Gear Selection out a bit

Post by **KurzalFlyer** » 02 Jun 2007, 15:53

Just had a new clutch fitted at my local Mr Clutch. It's an 87 1.9 dg waterbox, 4 speed gearbox.

All's fine with the clutch, it's just the gear selection is slightly out.

I can get all gears but in 3rd and 4th the gear knob seem a little nearer my leg than it used to be.

The main problem though is that it doesn't seem to go in 2nd naturally, you have to give it a good push down to engage. Quite often I seem to end up in neutral.

Had a look underneath and when it's in second (nearly) the lever on the side of the gearbox that the rod attaches to is pretty hard up against the bracket the rod goes through. There seems to be a bit of springiness in the collar on the bracket witch is probably what allows me to get 2nd if I give the gearstick a good push.

Feels to me like the whole set of gear selection has moved back and to the right.

Is there something in the linkage I can tinker with to realign the gear selection?

Cheers

Fred

Post by **jason k** » 02 Jun 2007, 16:10

could be your bushes at the bottom of the gearstick are fubar!!
they are about 30 quid from vw. also you could try moving the plate on the floor inside the van the one the gear lever goes thru. undo the four screws and move it about a bit. its for fine adjustment of the shift rod.
yours sounds like bushes to me tho...........

Post by **kyleewyleecoyote** » 03 Jun 2007, 16:22

If there was owt wrong with gear selection before you had the clutch replaced, i would suggest that it's the gear linkage adjustment.
I would start with the pinch bolt at the front. Procedure will be in your haynes manual.

Post by **funbus3** » 03 Jun 2007, 20:27

Had similar problem after grease monkeys replaced my clutch, 3rd and 4th were dreadful! Pinch bolt just needed pulling in a touch and she changes perfectly now! 'twas a 5 min doddle of a job.

Post by **toomanytoys** » 03 Jun 2007, 21:30

If they had more than 3 brain cells between them then there should be no reason to screw up the linkage.. its so simple to disconnect..

You could just loosen the 2 bolts that hold the linkage to the box and push up, tighten the bolts up.. if they have bent something then they should fix it... especially if there was nothing wrong with change when it went in...

Post by **timthetrader** » 07 Jun 2007, 16:14

did you sort out the prob? I have same prob ie 3rd and 4th too close to my leg!

Post by **KurzalFlyer** » 11 Jun 2007, 22:53

Thanks for the responses.

Haven't had time to get under the bus yet.

Hopefully I can get this done this coming weekend so I'll let you know how I got on.

I'll start with the pinch bolt you mention kyleewyleecotote/funbus3, but where is it? Sorry no Haynes manual, working entirely by instinct

Cheers

Post by **funbus3** » 12 Jun 2007, 16:54

Tis the splined joint connecting the front and rear selector rods, its about in the middle of the van!

By slackening the bolt it will allow you to adjust radially and axially. I cleaned and marked its position before fiddling and found it only needed a tiny ajustment to make good.

Good luck!

Post by **KurzalFlyer** » 12 Jun 2007, 19:44

Thanks funbus3, I remember seeing that. Now have a plan

Will let you know how it goes.

Cheers

Post by **KurzalFlyer** » 16 Jun 2007, 16:31

OK good news problem now sorted.

Looks like the MrClutch guys had put the support plate for the rear shift rod back in the wrong place.

There are two lugs sticking out of the gearbox case which the support plate is bolted to. What they seem to have done is attached the support plate to the back of the lugs rather than the front. Hence the selector lever hitting the plate before it's properly in second.

Putting it back on before the lugs has now sorted out the selection problem and has also taken care of the gear stick nudging up against my leg in 3rd and 4th.

That's a little bit more I know about the bus now

Thanks for the input.

Cheers

Fred