Clutch release not functioning

[StevenPH]

Just completed my in-chassis rebuild on my 89 Jetta 1.6d, and everything is running beautifully so far (thanks for all of your help!) - however i went to take it out of the garage, and got about 6 feet before my clutch refused to disengage and i had to kill the engine. With some pulling and swearing i managed to get it out of gear so i could roll it back in the garage.

From reading up on Broke VW i figured there was a problem with the release lever/acutation finger/throw out bearing assembly. I could lift the lever by hand up past 9:00, and took off the green cap to look inside.

i saw the TO bearing was depressed a good inch inside the cylinder. When the release lever is fully raised, the tip of the finger touches the bearing, but when released the bearing stays put. With a magnet i pulled the bearing out - it seems to be functioning fine.

Shouldn't the pushrod be pushing back out against the TO bearing? At least until it makes contact with the actuation finger?

I don't believe this has anything to do with the recent rebuild - i had been having issues with the clutch release before and figured i'd do it all at the same time. I had lost return pressure on the clutch pedal and had to shim up the clutch cable to be able to shift my way home. A new clutch cable didn't help.

Possibly relatedly, when i started up the engine for the first time, the front end was in the air with wheels off. Running in neutral, the hubs were rotating slowly. I could stop easily them with one hand, but when i let go they'd keep turning... Not sure if this is abnormal - i've never ran an engine with the wheels up...

Thanks

[bscutt]

The wheels turning when in neutral and jacked up is fairly normal as long as you can stop it by hand. As for the clutch not disengaging the only thing I can recommend would be to pull the transmission and check the pushrod where is contacts the disc that releases the clutch. I have heard of at least one case where the pushrod ate through the disc so it would not disengage the clutch. If the lever and throw out bearing look ok I would say the problem is at the clutch disc end of things. Pulling the transmission isn't all that much fun but I have swapped out a clutch in about 6 hours the first time I did it, 4 the second time which included some additional cleanup and tweaks of other areas.

[coke]

Yup. Mine pushed through the center of the plate. Real pain in the ass. It was on a gasser, mexican built piece of dog sh*t though.

[StevenPH]

Yep it's looking like that's the case. I'm out of time in the garage i've been using and don't have an engine lift so it looks like i'll have to suck it up and take it in to get the tranny pulled...

[82vdub]

You can pull the trans while leaving the engine in the car. You just have to support the drivers side of the engine with a 2x4 and some cable/rope while you remove the trans which has the motor mount on that side of the chassis.

[bscutt]

Agreed I had an old Jeep bumper I cut to fit between the fenders and secured the top of the block (lift point) to the bumper. First clutch job I lowered the transmission on a cheap hydraulic jack which was not much fun. Later I bought one of the Harbor Freight $60 transmission jacks which helped for the second clutch job

Pull the axles (30mm axle socket required plus the 8mm triple square for the inner cv joints, disconnect/tie back everything, secure the engine, drop the tranny, replace the clutch. It's not quite that easy but those are the steps. Some of the bolts are a real PITA and the knuckle-busting factor is about mid scale.

[StevenPH]

An update on this thread - i had the trans pulled and yes the rod was pushed through the plate and stuck due to a disintegrated rod bushing. Turned out with the rod stuck out he had to remove the fifth gear and twist and turn the trans with two people just to get it out - for the first time i was glad i chose to not do a repair myself...

New clutch, new rod, it shifts like a brand new car now, and with the new rings and valve job, it drives like one too!

[82vdub]

Excellent news!

[Fatmobile]

I suppose it is hard to get the trany off with the pushrod stuck through the middle of the disc.

One of the keys to supporting the end of the engine is being able to lower it so the trany can clear the frame when pulling it out.

[KCCats]

My 95 Golf wont disangage either! It has a new clutch in it! Has about 5k on it!
I did have trouble getting the new clutch together! Come to find out the trany is from the 2.0 Gasser!
How does the cable adjuster work?

[TylerDurden]

Which one u got?

automatic adjust:

(pic is upside-down)

Manual adjust:

[KCCats]

I have the Auto adjuster and I busted it apart and made a piece of 1 1/4 PVC pipe to take up the slack! Still wont disengage!

[TylerDurden]

Like the OP, If you can easily lift the release lever higher than level, your bearing/pushrod/plate may be stuffed.

You might open the end cap and do the same check as the OP. Ensure that the small finger has not broken and that the Throw-Out bearing are intact. If so, you may have a plate perforation like the OP.

[bbob203]

auto cables are junk do the exact opposite of what they are intended to do which is prevent the clutch from prematurely wearing but in practice actual prevent the clutch from being fully engaged and disengaged promoting pre mature wear. If your someone who maintains your car (if you own a vw you are and if your not you shouldn't own one) you only need to take the slack out every several thousand miles to account for cable stretch.
AND they only cost 15 bucks compared to the 50 of a self ADJUSTER...

[KCCats]

I have pedel! I removed the release bearing and the rod came with it! NOTHING seems to be wrong? The clutch has about 5000 miles on it!
Could the springs in the disk itself have broken and a piece of it wedged and not let the disk release?