sounds normal to me, if I understand you right.

there is no 'retraction spring' on the slave cylinder..
it just pushes the lever, crosshaft, and throw out bearing up against the
fingers of the pressure plate ..
full time, all the time.

it always pushes down until the TOB contacts the pressure plate.
and you can push the lever up with your fingers  ..and slave piston up ..
totally normal. But it'll return to the resting 'contact' position as soon
as you let go of it.

and the TOB is turning constantly any time the engine is running, whether in
gear or not, whether cutch pedal  is up or down.
it never really retracts from the pressure plate. It just 'rides there' full
time..
when you push in the clutch pedal ..then of course it pushes hand enough to
move the pressure plate fingers far enough so the grip on the clutch disc is
released.

Scott
www.turbovans.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bret Berger" <bretberger@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, March 31, 2011 8:52 PM
Subject: 90 Syncro weak clutch spring?

> 1990 Syncro symptoms: clutch arm sticking out of transmission does not
> push slave cylinder back into retracted position.  I can manually
> retract slave cylinder by pushing it back by hand, but (I think) only
> the slight pressure from the slave cylinder (clutch pedal not pushed at
> this point) keeps disengaging clutch.
>
> Your thoughts appreciated!
>
> Bret in Saint George, Utah