Date:         Wed, 9 Jun 2010 15:38:06 -0400
Reply-To:     W Monk <billmonk@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         W Monk <billmonk@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Clutch not letting me shift into reverse
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

I didn't post about the problem as I had an idea what it was. Here is my
story and I am sticking to it:

Last Friday I swapped the tranny in my 87 Westy with a Zetec. I just put in
the Zetec a few weeks ago. I knew my tranny has been singing a bit in a few
gears but has always shifted with no problem and stayed in gear.  Last week
it wouldn't go into 3/4. Not even into the gate between the gears. After
forcing it a bit. I was able to get the gears till I got home. Then after
that even by manipulating the shifter ball on the side of the tranny it was
hit or miss getting it into 3/4 gears with all linkage removed.
I have a spare tranny in a parts van that I bought because it is a low mile
rebuild. I should have swapped when doing the Zetec but
my parts van was at my inlaws business and I couldn't start tearing it apart
there.
So after the Zetec install I hauled the parts van down to my house. I pulled
the tranny and motor out of it. So on Friday when I was scheduled to catch a
ferry to Buses By The Duck on Long Island I pull my tranny out of my 87
w/Zetec. Wasn't bad using the engine lift and one of those engine levelers.
By putting a jack under the tranny and removing the cradle I could lower the
front of the motor down which in turn lowered the transmission just turning
the leveler on the crane. Very nice and I didnt even come close to hitting
some sendors that are on that end of the head. The transmission slid out
onto the jack which I lowered as I tilted the engine.

I noticed the cross shaft was very tight and needed some lube on the spare
tranny so I pulled it out,cleaned and greased. Moved real nice. I noticed
that the lever that goes on the cross arm kinda fell right off when I
removed the snap ring. I didn't think much about it at the time. As time was
pressed to catch the ferry. I put the spare in the van,(note:what comes down
is much harder going back up!!!) Still wasn't to bad. Much easier than any
boxxer replacement I did. I also never used the crane and a tranny jack
doing a swap with a boxxer either so might not be a fair comparison.
I also replaced all the bushing,boots,front shifter plastic bits,universa;l
ect...from front to back. I had everything including the two bushing and
four metal plates that support the shift rod and I had a new end piece for
the front rod that goes over the splined shaft. The PO had not put the bolt
where the notch in that piece after a previous adjustment of some kind and
made it so it wouldn't turn.
Using the specs in the Bentley and a 23mm spacer I adjusted everything
correctly.
I get in the van step on the clutch and can feel its not right. I can still
shift all gears except reverse. I can still drive in reverse if I put it in
with the engine off. Good enough for now lets hit the road.

I ponder my issue all weekend at the campout among a sick old dog. I think
back to that lever just moving to easy. I go around and measure everyones
pedal play,compression,how much the lever moves,where it rests, ect... So I
have a bunch of data points to compare when I get home. I won't mess with my
van when its driving when not at home.

Last night I finally got to the van. I pulled the lever off the old tranny.
It took a puller to get it off. Removed the lever on the tranny in the van.
When I removed the clip if fell off. The teeth on the cross shaft compare to
the one on the other tranny. I put the spare lever on my van. Its takes a
light tap of a mallet to seat it. Put the slave cylinder back on and its
back to normal. NIce part is the new tranny is quite in all gears and the
motor is running great....

Finally!!! Praying for no more huge repairs the day before/of we are getting
ready to go somewhere. Its become almost a rite of passage for me to have
the van torn apart.

Bill