can't get 5th gear!!!

[ritmo]

Hi,
I'm new to the forum, just bought a 1990 8v GTi as a project however the guy I bought it from couldn't give me much information on whats been done or not.
I drove it the other night for the first time and find I cant get 5th gear! It just dosent seem to be there!!!! all other gears work very well!

I did get some history with the car not much!! but one recipt was for a new clutch and the previous owner told me that the gearbox might have been changed at the same time!!! but he couldn't be sure!!

I'm hoping that this might just be an adjustment to the linkage or gear stick! and not a 4 speed box that was installed, Is this possible??

I would be interseted to hear any thoughts advice on this.
thanks in advance.

[Horney]

Look in the engine bay and behind the gearbox near the bottom of the bulkhead is a paid of rods. One is short and all plastic the other is metal with plastic ends. You should find the short all plastic one has a crack in one or both ends which results in the loss of 5th gear.

As a temp fix you can lash it up tight with a couple of zip ties and you should get 5th back. Replacements can be got from German, Swedish and french car parts for a couple of quid. Best to replace both of them and at the same time buy the bush kit and re bush it all. All those bits should cost less than £15 and take no more than 1 1/2 hours to sort out.

nick

[weazgti]

+1
Also if the linkage is sloppy then there will be so much play that the stick hits the metal under the gear gaitor and you have to push down as if it was reverse. Its the big orange bush that causes that.

[Neo Badness]

+1 Linkage would be my first port of call.

I managed to bodge my mates on a freezing road north of Aberdeen in the wee small hours with sellotape as it was all we had in the car. Was a bodge but got us home and actually kept him mobile till he got paid at the end of the week

However I would recommend the GSF kit. 

[ritmo]

thanks guys,
sounds like an easy fix I will order the parts and get them fitted.
hope this does the job.
 

[Diamond Hell]

If the linkages aren't knackered then it may be the fifth gear module is shot.

Hardly an uncommon failure.