> Yesterday I had never tried to shift it while the engine was off.� Today I tried to shift it with the engine off and I can get all the gears with little difficulty.
>
> So this points to the clutch, right?
>
> Just a few weeks a ago I had it in the shop for a gear oil flush, and they said that the clutch slave was leaking.� They replaced that but they kept it an extra day because they said they couldn't get the clutch adjusted.� Then later, after I had picked it up I noticed a new sort of low-pitched whiney noise only when the clutch pedal was released, i.e. it went away when the clutch pedal was depressed.� You may recall that I asked the List about this.
>

Low-pitched whiny noise could be the release bearing not disengaging
completely from the pressure plate ... according to Ben it's not
designed to spin all the time:

http://www.benplace.com/vw_clutch.htm

Great stuff on that page.

Good luck! Luke