I had a similar problem when I bought my 90 Syncro Westy 6 months ago.
Changing the gear box oil to synthetic (Redline) and adjusting the shifter
linkage took care of it.

Peter
90 Syncro Westy
SF, CA

-----Original Message-----
From: joe winter [mailto:fuyusan@HOTMAIL.COM]
Sent: Monday, November 01, 1999 6:43 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Syncro/Weekender questions

I am looking at an 87 Syncro.  Everything is OK when driving it but on
downshift to 2nd, it is hard to engage the gear (like the shifter hangs up).
  It will drop in a second or two later.  This is at normal speeds (or what
I would consider normal on my 87 GL).  Everything is fine on the way up the
gears.  Is this the beginning of the dreaded 2nd/3rd slider problem?  Along
that line, what does it cost to have one of these boxes rebuilt?

The Syncro is not a weekender, which my other 87 is.  Can the back seat be
switched from one van to the other?

Joe
87 GL Weekender
85 BMW K100RS

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