shift linkages/bushings

Hi, my 90 Jetta carat has sloppy shifter and when it's cold it's
a little clunky getting into 2nd and 3rd. And when i'm really
tired after work sometimes i'm starting to have a little trouble
putting it in reverse (i hear it start to grind while the clutch
is as far as i know IN.)

I'm just wondering if I need bushings or some other hardware as well
and if there is any kit that is better than another and any other tips,
other than not to try to train my daughter anymore on it...

When I'm starting out and its cold i need to rev it to 3500 in first
to get a fairly smooth shift into 2nd...

thanks,
irv

Adjust the clutch cable first.
If you need linkage pieces then check them all out. Some of the pieces will
come in kits. The hardest ones to do are either just below the shifter and
the bushing in the front of the long rod. The others are pretty easy. ;-)

Grinding going into reverse does not sound like a linkage problem, it sounds
more like a release bearing problem or clutch problem.
That could also explain the clunky feeling shifting into 2nd and 3rd.
Try selecting 2nd before trying to engage reverse.

How does it shift with the engine off?
--
later,
dave
(One out of many daves)


"IR" > wrote in message ...
> Hi, my 90 Jetta carat has sloppy shifter and when it's cold it's
> a little clunky getting into 2nd and 3rd. And when i'm really
> tired after work sometimes i'm starting to have a little trouble
> putting it in reverse (i hear it start to grind while the clutch
> is as far as i know IN.)
>
> I'm just wondering if I need bushings or some other hardware as well
> and if there is any kit that is better than another and any other tips,
> other than not to try to train my daughter anymore on it...
>
> When I'm starting out and its cold i need to rev it to 3500 in first
> to get a fairly smooth shift into 2nd...
>
> thanks,
> irv

It seems to shift pretty well with engine off, maybie a little
less than full engagement into 2nd?

One out of many Daves wrote:
> Adjust the clutch cable first.
> If you need linkage pieces then check them all out. Some of the pieces will
> come in kits. The hardest ones to do are either just below the shifter and
> the bushing in the front of the long rod. The others are pretty easy. ;-)
>
> Grinding going into reverse does not sound like a linkage problem, it sounds
> more like a release bearing problem or clutch problem.
> That could also explain the clunky feeling shifting into 2nd and 3rd.
> Try selecting 2nd before trying to engage reverse.
>
> How does it shift with the engine off?

hmmmm
Sounds a little more like the clutch then. Of course it still could be the
linkage and engine/trans mounts. Under a load the engine/trans might twist
causing the linkage to bind and have difficulty getting into gear. But
Reverse should be done from a dead stop and no load on engine.
So I would still think clutch and/or release bearing. :-(

At least check and repair linkage and mounts first though. ;-)

JMHO
--
later,
dave
(One out of many daves)

"IR" > wrote in message
...
> It seems to shift pretty well with engine off, maybie a little
> less than full engagement into 2nd?
>
> One out of many Daves wrote:
>> Adjust the clutch cable first.
>> If you need linkage pieces then check them all out. Some of the pieces
>> will come in kits. The hardest ones to do are either just below the
>> shifter and the bushing in the front of the long rod. The others are
>> pretty easy. ;-)
>>
>> Grinding going into reverse does not sound like a linkage problem, it
>> sounds more like a release bearing problem or clutch problem.
>> That could also explain the clunky feeling shifting into 2nd and 3rd.
>> Try selecting 2nd before trying to engage reverse.
>>
>> How does it shift with the engine off?

IR > wrote:
> Hi, my 90 Jetta carat has sloppy shifter and when it's cold it's
> a little clunky getting into 2nd and 3rd. And when i'm really
> tired after work sometimes i'm starting to have a little trouble
> putting it in reverse (i hear it start to grind while the clutch
> is as far as i know IN.)

Sloppiness most likely means the linkage is messed up. The linkage
parts don't last forever, not by a long shot. The good news is they
are dirt cheap (the kit which includes most of them can be had for
<$10), if you include everything it might get to be more like $30.
The bad news is, some of them can be a pain to replace.

> I'm just wondering if I need bushings or some other hardware as well
> and if there is any kit that is better than another and any other tips,
> other than not to try to train my daughter anymore on it...

> When I'm starting out and its cold i need to rev it to 3500 in first
> to get a fairly smooth shift into 2nd...

Could be misaligned linkage (note that you can't properly align the linkage
if its shot, so the first thing to do is replace the linkage and then
re-align it).

