Gear linkage adjustment help.

[Horney]

Hi folks,

Got a few probs with my gearchange at the moment. Mew has renewed a load of the bits so the change is silky smooth but I'm having problems getting 1st and 5th especially once the gearbox oil has warmed up. It deffo feels like a linkage issue and not a box as issue as when it goes in it slides in great. The prblem is 1st feels like it's too far to the left and I have to drop it into second first then slide it up into 1st at every junction/traffic light. The problem with 5th is that it seems to hit a wall and won't go in unless I bang it really hard to the right first and then try and change it it's OK, this is annoying and makes 4th - 5th changes rather slow and troublesome as I occasionally get 3rd which at 70mph is not good!

So any advice on how to get this sorted?

Nick

[Mew]

As far as i'm aware these are the only bits that i didn't replace Nick, probably worth a try 

http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=51321.0

http://www.vwspares.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=2090

http://www.vwspares.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=2221

[bomp]

Look at Fig. 4-5 here http://www.iol.ie/~kilkennyhockey//BentleyManual/TM01/ch4.1.1.html
and check if the white plastic arm on the gear shift is touching the white plastic scratch plate when your car is in 1st gear on yours.

If it is, adjust it as per instructions. assuming you got an eccentric adjustment ofcourse.

[Horney]

Cheers for that guys, I'll have a fiddle tomorrow!

Nick

[Horney]

RIght I've had a looksie on my lunch break with the cover off and there seems to be about 1/2" of left to right play in the linkage, is this OK? I can't remember if my other golfs had that much play in the shift or not.

Nick

[Horney]

Right after my drive home and it getting a bit worse I am convinced it's due to  too much left to right play in the linkage.

Is the bad boy in the link below the one that fixes this?

http://www.vwspares.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=2090

or it it this one?

http://www.vwspares.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=2221

Nick

[Mew]

It's getting worse!? Are you sure nothing has come undone? That said, i don't know why it would as i haven't touched it since doing the bushes last year. 

As far as i'm aware, the shorter rod is for 5th gear, and the longer one for the other gears. I think that poly bush thingy does the side to side, not 100% on any of that though!

[Horney]

Nah the polly bush does front to back, think I'll just get both if ECP or GSF have them in stock tomorrow morning and see how I get on.

As for getting worse that may be my fault! I've been banging the gearstick about a bit trying to igure out which way things are causing the problems, ha ha.

Nick

[herbster]

Have you set the gear stick with a setting tool or by eye, sounds like the plastic ball joints are cracked on the gearlinkage, you won't see this unless you unclip them and look closely,if you carry on it will finally snap and fall off then no fifth, so long as the oils good and at the level you should be ok.

[Horney]

Right I have replaced all the parts above and no improvement BUT I think I have found the route of the problem. With the lack of a digital camera I will have to try and explain it.

You have the metal shift rod under the engine bay which has the 2 plastic cups on the end, of which I have replaced. This is connected to a metal movement on the right hand side of the engine bay when looking from the front. This metal moving bracket has a bolt that runs down the middle of it. This bracket is where all my slack is. Can I just remove this and try shimming it up with some spare bushes I have? I have no haynes yet so I'm working in the dark a bit!

Nick