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Date:         Mon, 14 Sep 1998 23:58:30 EDT
Reply-To:     Chrisw7971@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Chris W <Chrisw7971@AOL.COM>
Subject:      !!!URGENT!!!-NEED HELP/ADVICE!!
Comments: To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Dear list, I have just driven my 87 Syncro (w/114,000miles on it) from Mass to Santa Fe, NM and have been limping since Penn. I was getting off an exit and coming to a stop when I tried to take it out of 4th gear but it wouldn't come out, it was stuck. I tried moving the gear back and forth but it wouldn't move anywhere so I inched across a huge intersection (clutch gas clutch gas...)and parked to check the situation. I looked underneath couldn't find anything. A mechanic down the road lifted it up and didn't find anything wrong with the visible transmission parts underneath. He pulled on the rod a few times hard, and figured it was internal (possibly one of the "forks came off/broke...). So I had two choices I could wait there until Monday when maybe someone could look at it some where (that guy couldn't work on it) or I could just hit the road again in 4th gear the whole way. I choose to hit the road and as I got started I was able to shift into 3rd then briefly into 2nd and 1st, but 3rd was the most reliable if I wanted to shift into 4th gear to get on the highway (confusing?? sorry I am seeing triple and my upper back is a knot from all the stress of this Bull $%@!!#$ i have gone through in the past 3 days). So basically I could shift form 4th into 3rd and back to 4th w/ no real problem except a noticeable weird feel, but shifting into 2nd 1st and reverse is another story. When I get off the highway I would shift into 3rd and it would hold but when I would try and take it out it would feel like it was totally trashed. So I limped like this on down the highway (once I was on the highway at speed no worries). Then in Illinois it started pouring rain and guess what happened next, my driver side wind shield wiper went right off the wind shield and would not go back without a little help from my hand w/ my arm out the window. Realizing that this was not going to work and it was becoming very dangerous I got off the highway and found some Rain-X I had packed. Applied that and was able to make it to Joplin Missouri in pouring rain where the fun really started!! I got gas and went to start it up and there was nothing. The power worked but engine didn't turn. --OK this happened once before at the final end of a drive I had made from North Carolina to CT when I filled her up, and what I did was push start it-- So I got a guy to give me a hand (absolutely pouring rain FUN FUN FUN). We push jumped it and it started right up. So I limped in 3rd gear to a hotel for the night (can't sleep in her cause she is filled to the rim w/my life which is moving to San Diego). She started up the next morning and this procedure of having to push start when stopping for gas continued all the way to Santa Fe. So here is what I know; my battery is good, I tried starting it up an hour after I parked here and she started up!? so it has to do w/ a hot engine / heat needing to cool down ???? Whatever, it sucks! -and as for the transmission the only thing I can think is that (another fun thing) my emergency brake has not been working for over a month when I drove w/ it on for 30min (ooops), and I have been having to put it in gear to park. I tightened the E-Brake cable but that wasn't it VW said (last week) that in short it was f!@#ed and needs $1000 worth of repair (whatever they also once told a new CAT would cost $995.00 and I got one through Ron for $89.00). So I basically I don't know what to do, I need my baby fixed and I need to get to CalIf... HELP!!! All advice PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!! Chris W 87 Syncro GL


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