Jamie -- Your thoughts on the shift linkage are right on in  my experience.
Not that they're certainly the cause, but for the labor, you may be able to
avoid the expensive parts solutions; that is, the linkages are a good place
to start. Check not just the connections and good lubrication, but check the
bushings where the shift rod passes through the frame member. If you have a
good manual, check every linkage illustration against the actual hardware
setup on your van.

Here's the basic thought to keep in mind: Your shift lever travels through
maybe 6 to 8 inches, the actual working end beneath the floor moves much
less; this smaller motion is transferred to a four-foot-long steel rod,
which then actuates (I believe) an even smaller range of travel at the
transmission. It doesn't take much going out of whack before the shift lever
simply isn't putting the shift fork at the transmission in the right places.

Unless you can convince yourself that the problem lies within the
transmission, I think it's worth the work even to tear down the linkage,
clean it up, re-install and adjust it; you would do much of that with a
new/rebuilt tranny project anyway.

Hope this helps,

Ed Carroll
87 Weekender

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jamie Ayotte" <jayotte@DESTEFANOARCHITECTS.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2002 3:49 PM
Subject: tough shifting... pilot bearing?

> hi.  this is three days in a row that i have posted questions to you
all...
> and here's another:  after researching the archives i've come up with a
> conclusion that scares me.  i've always worked on my own cars and
vehicles,
> but never anything that seems so involved as dropping a transmission...
> now, the problem is that i have tght, loud shifting in all gears.  by loud
i
> mean that it sounds like the shifter is just rubbing metal on metal- in
> other words, it doesn't seem to be internal- now, does anyone think that
the
> problem could be as simple as getting under the van and greasing the sh*t
> out of everything connected to the shifter... OR am i gonna have to cry
> myself to sleep tonight trying to muster up the cohones to drop the
> transmission?  also, when i do drop it, what else should i change?  as i
> don't think i will want to do that again for a while?
>
> thanks,
>
> jamie
>
> 86 westy
> 78 vespa
> 98 golden retreiver- syd (who is my second set of hands on this one)
>