Sounds like Transmission time.  probably 4th gear cracked along with broken
slider hub, trashed main bearing and probably some case damage.  Go to
U-haul, rent a truck and flat bed and bring it home or get a Trans from
someone and have it installed there.

Good luck,
Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Chris W <Chrisw7971@AOL.COM>
To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM <Vanagon@VANAGON.COM>
Date: Tuesday, September 15, 1998 12:04 AM
Subject: !!!URGENT!!!-NEED HELP/ADVICE!!

>Dear list,
>I have just driven my 87 Syncro (w/114,000miles on it) from Mass to Santa
Fe,
>NM and have been limping since Penn.  I was getting off an exit and coming
to
>a stop when I tried to take it out of 4th gear but it wouldn't come out, it
>was stuck. I tried moving the gear back and forth but it wouldn't move
>anywhere so I inched across a huge intersection (clutch gas clutch
gas...)and
>parked to check the situation.  I looked underneath couldn't find anything.
A
>mechanic down the road lifted it up and didn't find anything wrong with the
>visible transmission parts underneath.  He pulled on the rod a few times
hard,
>and figured it was internal (possibly one of the "forks came off/broke...).
>So I had two choices I could wait there until Monday when maybe someone
could
>look at it some where (that guy couldn't work on it) or I could just hit
the
>road again in 4th gear the whole way.  I choose to hit the road and as I
got
>started I was able to shift into 3rd then briefly into 2nd and 1st, but 3rd
>was the most reliable if I wanted to shift into 4th gear to get on the
highway
>(confusing??  sorry I am seeing triple and my upper back is a knot  from
all
>the stress of this Bull $%@!!#$ i have gone through in the past 3 days).
So
>basically I could shift form 4th into 3rd and back to 4th w/ no real
problem
>except a noticeable weird feel, but shifting into 2nd 1st and reverse is
>another story.  When I get off the highway I would shift into 3rd and it
would
>hold but when I would try and take it out it would feel like it was totally
>trashed.  So I limped like this on down the highway (once I was on the
highway
>at speed no worries).  Then in Illinois it started pouring rain and guess
what
>happened next, my driver side wind shield wiper went right off the wind
shield
>and would not go back without a little help from my hand w/ my arm out the
>window.  Realizing that this was not going to work and it was becoming very
>dangerous I got off the highway and found some Rain-X I had packed.
Applied
>that and was able to make it to Joplin Missouri in pouring rain where the
fun
>really started!!  I got gas and went to start it up and there was nothing.
>The power worked but engine didn't turn.  --OK this happened once before at
>the final end of a drive I had made from North Carolina to CT when I filled
>her up, and what I did was push start it--
>So I got a guy to give me a hand (absolutely pouring rain FUN FUN FUN).
We
>push jumped it and it started right up.  So I limped in 3rd gear to a hotel
>for the night (can't sleep in her cause she is filled to the rim w/my life
>which is moving to San Diego).  She started up the next morning and this
>procedure of having to push start when stopping for gas continued all the
way
>to Santa Fe.  So here is what I know; my battery is good, I tried starting
it
>up an hour after I parked here and she started up!?  so it has to do w/ a
hot
>engine / heat needing to cool down ????  Whatever, it sucks!  -and as for
the
>transmission the only thing I can think is that (another fun thing) my
>emergency brake has not been working for over a month when I drove w/ it on
>for 30min (ooops), and I have been having to put it in gear to park.  I
>tightened the E-Brake cable but that wasn't it VW said (last week) that in
>short it was f!@#ed and needs $1000 worth of repair (whatever they also
once
>told a new CAT would cost $995.00 and I got one through Ron for $89.00).
So I
>basically I don't know what to do, I need my baby fixed and I need to get
to
>CalIf...
>HELP!!!  All advice PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!
>Chris W
>87 Syncro GL