Retrovan's 1968 Fastback

[Tony Z]

come bring her to my place to buy the ZDDP additive when I get home

[retrovan]

Thanks Tony, but decided to run her around the local area .

Did me a 30 Km round trip up my test hill and around the back way on the old CT main road.

She was like a puppy on its 1st outing, very willing to hit max revs and cruse at 75 MPH.

What joy just to get out in a aircooled again,

Will have to take the split beetle next week.

Something to look forward to.

Herman

[retrovan]

The decision made this morning as I got up, was to do a bit of the little jobs that I have wanted to do, but never really had the time to do them,

Now since doing up the fastback, the head liner has always ballooned when travailing with the window open...

Did not work out why, and just said strange words every hot day I drove it.

Then it came to me, its getting air from the bonnet area blowing up the "A" pillars.

So I got me some foam spray, and not wanting to make holes in my roof-liner, removed the sun screens and inserted a long pipe into the hole and down the "A" pillar about 1/2 way down.

Gave the bottle a few squirts as I slowly pulled out the pipe. then refitted the sun screens.

Is it working I hear you all shout..... will only know when fully set and dry and i test drive the car.

Next was the speakers, as they where turfed under the seats when installing the radio in the glove box, as I did not want some one break my glass for a stupid radio.

These where cut into the door cards and wires run via rubber grommets through the "A"'pillar and door edge.

Now the fuse box had to have the contact points sand papered as every thing stops working now and then and you have to roll the fuses to get it on again.

as I was there, I sommer fixed the interior light door switch, which was bent and did not work,

She ended up with a good clean and dry, baked in the sun to dry out and when to bed with new gusto.....

Beetle next

Herman

[Haans]

what they don't come up with for a bit of attention hey !!

Regards Haans

[retrovan]

Been a long time since the Fastback was in the limelight,

but as she has been pulled into service again after the Hahn project has been near completed, we had a few issues.

Some time ago we noticed the clutch slipping and decided to drop the engine and see whats going on.

Well we found the disk has worn down and the disk was rubbing on the crank flywheel screws.

Well we fixed that and fitted a new clutch plate and pressures plate with release bearing.

it all worked out well and the car drove well, took it out to a few shows and club meetings and she drove like a dream as always.

So weeks later we decided to take her on the monthly club braai, and could not get her into gear.

Switch the engine off and could get all the gears, started the engine and could not get the gears in again.

Switch off again, put it in gear stood on the clutch and started it again, no problem,

could drive it as normal but could not change gears.

All I could think of is that the spigot shaft is turning at the same speed as the motor so you could not get gears.

So drove her to the braai, and back, as if the clutch cable was broken

Spoke to a retired mechanic at the braai, and he said its the spigot needle bearing in the crank thats gone.

Well I said I have never had such a issue in all the years driving VW Aircooleds, in fact any car.

Needles to say we removed the engine again and found the needle bearing to be suspect,

so with a M8 bolt, M8 nut, flat screw driver and an 13 spanner we removed the needle bearing

we also removed the seal as that seems to be leaking as well.

So now we need to go shopping to get parts.....

Herman

[Dawie]

Been there. Had the same thing on 3 different vehicles on more than one occasion. It's common when vehicles stand for a very long time without being used.
The clutch disc gets stuck to the flywheel or pressure plate. By vacuum, rust, stickyness or whatever. Sometimes can be difficult to get unstuck.
Keep clutch pedal pressed in all the way for a few hours. Use a piece of wood between pedal and steering wheel to keep pedal down. You might be lucky if clutch releases after time.
Or start it in gear with clutch pedal pressed. Car will drive. Floor the accelerator, then slam the brakes with heel of right foot which is still on the accelerator, left foot still on clutch. Or pull hand brake. Clutch will suddenly break loose. Thereafter clutch will operate normally as if nothing happened before. Needle bearing cannot cause this.

[retrovan]

........
The clutch disc gets stuck to the flywheel or pressure plate. .........

Thanks Dawie, you 100 % right, had that with my 1st Fastback at the age of 20.

Could not get the clutch to release at all

So I parked the car against a tree, put it into 2nd gear, and pressed the clutch in, started it up and revved the out of it for 10 minutes.

When done, she was fine again, and sold the car with the same clutch.

But this is not the same, the car stands still when the clutch is pressed in and in 1st gear, with the motor running.

It is just a minimal amount of friction thats keeping the gearbox spinning so you can not get it into gear as normal,

yes you can crash the gear in, but thats not my style.

When the Mechanic told me that its the needle bearing, I did not belief him as well, but thinking about it it is very possible, but never had it before.

When the clutch was stripped, there is no rust, sticky surface, or other possible way that the clutch would stick

The cable, thrust bearing and other parts are also fine, the only issues we find is the Needle bearing, and a slight leak on the seal,

No oil got to the clutch plate or pressure plate as it was flung out to the sides

As not other issues are found, we will fit the needle bearing as well as the seal and reassemble.

Hope we right.....

Watch this space....

[german]

I don't want to be clever but years ago a batch of clutch plates at Toyota SA started corrroding when in storage at the splines. When installed in the vehicles exactly the same as you mentioned happened. The solution was remove clutch plate and a tiny bit of grease on the input shaft so that the clutch plate could slide freely when activated. The front wheel drive has not got a pilot/needle bearing. Maybe check the splines as well.

[retrovan]

................ The front wheel drive has not got a pilot/needle bearing. Maybe check the splines as well.

Thanks for that, we have looked it over very well and found no issues with the clutch plate or spigot shaft,

but will lubricate as we are fitting a new needle roller bearing.

Herman

[Dawie]

Remember the difference in pilot shaft length between type 1 and type 4 applications.
Needle bearing should live more towards transmission, inside the flywheel, instead of inside the crankshaft when combining a type 4 engine or type 1 with wbx crank/flywheel with type 1 pilot shaft.

[retrovan]

Thanks Dawie,

Yes I have a type 3 gearbox and a 2lt type 4 engine, will have to measure just to make sure.

As the gearbox has been repaired , I will not know what spigot is in it.

But if you have it the right way round, then I am safe as it has a brass bush at the back holding the needle bearing flush with the end of the crankshaft.

Should I be right in saying that regardless, you can always fit it flush with the crank so its always max towards the gearbox. ?????

So looks like I will have to measure just to be sure as its all out at this moment.

Herman