Almost certainly the Pilot Bearing. I recently had that problem with my
82 2.0 aircooled Westy. Had a rebuilt engine installed with complete
new clutch, but the mechanic installed a bushing from the Sach's clutch
kit instead of the proper pilot bearing. The bushing had too large an
inside diameter just like a worn out pilot bearing would have.

Symptoms were noise, grinding when shifting, but ONLY when the clutch
pedal was depressed. As soon as the pedal was released the noise was
gone.

The only way is to remove the tranny, clutch, flywheel, etc to install
a new pilot bearing, about a $10 part. Cost estimate from an
independent was 5 hours, from the VW dealer was 8 hours. The most
difficult part was getting the tranny out and in using a floor jack.

Good luck!

Ken
74 914 2.0
75 914 1.8
82 Westy 2.0
Austin, TX

>Date:    Mon, 18 Jan 1999 05:01:15 EST
>From:    Michael Avrea <Vanadiesel@AOL.COM>
>Subject: Help, Shifting/Clutch Problem???
>
>Hi All,
>        I have an 82 diesel Westy which I got a few months ago. Engine
is running
>good but I've had a lot of noise (rumbling like?) when I put the
clutch in
>right from the start. When I let it out the noise would go away. Also
have had
>trouble getting into reverse without grinding. Otherwise the clutch
and
>shifting has been working well.
>        Suddenly today I starting getting a feeling that something was
grabbing a
>little as I would come to a stop. Also several times I had trouble
getting it
>to go in gear when I was going slow, and had the gears grind as I put
it into
>fourth a few times. The clutch is not slipping though. Any ideas?? I
am not a
>mechanic however I do have a decent number of tools and as money is
tight I
>try to fix things myself if the repair is not to complex.
>Thanks so much for any help on this.
>Michael