Date: Wed, 25 Nov 1998 10:22:29 -0400
Reply-To: Tim Smith <smitht@UNB.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Tim Smith <smitht@UNB.CA>
Subject: sticky shift/adjustments
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Hi Dan,
Don't know if you do some of your own work, but...
The way the shifter works is that fore-aft action is usually ample, the
stick will travel a long way and can easily compensate for slop, BUT
selecting 1-2 or 3-4 gates with the stick allows a rotation of the linkage
by only a few degrees, and slop there wipes out the movement that happens
later at the trans. There is a plastic U-joint in the shaft, this
cracks/wears, plastic bushes at base of stick and a ball and socket joint
made of nylon and pot metal at the trans. All wear out/gunge up, and should
be cleaned/checked before bothering to adjust anything. This means that
you often can't get into the 1-2 gate at all. Bought my Syncro from the
dealer this way, shifted from granny gear to 3rd for a few days until I
went through the system completely.
Here goes....
Against the side of the trans is a ball+socket combo that works the shift
lever which goes into trans. There is a rubber boot over it, but they
die/crack and the ball and socket (BS) fills up with dirt since the socket
is on the bottom (usual VW bad design) Unbolt the shifter mount from the
trans and the BS can be separated, then cleaned/greased and a new boot put
on. Do this first and check results. At same time slap some black-grey
moly based grease onto the 2 plastic bushes/steel tube where the shifter
linkage passes through the 'frame' underneath, and if really adventurous do
the same under the base of the stick (drop spare tire and remove 4 nuts
holding tin box over stick undersides)
If this hasn't helped much you may need to put in a new B+S parts, new
bushes at the base of the stick and a new u-joint coupling mid-shaft,
but.... before you do that it may be that the linkage is a bit out of
adjustment. Some adj. is possible by loosening the 2 nuts underneath the
rubber boot at the base of the stick, and try pushing the metal base all
the way to the right then retightening first. Next step, PITA!, is to split
open the spline joint (it will be rusted solid) and index the rear section
of the shaft one or two splines counterclockwise (looking forward) This
will improve the reach to get into 1-2 gate AT the expense of reaching 3-4
gate. Rob Peter to pay Paul. You can't compensate this way if wear is
large, which is why I told you do do some TLC maintanance first, then get
some plastic parts and finally mess with the spline joint. I noticed very
little gain BTW when I replaced the 2 plastic bushes attached to the frame,
wasn't worth the effort req'd at all!
HTH, Tim
and if you can easily get to Denis Hayes in LI? do it, and get him to do an
overall inspection of the vehicle so you know what to expect down the line.
Letting things go on a Syncro could get expensive. At least get Denis to
change trans and front diff gear oil when there, and check the CV's.
|