Loud grinding noise when clutch is depressed

[Cleavesy31]

Hi everyone
I have recently bought my first VW it's a westfalia joker T3 it's a 1983 water cooled Bus.
The engine apparently has only covered 100000 miles.
It's a 1.9 Litre petrol with a 4 speed box it had a new clutch and realease bearing in 2012.
After a 30 minute drive last Sunday a loud bearing grinding noise started when the clutch was depressed, it was a heavy noise which seemed to clunky for clutch realease bearing.
I have taken my van to a local garage and they are unsure whats wrong, and want to pull out the gearbox to inspect the clutch.

I'm a Forum Virgin any helpful suggestions would be appreciate

Thanks Cleavesy

[jamesc76]

could be the spigot bearing gone and its alowing the input shaft to move about! worth taking the box off and having a look! Plus get them to change the gearbox oil, and whilst at it photograph the magnetic side of the drain plug, that way you can see how much metal has been ground off etc

[Ian Hulley]

The classic symptom of the spigot bearing going is that you can't select gears with the engine running. As James says check the drain plug on the gearbox ... AFTER checking that the fill bung can be undone

Welcome to the forum.

Ian

[Cleavesy31]

Thanks for the advice I will have the spigot bearing checked next week.
If the gearbox needs replacing/reconditioning how hard would it be to fit a 5 Speed box? I have a Westfalia 1983 left hand drive 4 speed.

[Plasticman]

Not hard but why would you want to? 4sp prob a better box , and you would need gearstick and lots of bits £££££
mm

[chrisbarnard]

I have a 1990 Westfali Califrnoia with a 5 speed box. Last year in france it decided to seize on the motorway (definitely not good)
Could write at great length about poor RAC European cover but won't here.

However, trying to find another 5 speed box was almost impossible! I was seriously considering buying one from the German ebay site and driving there to collect it.

Eventually found one at the dealer I bought the van from a few years back.

[kevtherev]

there's really not much in it between 4th on a four speed and 5th on a 5 speed.

[Cleavesy31]

I decide to change the gearbox oil myself, The oil was very dirty but there was not as much metal filings on the drain plug as i was expecting.
There was only 3litres of oil in the box i put about 4 1/2 litres back in.
After i finished, i started the van up on axel stands and went up through the gears, there is a slight noise in 3rd and 4gear which sounds similar to the original noise when the clutch is depressed but a lot quieter.
What should i do next?