Bug clutch? problems

[twhite]

About 4 years ago my daughter and I did a ground up resto on a 70 bug.
She is now in college 350 miles away, and is having problems. I haven't been able to diagnose the cause over ther phone, and need help.

After a 50 mile trip in a snow storm, with no problems on the road at speed, she had trouble starting from a stop sign. The next day she couldn't get it to take off in first gear. I diagnosed an out of adjustment clutch, hoping it wasn't a burned clutch. She checked the free play at the clutch pedal, and said it was about 1 1/2 - 2".

I just found out tonight that she has no problem backing up, reverse seems fine. Also, it seems to run well in third and fourth, and in the high end of second. I am baffled. Except for the reverse working I would think she has a glazed clutch, but then I would expect problems with reverse.

Anyone got an idea? I would like to avoid having to drive all the way up there if I can. I am in central Missouri, and she is in Galesburg, Illinois.

thanks

tim

p.s. Does anyone know what happened to the forum Mid Am used to run?

[Mr_Diesel]

Who's mid am? I am so dumb when it comes to air cooleds, man... I won't be of much help... Allthough, if the reverse is working that's a clear sign the clutch is fine. My first thoughts are shifter linkage is bunged up or even worse... internal trans issues. All though I can't say I have EVER heard of anything goign wrong with those old manuals in the air cooleds.

I know that on the Mark II Jetta's, there is a little piece of plastic linkage that can pop off... that disables like 3rd and 5th gear if I remember correctly... sounds like that might have something to do with it.

[twhite]

Mid Am is Mid America Motors, the big VW supplier in Effingham, Illinois.
They used to have a really great forum for VW people, lots of good advice and
expertise. While we were involved in the restoration I did a lot of posting
and reading on that site, but a couple of years ago it disappeared. I wish I
knew where the people from that site were posting now!

As far as my problem. I HOPE that it is not in the transaxle. We didn't rebuild
that (about the only part we didn't re build), but we did drain the fluid and refill it. Also replaced seals. I have never had a VW with transaxle problems,
and I've had quite a few.

I am considering that it might be a problem with the parking brake. If I remember correctly, When the parking brake is applied LIGHTLY it will not catch in reverse, but will be pulled into tighter contact with the wheel when trying to go forward.

It is really difficult to try and diagnose from this distance. I am going to have to call my daughter and ask some more questions and suggest some more tests.

Thanks for the reply.

tim

[Mr_Diesel]

The beauty of a manual transmission is that there is very little that could be wrong... I'll bet it's something as simple as the linkage. Keep me posted and I'll ask around to my local air cooled buddies and see if they have any advice.

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