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Car Forum / Volkswagen / Water Cooled Volkswagen Cars / May 2004

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Real Hard to Shift my '87 Vanagon. What Can I* do?

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highcastle - 29 Apr 2004 18:12 GMT
Wonder if there is some way to lubricate the shifting so it will
go into each gear smoother. Sometimes it's almost impossible
to get into reverse, and to first. Is this a lub problem, or more
complicated. Thanks guys.
Biz - 29 Apr 2004 22:13 GMT
> Wonder if there is some way to lubricate the shifting so it will
> go into each gear smoother. Sometimes it's almost impossible
> to get into reverse, and to first. Is this a lub problem, or more
> complicated. Thanks guys.

More complicated.  It probably needs an alignment, shifter rod, and
bushings, etc..
Tristen S - 30 Apr 2004 03:18 GMT
> > Wonder if there is some way to lubricate the shifting so it will
> > go into each gear smoother. Sometimes it's almost impossible
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> More complicated.  It probably needs an alignment, shifter rod, and
> bushings, etc..

Most importantly does it ever pop out of gear? My last Van was an 87
and started with popping out of gear in 3rd to 4th shift and also had
a hard time with 1st gear engaugement  from a stop light. Almost
always I had to double clutch to get going in proper gear. After much
research I discovered a common problem with the 3rd gear inside the
transmission.

http://volksweb.relitech.com/091trans.htm

I wound up on my maiden voyage in another province (Canada) at a
transmission shop for 3days while they rebuilt the transmission and
replaced the syncro's inside aswell. I had originally suspected
bushings too and though not finding too much play once I examined
them, I regreased the one located above the spare tire (you have to
drop it for access)  and it did help for temporary smoother shifting
but was inevitable a rebuild was required.
I wouldn't assume my concern was the same as yours but something to
investigate all the same.

Tristen Snell

86 Golf (pepi)
88 Westfalia (Bogart)
highcastle - 30 Apr 2004 06:39 GMT
| > > Wonder if there is some way to lubricate the shifting so it will
| > > go into each gear smoother. Sometimes it's almost impossible
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
| 86 Golf (pepi)
| 88 Westfalia (Bogart)

hey, thanks for the location to grease... but no, it does not pop out of 3rd.
it's a solid shift all the way around. i'll drop the tire tomorrow.
VWGirl - 30 Apr 2004 03:26 GMT
I have this same problem in mine... mine is an 87 syncro...

> Wonder if there is some way to lubricate the shifting so it will
> go into each gear smoother. Sometimes it's almost impossible
> to get into reverse, and to first. Is this a lub problem, or more
> complicated. Thanks guys.
Weeders - 04 May 2004 23:37 GMT
> Wonder if there is some way to lubricate the shifting so it will
> go into each gear smoother. Sometimes it's almost impossible
> to get into reverse, and to first. Is this a lub problem, or more
> complicated. Thanks guys.

Had the same problem on my 84 Vanagon, so I crawled underneath and cleaned
all the joints and bushings  along the shift rod that runs the length of the
van along the center best as I could. Then I sprayed some lube (basically
liquid grease) that is supposed to not attract dust to those moving parts. I
also removed the rubber boot at the bottom of the shifter and lubed all
those joints, too. It helped quite a bit. Every year or so I give the joints
underneath a good lubing.

Hope that helps
highcastle - 06 May 2004 02:27 GMT
Yes, that's the ticket. But what kind of lube under the rubber boot?
Something that won't decay the rubber, like regular tubed grease, or ??
Thanks.

| > Wonder if there is some way to lubricate the shifting so it will
| > go into each gear smoother. Sometimes it's almost impossible
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
|
| Hope that helps
 
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