The grinding problem may be related to the clutch or the tranny, its hard
to tell. First replace the linkage and align it. Then make sure the
clutch cable is properly adjusted. I can't imagine its the release
bearing as someone else said, but heck, they are pretty cheap and easy
to replace (jack left front of the car up as much as possible -- no really,
as much as possible, remove left front wheel, pry the green end cap off the
tranny -- some oil will come out, the higher the wheel is, the less oil will
come out, using a magnet pull the release bearing out. Installation is as
they say, reverse of removal. The wheel bearing is probably about $8, and
the end cap maybe $10-15 (you are supposed to replace it everytime its
removed).

The other possibility is your syncros may be going bad. If thats the
case, you may want to try bettter transmission fluid (heck, you may want
to try better transmission fluid anyway). The best stuff to get is
Redline MTL (its roughly $10/quart), you need 2 liters, but 2 quarts is
good enough. Some people have reported very good luck with MTL curing
syncro grinding. You fill it by removing the 11mm bolt that holds in the
speedo cable and then pulling out the speedo cable (might need to turn
and pull a bit). Once thats off, drain the tranny (requires a 17mm
Allen wrench/hex key to remove the drain plug). Note: Do *NOT* pour
fluid down the hole in the bellhousing with the green plastic "bolt"
no matter how inviting it may look -- its your clutch, and you'll be
doing a clutch job soon after if you do that.

Thanks much guys, sounds like great advice.

Irv

Sounds like your linkages need rebuilt. there's a bushing kit for around
10-15 bucks that will help a lot. there's balls that wear oblong that can be
replaced for 5 bucks each, there's two shift rods with crappy plastic ends ,
on top of the tranny, that are about 5-10 a piece. there's a bolt and
linkage and two plastic bushings, on top of the transmission I got from vw
for 3.90 last summer. I had to wait 2 weeks to get it though. there's a ball
shift linkage that's 30 bucks with the outer casing falls off or wears flat
at the end of the shift rod in the middle of the car. there's many ways and
much after market parts available for the rebuild. cheap or expensive. Also
there's an alignment tool you put in the car by the shifter to get your
neutral, but you can use a cassette tape its the exact size.
"blah" > wrote in message
...
> IR > wrote:
>> Hi, my 90 Jetta carat has sloppy shifter and when it's cold it's
>> a little clunky getting into 2nd and 3rd. And when i'm really
>> tired after work sometimes i'm starting to have a little trouble
>> putting it in reverse (i hear it start to grind while the clutch
>> is as far as i know IN.)
>
> Sloppiness most likely means the linkage is messed up. The linkage
> parts don't last forever, not by a long shot. The good news is they
> are dirt cheap (the kit which includes most of them can be had for
> <$10), if you include everything it might get to be more like $30.
> The bad news is, some of them can be a pain to replace.
>
>> I'm just wondering if I need bushings or some other hardware as well
>> and if there is any kit that is better than another and any other tips,
>> other than not to try to train my daughter anymore on it...
>
>> When I'm starting out and its cold i need to rev it to 3500 in first
>> to get a fairly smooth shift into 2nd...
>
> Could be misaligned linkage (note that you can't properly align the
> linkage
> if its shot, so the first thing to do is replace the linkage and then
> re-align it).
>
> The grinding problem may be related to the clutch or the tranny, its hard
> to tell. First replace the linkage and align it. Then make sure the
> clutch cable is properly adjusted. I can't imagine its the release
> bearing as someone else said, but heck, they are pretty cheap and easy
> to replace (jack left front of the car up as much as possible -- no
> really,
> as much as possible, remove left front wheel, pry the green end cap off
> the
> tranny -- some oil will come out, the higher the wheel is, the less oil
> will
> come out, using a magnet pull the release bearing out. Installation is as
> they say, reverse of removal. The wheel bearing is probably about $8, and
> the end cap maybe $10-15 (you are supposed to replace it everytime its
> removed).
>
> The other possibility is your syncros may be going bad. If thats the
> case, you may want to try bettter transmission fluid (heck, you may want
> to try better transmission fluid anyway). The best stuff to get is
> Redline MTL (its roughly $10/quart), you need 2 liters, but 2 quarts is
> good enough. Some people have reported very good luck with MTL curing
> syncro grinding. You fill it by removing the 11mm bolt that holds in the
> speedo cable and then pulling out the speedo cable (might need to turn
> and pull a bit). Once thats off, drain the tranny (requires a 17mm
> Allen wrench/hex key to remove the drain plug). Note: Do *NOT* pour
> fluid down the hole in the bellhousing with the green plastic "bolt"
> no matter how inviting it may look -- its your clutch, and you'll be
> doing a clutch job soon after if you do that.

Here's a great link with good explanations and photos about rebuilding your
A2 shifter.http://www.4crawler.com/Diesel/ForSa...eInstall.shtml
"IR" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks much guys, sounds like great advice.
>
> Irv