Date:         Fri, 9 Jun 1995 09:54:05 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         eugp@uclink3.berkeley.edu (Eugene C. Palmer)
Subject:      Re: Hard Shifting..sometimes

>>    Since acquiring her, Ramona has always displayed hard shifting from time
>>to time. Sometimes, she's smooth, and sometimes I can't even downshift from
>>3rd to 2nd. She just won't go. I've had the trans gear oil
>>checked/drained/replaced, but that didn't make a difference. My question is
>>this: when I have the engine out and her guts exposed, how do I check on this
>>problem? What do I look for? Is it something that I can check before removing
>>the engine? Any ideas or similar fiascos? Y'know, she doesn't pop out of gear
>>ever, but this thing with the tuff shifting is getting me all worried.
>>HELP!!!!!!!sos!!!!!!!
>>Again, thanks.  Rach
>>
>Yep, sounds just like what I have with my 71.  I think that the problem is 
>with the guide bushing on the shifter.  I replaced mine, expecting the 
>shifting to improve, but to no avail.  I was expecting the slop to be gone 
>too, but again... NOT.  The only thing that you can do is to adjust the 
>shifter's guide plate, which will hopefully make some difference.  The idea 
>is to push the plate over to the right so that you can't pull the shifter 
>toward you (ie. left) any more than is needed to engauge 2nd.  I know that 
>someone mentioned the guide bearing which for us upright fan guys probably 
>isn't a problem (IMHO).  When I had my engine out, I noticed that the pilot 
>shaft had lots of play in it, ie. side to side, but I don't know if this is 
>related or not.  I have talked to my local VW shop about this, and he says 
>the VW shifter is junk anyway.  His solution is a Gene Berg shifter which he 
>says is worth every nickel.  I think like $135! (Eugene, care to comment?)   
>I dunno.  Personally, I think getting a new guide bushing machined out of 
>brass or bronze would make vast improvements in the shifting.
>
>Hope this helps.
>
>   
>
>CBridge@vt.edu
>Chris Bridge
>71' camper
>

Hokay, yah the shifter is expensive.  Though I don't think 'hard shifting'
is neccessarily bushings, etc.  The '67 bus I recently sold was always a
grind into second and was simply a worn trans.  'Sloppy shifting' is more
tracable to worn trans bushing (though this is not as crucial as it would
seem), loose or broken coupling (most likely), worn or missing plastic
bushing at the front of the shift rod, and worn or missing guide sleeves in
the tunnel.  Worn pilot bearings should sound bad (squeal) and may affect
shifting, but 'hard' is most likely the trans itself.  Unless maybe the
whole things rusted in place or something sick.  Shift plate adjustments are
unlikely to affect 'hard' shifting, they just get the linkage lined up so
you can even get the gears.

Is Bergs shifter worth it?  Over the life of the bus I would say probably
so. However, any shift problem you had before will likely still be there
even if you do spend the big money, the whole mess needs to be set-up right.
Do not get the locking shifter for the pre-'68 bus.  

I used to have to locktight the shift knob so I could twist it
counterclockwise to get gears.

Another thing to check might be the engine mounts themselves, especially
pre-'68.

On old worn transmissions I used a GL-5 type oil (which is a no-no), a moly
additive, and a teflon additive (everything at the store basically).  This
combination definitely loosened up shifting and I could usually hit second
with a minimum of crunch.  This trans went to the moon.

Eug,
'71