Date:         Sun, 19 Nov 1995 10:34:14 -0800
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         raven@halcyon.com (Mark McCulley)
Subject:      Re: lubricating the cluch pedal

I pulled off the instrument cluster yesterday with the intention of
disassembling the clutch pedal assembley, cleaning, lubricating, and
putting it all back together for the next 75K or so miles. However, I still
couldn't even see the pedal assembley from the top. The master cylinder and
vacuum assist cannister for the brakes blocks everything. It would be quite
a task to remove all of that stuff just to work on the clutch pedal--I'll
wait until the master cylinder needs to be replaced!

So in the meantime, I managed to get some oil on the offending parts by
using a croquet mallet to keep the clutch pedal depressed and using my
fingers to feel/guide the spray tube on a can of spray WD40 to the proper
place. Couldn't see a thing, had to feel the whole process. The squeaking
was coming from the point where the arm on the clutch pedal connected to
the plunger assembley on the master cylinder. Now the pedal is totally
quiet and depresses easier too. Hope it stays this way more than a few
days!

-Mark McCulley

>At 10:07 PM 11/16/95 -0600, Mark McCulley wrote:
>>My clutch pedal (on '87 syncro) is squeaking terribly, but it's very hard
>>to get to--I haven't even been able to position myself to get a complete
>>view of all the moving parts. Has anyone worked on the clutch pedal or
>>master cylinder before? Is there some trick to getting access to this
>>assembly?
>>
>>
>
>Probably the first thing you will want to do is remove the instrument
>cluster/pod -complete. This will open a whole new vista, you will see many
>new and exciting things <g>.
>
>Many times a simple squirt of a "good" liquid lube will do the trick. The
>more satisfying and lasting method would be to disassemble the pedal shaft,
>clean everything up and relube the whole sheebang with a good light weight
>corrosion resistant wide temp range grease. We use a DOW Corning low temp
>grease with very good results.
>
>While you're there it is a good time to visually inspect the master
>cylinders, the cluster connections and anything else that catchs your eye...
>
>Dan
>
>        "In our every deliberation, we must condsider the
>         impact of our decisions on the next seven generations."