Mine behaved the same way until I slowed the rear wheels down to about 10
rpms (using the hand brake and clutching in a bit).  I was surprised at how
sensitive the VC is!

In other words, your results are consistent with mine.  BTW, I just had a
shop look over the entire car, and they told me that the VC appeared to be
in fine condition, and functioning normally.  (He has several other
customers with Syncros, and has worked on 20 or 30 of them regularly over
the years)

Brent Christensen

----- Original Message -----
From: Kevin Sullivan <ksull@mbari.org>
To: Brent Christensen <bpchristensen@MINDSPRING.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 1999 2:55 PM
Subject: Re: Viscous Coupling survey

> Hi Brent,
>
> I tried this test over the weekend. I could not
> let my clutch out all the way without the front
> wheels grabbing. As I let out the rears would
> begin to spin and soon after the van would
> begin to roll forward driven by the fronts.
>
> The van idles at 1000 rpm's.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Brent Christensen <bpchristensen@MINDSPRING.COM>
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Date: Wednesday, April 21, 1999 9:28 AM
> Subject: Viscous Coupling survey
>
>
> >I think it would be interesting to see how many of the Syncros out there
> >will idle freely at 1,000 rpms with the rear wheels spinning in the air
and
> >not engage the front wheels.  If you have a Syncro and a floor jack with
> >wheels it is a relatively simple test.  If you have time, please try it
and
> >report back to the list.
> >
> >My Syncro will engage the fronts at the  full 800-1,000 rpm idle speed,
but
> >if I slow the rear wheels down a bit using the hand brake, then the
fronts
> >will disengage.  I wonder if my VC is toasted...  ???.  (The fronts grab
> >while making sharp turns in parking lots, but don't seem to act up at
> "road"
> >speeds.
> >