Volkswagen: Auto-stick assembly drawings, vacuum tank, woodstock ontario

Question
Ron,

My fater-in-law has a 1974 Super Beetle with the auto-stick transmission. He is a tinkerer, and has mastered disassembly, but now he can't get the car to engage the clutch after everything is put back together.

I suspect that he put something in the wrong way when he put it back together. Can you recommend a place where I could get a picture of the components of the shifter for this transmission? I would like to verify what goes where for him.

Thanks,


Stewart
Woodstock, Ontario  

Answer
Hi Stewart,

This doesn't sound like a major problem.

If you can let me know the following, I can probably help you out:

1) Is the wire from the stick shift connected to the solenoid in the engine compartment?

2) Does the clutch arm move at all when you try to engage a gear?

3) Do you have voltage to the solenoid in the engine compartment?

4) Is the vacuum tank 'full'?


To engage the clutch, a very simple procedure needs to take place:

- When you pull the gearshift, the switch in the shifter should close, which activates the silver soleniod in the engine compartment.

- The silver solenoid has a plunger inside of it, which slides open and allows the suction from the vacuum tank to be directly connected to the servo unit on the transmission.

- The servo unit pulls the clutch open.

If you have good suction, a working soleniod, and the switch at the stick shift checks out ok.... you have all the ingredients to a working clutch actuator.

Best of Luck.

Ron