Reply to: Re: Shifter Rattle (Was: Re: shift lever adjustment)
Mark,
I was having this same rattling =
noise above 65mph which I could ease by =
pushing the gearshift lever to one side =
or the other. My shift pattern has always =
been a little strange and indistinct so =
today I lifted the boot and made a tiny (1/4" =
or less) adjustment on the plate and lo =
and behold....the rattle doesn't appear =
below 70 mph. I haven't had it any faster =
than that yet but its definitely improved =
it and my shift pattern is more distinct.
My =
2¢ worth
Jim =
in Iowa
91 Passat Wagon GL
89 Westy
66 =
Beetle
Mark =
Drillock wrote:
=
>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: <=
FONT =
FACE="Geneva" SIZE=1 COLOR="#0000FF">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<=
/U>