Scott, I love to read your write ups. They are so well put together and go into all the details. Thanks a bunch. Zoltan ----- Original Message ----- From: "Scott Daniel - Turbovans" <scottdaniel@turbovans.com> To: "The Westy man" <zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET>; <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Wednesday, July 30, 2008 2:19 PM Subject: Re: Do Shift linkage bushes wear ...

> it all adds up. > yes, worn shift linkage, driven and shifted gently with care 'generally' > shouldn't hurt the internals of a transmission......... > but ............the conservative answser is .......the shift linkage needs > to be basically pretty right, and nicely lubed, for best transmission > life. > it's 3 systems really, the trans itself, the clutch, and the linkage. If > either clutch, or linkage ..........and .......actually, the 4th system, > the driver.........if any of those 3 systems external to the trans are > dodgey, unlubed, or weak......... > or just plan clumsy ..........it shortens the life of the trans. I should > include how the throttle is applied too. > Some people are easy on equipment. > a few even keep it lubed and properly adjusted and drive it nicely. > on the other hand, some people are really rough on equipment, but don't > know it. > And that is even worse than people who are rough on equippment, know it, > but don't care. > I will accept knowlegable abuse over ignorance any day - lol ;-) . > > I'd say how well transmission and shift linkage, and clutches last and > work are very, very dependent on how they are maintained, or not > maintained, and how they are used and driven. > just like tires and brakes. Some people drive the hell out of those, some > people are really easy on them. > And really really expert drivers, even racing drivers, can go fast as > hell, and still be easy on equipment. > > btw, I sometimes wind 'er out real gently..........at only say 30 % > throttle, then do a pretty long slow 'snick-snick' shift into the next > gear..........just butter smooth, Like you might out in the boonies on a > long straight road where no car comes by but once an hour. > I have tried to teach people to shift gently ...... > and what I've noticed is that the muscle patterns are just burned into > people's brain from years and decades of shifting the same, way, with no > one to ever tell them they are being rough on things. > Worst case I saw was a guy from England with a factory 1.6TD Syncro, and > he would short shift ever shift...........like accelerate hard, but shift > real early, like at 2,200 rpm and say, and then immeidatel floor it, every > shift. He lugged his engine badly, every single shift. > He drove a fully rebuilt 1.6TD engine into puking and using oil in only > 40,000 miles that way. Just pounded out the ring groves from excessive > pressure on them every single shift, is my theory. > Besides keeping things well lubed and adjusted........the driver is the > single biggest factor. > that same guy just blew out those white plastic ball-like shifter parts at > the base of the shifter too. If you lube those once in a while with a > good synthetic spray grease, and shift it right, they will last just > indefenily, as will a good to start with Vanagon trans.......... > keep good oil in it, keep everything lubed and adjusted, and drive it > right ........ > they can last basically indefenitely. > scott > www.turbovans.com > scott > www.turbovans.com > > > ---- Original Message ----- > From: "The Westy man" <zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET> > To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> > Sent: Wednesday, July 30, 2008 1:34 PM > Subject: Do Shift linkage bushes wear ... > > > I am not sure how much the worn shift linkage bushings harm the > transmission. > Anyone? > Zoltan > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.5.7/1581 - Release > Date: 7/30/2008 6:56 AM > >