- like to Daryl at AAA Transaxle. Do that and you will have a jam-up
good product to go back in there.

I don't know about those Sinning-Crows, but on the standard two wheel
manual tranny vans the R&R can run $600-$800 just for the labor. It's
not that hard, just a lot of work. And a competent shop should be able
to do it, even if they aren't a highly experienced Vanagon shop. If you
know your vehicle, I would look for a shop that would allow me to poke
around in the shop and underneath while the work is being done. You may
head off problems, eliminate un-necessary work, and find additional
things you want done while it is in there - more work for the mechanic
so his pay check is bigger. Usually the mechanics appreciate that -
though not always. If I wasn't allowed - I'd go elsewhere. You don't
have to stand there every minute - just be there at critical stages to
ensure things are right. If you have a Bentley and a Haynes - offer it
up before the work starts. More often than not - it's appreciated -
especially if they are unfamiliar with the vehicle. But like I said - a
competent shop should manage quite well if all they are doing is R&R for
the tranny. Let the experts - Daryl - do the rebuild.

Good Luck.

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver

Anthony Egeln wrote:
> 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.
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> 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.
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> Any thoughts?
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> 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)
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