Date:         Wed, 3 Jan 1996 21:14:02 -0600 (MDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Jack Reed <jackr@fortnet.org>
Subject:      Re: '80 Vanagon tranny questions


On Wed, 3 Jan 1996, Maher, Steve (SD-MS) wrote:

> Where do you put the gear oil in, on an '80 Vanagon 4-sp transmission?

Yours might have filled in with caked dirt, mud, etc.  Hunt around the 
shift linkage, it's there.

> On mine, there appears to be the remains of a boot on this heavy rod,
> just rattling around loose. There is also a brownish-yellowish plastic
> ring rattling around loose on the heavy rod, that looks like it was once

This ring fits in a groove on the end of the shaft that projects forward 
from the tranny.  The long shift rod then slides over the ring.  Get a 
new one from VW and grease it well.  Then clean the inside of the shift 
rod and grease it too.  It should slide right on.

> a bushing or seal, inside the tube end of the long shift rod. The shift
> rod itself, flops around fairly loosely on the heavy rod, tho shifting
> still feels pretty good (for a VW-- this is my first Vanagon).
> 
> Is this shift-rod-to-transmission connection, basically hosed?

Doesn't sound like it but you really won't know until you get everything 
back to original equipment.

> 
> Visually, it looks like it needs a new bushing to remove the slop, new
> cleaning and greasing, and a new boot if that's what it had originally.
> I'm torn between "rebuild it the way you know it should be", and "Don't
> fix it if it ain't broke", since the V6anagon shifts well-- just kind of
> stiff to get into gear.

This is what happened to mine.  Over time it will cause undue pressure to 
be put on the selector finger and could conceivably cause the clip that 
holds the finger on to disintegrate (as it did mine), possibly stranding 
you at the bottom of Monarch Pass in a blizzard.  Get it back to stock, 
if at all possible.

> 
> Anyone had any experience cleaning up this connection? Are there "rebuild
> kits" of parts available for this, that contain the bushing/boot/whatever?

Not to my knowledge, you'll have to buy them seperately from the dealer.

Btw, mine's an 81, but things should be the same.

Jack