Ron Salmon wrote:
> 
> >Recently my '86 Westy has developed a problem with the clutch. After I
> >have been driving in stop-and-go traffic for awhile, the clutch begins to
> >"chatter" when I try to start from a stop.  The only way I can prevent
> >this from happening is to rev the motor up to about 3000 rpm while I let
> >the clutch out. Any ideas on what is causing this, and what needs to be
> >done to fix it?
> 
> My '85 just got a brand new clutch disk, pressure plate, and throwout
> bearing, and a resurfaced flywheel.  Now it's get the above problem.
> (Funny, it didn't do it before I replaced the clutch!)  The only hypothesis
> I've heard yet is that maybe the motor mounts and/or trans mount(s) are
> worn, causing some flex when the clutch is disengaged.  The trans mount
> looks a little cracked, but not horrible.  Any other ideas?
> -Ron Salmon

   My 86 Synco chatters when it is hot and is pretty much ok when cool.
The hotter it gets the more it chatters. It has a new pressure plate and
disk.( actually I have been living with it for about 30,000 miles. A
very reputable shop in Portland said that they have been seeing a lot of
worn cross shafts on Vanagons causing this problem. It seems that the
throw out bearing isn't held perfectly parallel to the clutch because
one of the pockets that cradle the throw out bearing is worn farther
than the other. I just havn't had the ambition to take the tranny out
again to check this out.   Todd Francis