Gear selection out

[sarahandthebear]

Hello I have spoken too soon thw van now drives however I’m still having gear issues. We have a 1984 5 speed westfalia. So years ago I changed the gear linkages and since then it has never been right. In fact the gearstick eventually snapped. So I had it welded together and used the old 25mm block of wood trick to set it in natural. Now again when I drive sometimes first is 3rd and 4th is 2nd but this is hit and miss as occasionally it’s lovely a smooth. It happens every other gear change if I stop and go back into first 9 times out of ten it will go into 3rd. Now here’s the odd bit I had it on the drive and I lay underneath watching the gear selections in the box and they were all perfect. Always selecting each gear smoothly not getting stuck. This is with the van off. Now when you turn it on and drive it that’s when it all sort of does whatever it likes. So I’m thinking is it actually the selection part Thats wrong g or is it further back. Like the linkeges themselves or even the gearbox itself?

[Stesaw]

Maybe the linkage rods? maybe they need moving a spline over towards 1st and 2nd. Are the bushes and links all OK on the linkage and not worn?


 

[silverbullet]

Slack in the two spherical rod bushes will make any attempt to get a good gearshift an exercise in futility, along with wear in the ball & cup selector.
If the overall rod length is significantly too long or short it will fail to engage a gear properly and jump out and/or show up as problems selecting reverse.
If the ball and cup is very worn along with the transaxle mounted bush, its possible to get it jammed in reverse as the ball attempts to climb out of the cup on selection.
Ask me how I know.

[sarahandthebear]

Thanks guys I have to admit the bushes may be old and may even need changing. Ok so I’m on brickwerks and just trying to figure out what bits I need. I can by a whole replacement kit but if I can get away with it I would rather just by the bits I need. Could you tell me the bits you were mentioning or send the links to the parts as there’s so many I’m finding it hard to locate the right parts.

[Stesaw]

Id get under the van and visually inspect the components rather than just buy stuff you might not need 

[silverbullet]

Because your Westie is an 84 (verified? Not just going by reg no?) you'll need to double check the linkage/rod bush type as there are early and late versions iirc and 83-84 is the crossover year.

[Dueller]

I converted from auto to manual and bought a used set up for the 5 spd

Bought all new linkage stuff from Brickwerks, also rebuilt the shifter and added a short shift kit

Its very precise and super tight

All worth doing

[pirate-pete]

Been having similar problems myself and in my case the culprit appears to be the oval shaped mounting for the gear lever bearing. One of the two bolts had gone awol so the mounting was free to rotate every now and again. Sometimes 1st and reverse difficult and other times 5th not wanting to play.

As you have a petrol van it should be easy to see if you lift up the gaiter and make sure the two bolts are tightened.   Mine is a turbo diesel so all this is hidden under the floor which means I didn't spot the problem until I removed the whole gear lever box from under the front of the van above the spare wheel well.

I'll have to look up the 25mm block of wood trick.  I was thinking that was for 4 speed boxes.