Sounds like you need a proper linkage adjustment and maybe some new linkage
bushings. The 1 and 2 gear gates are not exactly in line. You need the
linkage to push the tranny shift shaft in just a little further to line up
1st gear. You can try loosening the plate for the rear shaft bushing,
pushing it towards the tranny and re-tightening. This is often enough. If
not, you will need to turn the linkage coupling near the front one spline to
get it too work.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Matthew
Sent: Wednesday, February 14, 2007 7:16 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: '90 Vanagon trans trouble

mistakenly sent to the admin folks. see his plee for
help below. please pmail him on replies, as this as
gone to Gerry, which i doubt he is subscribed...
thanks
-mp
--- Ian Weedman <iweedman@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2007 15:55:12 -0800 (PST)
> From: Ian Weedman <iweedman@yahoo.com>
> Subject: '90 Vanagon trans trouble
> To: vanagon-owner@yahoogroups.com
>
> Hope this reches Vanagon land.  I own a '90 Vanagon
> GL
> manual trans.  I recently began having trouble with
> the transmision.  1st gear is very hard to find and
> get into.  I have to pull the stick rather forcfully
> to the left and push back and forth until it finds
> 1st.  Sometimes it ends up in reverse.  There is no
> grinding to speak of going on.  When shifting from
> 1st
> to 2nd the transition is sticky at best.  All other
> gear transitions are normal.  The van has high miles
> and I am not sure of the transmisions maintenance
> history.  Any thots or advice would be greatly
> apreciated.  Thanks, Ian

"may the four winds blow you safely home"

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