holy moley, you got it right on the money!   Shifting is as described (see
below) !  Here is what I did last night: with my wife in the bus, I wobbled
the shift coupling ball & socket.  The wobbling corresponded to the shifter
moving about 6 to 8" from left to right!  Their was a lot of play in the
connection between the rod and the socket (not the ball and socket).  The
rolled pin that holds the pot-metal socket to the rod had the ends severly
worn down- hence the wobbliness.  Today after work I will go to the dealer (
sigh ) and measure the diference between my socket and a new one.  If there
is considerable diference, i will seek a new socket and pin.  By the way, I
was having a shifting problem about 5 months ago. I figured it was the ball
and not the socket, so i pulled the ball off, went to the dealer and
measured my ball to their ball. Mine was bigger :-)  [ of course ].

Thanks for the nearly a mole of responces on this. A recap on the
significant responces:
joel walker: adjust the shift plate.
jim arnott: replace the ball and socket.
todd hill: 1st/2nd relay lever beginning to stretch and break. Or linkage.
coby smolens: turn the selector shaft one notch counter clock wise

Thanks for the help. I owe you guys and gals a beer if you are in my neck of
the woods (moscow ID starting july 7th) just simply for the amount of $$$,
bad karma and time this list has saved me!

-Matthew
84 weekender (still not shifting...more tomorrow)

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Coby Smolens [SMTP:cobys@WELL.COM]
> Sent: Monday, June 14, 1999 11:39 PM
> To:   vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject:      Re: poor shifting; Help
>
> 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
> >
> >
> >> > -----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
> >