Hi
clutches don't cause jerky forward progression , at least not usually.

Clutches can 'chatter' badly starting out ...from oil on the disc.
Once moving you don't notice that much, just starting out from a stop.
Severe chatter even in a bad case.

the usual failure modes for clutches are -
failure to disengage, like can't get it in gear.

or ...eventually ...they slip.  You give it gas ..revs increase, but van
doesn't pick up speed.

Jerky forward progress in gear is usually jerky/uneven engine running.

Is your pedal effort pretty stiff ?   That is a sign of a clutch with
many, many miles on it.
Vanagon clutches last extremely well with a good driver ..
but at your miles, it's likely quite due, but not likely to be a source
of jerkiness while driving in gear.

scott
www.turbovans.com

On 9/26/2012 12:29 PM, Alfred Bagdan wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> My Vanagon has just become very jerky in any gear.  It started this morning
> and seems to get progressively worse. I limped home in third gear, with the
> clutch not fully let out.
> I am assuming it is the clutch, the 85 Vanagon has about 200 000 km on it,
> and the clutch has never been done.
>
> Could it be anything else that could cause this jerky motion?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Alfred
> 85 Vanagon
>