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Date:         Sat, 17 Jul 1999 11:40:48 -0700
Reply-To:     Mark Drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mark Drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Re: Shifter Rattle (Was:  Re: shift lever adjustment)
Comments: To: Wes Neuenschwander <wesn@eskimo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Wes, if you look on page 34.6 of the latest Bently, drawing #34-1297, you can see a part labeled 'shift rod, front'. The front end of this has 2 square tabs or ears that stick up above where a long bolt goes through. This square ears are supposed to be covered with thick clear vinyl. This is the plastic that wears away and falls off, allowing metal to metal contact. The replaceable guide part is not really visible in this drawing but it is labeled 'shift stop' and is found inside the 'shift mechanism-housing', held on to it by 2 bolts that are visible. I bought a new front shift rod and shift stop for around $75 from the VW dealer last year.

Wes Neuenschwander wrote: > > Mark, > > It sounds like you may have absolutely drilled it. I must confess that I > have very little *first hand* knowledge of the shift box stuff, having > left the problem pretty much to the VW shop mechanic (the local VW dealer > was very good about treating this as a warranty problem) and also due to > the fact that I don't have any ramps or other convenient way to get at the > front linkage area. > > I think I'll run the van down to my favorite local indie shop next week > and see if I can get them to install new guides. > > BTW, Mark, is there any place where these components are illustrated? > I've gone through Bentley (very little detail) and the few times I've > actually mucked about in the shifter linkage there was so much dirty old > grease I couldn't really see what was there. I even have a set of old VW > microfiche parts lists that I could check out (if I had a clue where to > begin looking, I guess). > > BTW #2 - perhaps you could post this reply to the list as well? I really > think this information is important to anyone who has the rattling shifter > problem (or as Coby Smolens put it in another private email reply to me on > this subject, the "Klapperschlange-in-the-shifter" problem). > > Thanks, again, Mark. Great info. > > -Wes > > > Date: Fri, 16 Jul 1999 20:54:18 -0700 From: Mark > > Drillock <drillock@earthlink.net> Reply-to: drillock@earthlink.net > > To: Wes Neuenschwander <wesn@ESKIMO.COM> Subject: Re: > > Shifter Rattle (Was: Re: shift lever adjustment) > > > I think that the cause of the sound may be the plastic covered guides at > > the front of the shift rod. The plastic wears off gradually until it > > falls off entirely. Then there is metal to metal contact when the lever > > is to one side or the other. The metal plates that these contact are > > replaceable also (at least one is). Drop the box down and look for > > yourself. The "ears" are supposed to be completely covered by a clear > > plastic coating. Grease in this area might quiet the noise for a while. > > The worn parts and missing plastic ears gives the shift lever more room > > to rattle in. > > > > Mark > > > > Wes Neuenschwander wrote: > > > > > > Excessive play in the shift linkage and bushings was carefully considered > > > ruled out in both the '82 and '91 (actually replaced the front bushing in > > > the '91, but no improvement). Front and rear linkages have been relubed > > > (sometimes a temporary improvement), as have the bushings. And at least > > > in my case(s) the noise does go away when I push the stick away from the > > > sides of the gate box. Ditto if I push the shifter towards the gate. > > > > > > I think it's also interesting that (at least in my case) the problem goes > > > away if I either accelerate or decelerate, which -among other things - > > > does torque the shifter linkage slightly, emulating, perhaps, the effect > > > of manually pushing the shifter knuckle away/towards the gate. > > > > > > However having followed this issue here for a few years now, I think its > > > likely we may be dealing with multiple causes (alas, vanagon life is never > > > simple). Others have previously suggested worn engine mounts, excessive > > > engine vibration, transmission problems, in addition to the worn shifter > > > u-joints, bushings that Randy has pointed out as possible causes. > > > > > > I think in all cases though its important to focus on where the noise > > > itself originates. A fair amount of mechanical vibration can be > > > tolerated without causing audible noise. It's where the mechanical > > > energy is converted into sound energy that the noise occurs. At least in > > > my particular case this noise is clearly coming from the shifter > > > assembly. I suspect that even with minimal mechanical vibration, a > > > substantial amount of noise can be created by the effect of the shifter > > > knuckle vibrating against the gate, which then transmits the sound energy > > > through the enclosure (below the floor) and floor pan, in addition to > > > direct transmission through the shifter itself. > > > > > > -Wes > > Wes Neuenschwander > Seattle, WA > wesn@eskimo.com


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