Bret, there are three wear areas of the linkage that can be involved in this problem. Near the center of the long shift rod is a bushing where the rod passes through a crossmember at the rear of the fuel tank. This bushing may be worn badly enough to aggravate this problem. Hopefully not, as it is no longer available.(The 83+ watercooled models use a different bushing for a larger diameter shaft and it is available but no help for older models) At the tranny end, the shift rod fits over a long guide 'bolt' of sorts and that bolt has a nylon ring on the end that the shift rod is supposed to slide and rotate against. This nylon ring can wear or break off and then the rod is a sloppy fit over the guide bolt. The dealer still sells this replaceable ring and it costs about $1. I replaced one on an 82 diesel last week. The boot for this area is NLA Up front the gearshift lever passes through a spring loaded nylon ball/socket joint at the floor and down into the metal box where it connects to the long shift rod. The ball/socket joint parts can fail and allow the lever to be out of position so the gears don't line up as they should. Also the box has a metal guide on one side that the lever rubs against when selecting gears 1 and 2. To get reverse you push down on the lever so the end drops below this guide and then the lever can move over more toward the side before engaging reverse. The ring on the guide pin at the tranny is where I would start as you mentioned things seemed loose there. If you closely inspect all these areas and find none to be the obvious cause, an adjustment of the linkage may do it. Mark Bret Berger wrote: >Hello Listmembers, > >My 1982 diesel Westfalia will no longer shift into reverse. First and >second gear are now in the left "indent" area where revese used to be. A >crawl beneath the beast reveals that a bushing at the transmission end of >the linkage appears very sloppy and badly worn and the rubber seal is >completely gone. Will the transmission rebuild kit offered by the vendors >on the mailing list return me to tight and precise teutonic shifting >nirvana (not that this thing ever shifted nicely)? How much work is >involved in installing these rebuild kits? Will I need to drop the fuel >tank? > >thanks in advance for any help, >-bret > >Bret Berger >1982 Diesel Westfalia >Saint George, Utah > > > |
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