We do this repair at least three times a month if it's the thing I'm
thinking it is - Can you get it into first by pushing down on the shifter
and moving it to the left, as though you're going to put it into reverse,
and then pushing it forward after moving it just a little bit left? If so
the adjustment that corrects this problem is to loosen the nut & bolt on the
locking clamp on the rear section of the selector shaft and turn the rear
section of the shaft counterclockwise just a bit. (In doing so you are
pushing the selector lever on the tranny fully into the first gear access
position.) Tighten the nut/bolt. If you come to our shop we don't even
charge for this most of the time - we rank it right up there with resetting
the odometer box to put out the Oxy light for instant entertainment value.
It's a cheap bit of showmanship we just can't resist...

Coby

Valley Wagonworks
"Intimately acquainted with VW Vans since 1959"

Volkswagen Bus, Vanagon, Westfalia and Eurovan
Repair and Service Specialists

1535 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., San Anselmo, CA 94933
Voice:(415) 457-5628
Fax: (415) 457-0967
http://wagonworks.com
mailto:contact@wagonworks.com

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
> Of Brad Anderson
> Sent: Monday, June 14, 1999 9:03 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: poor shifting; Help
>
>
> The poor shifting sounds to me like the shift plate (where the lever goes
> through the floor) may not be aligned correctly.
> You reminded me of a problem I had that resulted in a broken
> shift lever and
> a learning: the shift lever for a 2WD is not interchangeable with the
> Syncro.
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Pollard, Matthew [SMTP:Matthew.Pollard@OREADCA.COM]
> > Sent: Monday, June 14, 1999 8:21 AM
> > To:   vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Subject:      poor shifting; Help
> >
> > My bus is getting harder and harder to shift.  This morning I
> was not able
> > to find first, but had to settle for second :-(  When I got
> into the first
> > position, it was third!  ugh.  I know that my bus is not drivable as it
> > is.
> > I think the problem is with the linkage, specifically the rear
> end of the
> > linkage where the final ball and socket assemble is.  Has
> anybody replaced
> > the pin that holds the socket to the end of the rod, and will this help
> > fix
> > the problem?  Will the pin-hole be out-of-around? Can I drill the hole
> > bigger and put a 1/4" bolt through it?  Or will just replacing
> the pin do
> > the trick?
> >
> > Recent work that may be relevant: replaced all of the parts where the
> > shift
> > lever goes through the floor.
> >
> > Thanks for the help.
> > Matthew
> > 84 weekender
>