Gear change grating
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- sandancer
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Gear change grating
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Any idea what is causing this noise, it happens on every gear change
Any idea what is causing this noise, it happens on every gear change
1981 T3 1.6D holdsworth villa 3
1992 mk1 caddy pickup 1.6D
1992 mk1 caddy pickup 1.6D
Re: Gear change grating
Gear linkage rod bush worn out so metal rod scrapes on metal.
1992 red lle 2.2 subaru 1990 rhd caravelle 2.2 subaru 1986 california import vanagon
- sandancer
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Re: Gear change grating
Have you got a pic pleasemultisi wrote:Gear linkage rod bush worn out so metal rod scrapes on metal.
1981 T3 1.6D holdsworth villa 3
1992 mk1 caddy pickup 1.6D
1992 mk1 caddy pickup 1.6D
Re: Gear change grating
You need to get underneath and move the linkage rods forward and backwards by hand. See if you can hear the noise coming from where the bushes are, its the sound i got from a van with early linkage rod set up. You dont say what year van you have.
1992 red lle 2.2 subaru 1990 rhd caravelle 2.2 subaru 1986 california import vanagon
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Re: Gear change grating
Long term you need new bushes, but short term if the linkage operates ok but is noisy, buy some PTFE spray grease and lube all the moving parts, especially above the spare wheel carrier, which I suspect is where your noise is coming from.
1981 LHD 2.0l CU with Twin Solex setup.
- sandancer
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Re: Gear change grating
The rod is grating under the fuel tank can not see what on
1981 T3 1.6D holdsworth villa 3
1992 mk1 caddy pickup 1.6D
1992 mk1 caddy pickup 1.6D
Re: Gear change grating
What year is your van and do you have a Haynes workshop manual ? From listening to your video it sounds like a diesel engine van, the early ones have the same front linkage rod set up as Aircooled, the rod goes through a bush on a metal bracket, when the bush wears out, the metal rod drops and rubs on the metal hole the bush fits in. Brickwerks stock the bush. The green Haynes manual has the early linkage diagrams.
1992 red lle 2.2 subaru 1990 rhd caravelle 2.2 subaru 1986 california import vanagon
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Re: Gear change grating
This has happened to mine. Whilst waiting for your refurbishment kit when changing gear, instead of placing your hand on top of the gear knob (thus putting downward pressure) try cupping the gear knob and lifting it upwards.
A bit of a nuisance but it's working for me.
A bit of a nuisance but it's working for me.
1990 Westy HiTop 1.6 JX
Time is precious, waste it wisely folks.
Time is precious, waste it wisely folks.
- sandancer
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Re: Gear change grating
multisi wrote:What year is your van and do you have a Haynes workshop manual ? From listening to your video it sounds like a diesel engine van, the early ones have the same front linkage rod set up as Aircooled, the rod goes through a bush on a metal bracket, when the bush wears out, the metal rod drops and rubs on the metal hole the bush fits in. Brickwerks stock the bush. The green Haynes manual has the early linkage diagrams.
X reg 1981 diesel, no I done have a manual

1981 T3 1.6D holdsworth villa 3
1992 mk1 caddy pickup 1.6D
1992 mk1 caddy pickup 1.6D
Re: Gear change grating
Its the bush underneath the fuel tank , so that will have to come out ! One of those little problems that turns into a big job.
1992 red lle 2.2 subaru 1990 rhd caravelle 2.2 subaru 1986 california import vanagon
- sandancer
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- Joined: 25 Jun 2013, 20:14
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- Location: Stanley, Durham
Re: Gear change grating
multisi wrote:Its the bush underneath the fuel tank , so that will have to come out ! One of those little problems that turns into a big job.
A 5 minute job then LOL
1981 T3 1.6D holdsworth villa 3
1992 mk1 caddy pickup 1.6D
1992 mk1 caddy pickup 1.6D
- sandancer
- Registered user
- Posts: 190
- Joined: 25 Jun 2013, 20:14
- 80-90 Mem No: 15588
- Location: Stanley, Durham
Re: Gear change grating
dubdog&max wrote:This has happened to mine. Whilst waiting for your refurbishment kit when changing gear, instead of placing your hand on top of the gear knob (thus putting downward pressure) try cupping the gear knob and lifting it upwards.
A bit of a nuisance but it's working for me.
Tried this and it still squeaks .
1981 T3 1.6D holdsworth villa 3
1992 mk1 caddy pickup 1.6D
1992 mk1 caddy pickup 1.6D
Re: Gear change grating
Dubdog&max has a later style linkage which is also easier to work on, that bush under the fuel tank on early models was a strange place to put a part that wears out.
1992 red lle 2.2 subaru 1990 rhd caravelle 2.2 subaru 1986 california import vanagon
- sandancer
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- Posts: 190
- Joined: 25 Jun 2013, 20:14
- 80-90 Mem No: 15588
- Location: Stanley, Durham
Re: Gear change grating
It's grinding on the fuel tank
1981 T3 1.6D holdsworth villa 3
1992 mk1 caddy pickup 1.6D
1992 mk1 caddy pickup 1.6D
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- Registered user
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- Joined: 06 Jun 2016, 14:49
- 80-90 Mem No: 15374
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Re: Gear change grating
When we bought our van the linkage was stiff and horrible to listen too, so this is how i sorted it.
If you grab a torch, drop the spare wheel carrier, take our the wheel and get someone to change through the gears whilst looking through the hole which the gear linkage passes, you'll see it grating on the rim of the hole (ooh err
) in the cross member.
I used white grease spray on ours a year ago, giving it a good amount so it spreads out over its range of movement, which has worked a treat for me, making gear changing silent and smooth again.
Until I get chance to drop the tank and replace the bush, grease is by far the easiest and cheapest fix.
If you grab a torch, drop the spare wheel carrier, take our the wheel and get someone to change through the gears whilst looking through the hole which the gear linkage passes, you'll see it grating on the rim of the hole (ooh err

I used white grease spray on ours a year ago, giving it a good amount so it spreads out over its range of movement, which has worked a treat for me, making gear changing silent and smooth again.
Until I get chance to drop the tank and replace the bush, grease is by far the easiest and cheapest fix.
1981 LHD 2.0l CU with Twin Solex setup.