Gearstick problem, please help

[morpheus20170 0]

Hello everyone,

I was going along with my hand on my gearstick, that is where I like to rest unless I need two hands on the steering wheel, well I was in 2nd and my gearstick is a bit loose feeling but it moved into a neutral position without me putting my foot on the clutch.

I can't remember it doing this before my new clutch but it is worrying.

Can someone please tell me if this is ok, if not why it may be able to do this and how to sort it out, other than putting both hands on the steering wheel, lol.

 

Thanks very much everyone,

 

Paul

[nocrap 0]

Thats OK...

[dinkus 10]

Aye, it's easy enough to do... if you drive along at a steady speed when you're not accelerating or braking and you can just pull the lever out of gear.

 

If you know what you're doing, you can do a hot-shift where you exactly match the revs of the engine to the gear you're going to change to and then you can put it back in gear again without needing the clutch.

 

 

 

P.S. It's not a good idea to drive around with your hand resting on the gearstick all the time, not only cos you could accidentally push it out of gear, but also because you'll gradually wear down the bearings in the box due to the pressure of your hand.

[The_Dude 0]

Doesn't it prematurely wear out the synchromesh as you are putting pressure on the gears instead of letting it sit in its natural position?

 

EDIT - dang, beaten to it!

[dinkus 10]

Aye, but you had the more technical answer - I knew it wore something out, wasn't sure what tho! :lol:

[cata 0]

What if you rested your hand on it but didn't move it much from it's neutral position. Would that still make a differnce?

[dinkus 10]

Well I think that's the thing - you don't think you're moving it much, but if you relax your hand you do a bit.

 

I don't really know how bad it is though - I know it's nothing major if you just do it every now and then, but doing it all the time does eventually wear the gear box.

[The_Dude 0]

Yeah, but not much, its a bad habit to be into. Any pressure is bad pressure. I still do it as well, so its not like I'm preaching.

[dinkus 10]

I'm just trying to do my best to ignore all the innuendo :lol:

[The_Dude 0]

Fnar fnar. :norty:

[morpheus20170 0]

Cheers guys, so this is not something wrong?

 

I don't know if I have got you right but do you mean you can take it into neutral without the clutch and back into gear still without the clutch, well I can't do that.

I have to press the clutch pedal to the floor again to get it back into gear from that neutral position but it just doesn't feel right when it is so loose.

Any ideas if there is anything that can be done?

 

Thanks again everyone

[The_Dude 0]

No, its not something wrong, but I wouldn't recommend making a habit of it. Yes you can get it into neutral very easily, but getting it back in gear is much harder without the clutch. As to what can be done to make it less of a porridge stirrer, my knowledge doesn't extend that far. Sorry!

[dinkus 10]

Keep your hand off it? :lol:

[KieranM 0]

It will go back into a gear (or anyother gear) whilst moving without the clutch pedal depressed - you just have to match the engine revs. There's no need to do it really though, and if you get it wrong it soon lets you (and everybody around) know by crunching loudly!!!

[Wendy 0]

Is what is being described is how to drive a car when the clutch has gone?

 

I am sure this is something I was taught at some time.

[KieranM 0]

yeah if your clutch goes then you can still drive it in the same way as above, the only thing is when you come to a stop then need to start again as you have to stall the car then start it in gear to get it moving!!!

[Wendy 0]

I thought so - thank you.

 

Should the need ever arise - the stopping section - and stalling - plus the sheer embarrasement would have reminded me of this bit. :lol:

[dinkus 10]

Back in the days before synchromesh you had to double de-clutch to get a decent gear change without the thing crunching and grinding (go watch Bullit again and listen to the gear changes), so a lot of people couldn't be faffed and just matched the revs and did hot-shifts instead.

 

You can't do 'em very quickly though...

[cata 0]

Very good info here and the topic is staying appropriate too :lol:

I've heard from a few people that the clutch travel can be adjusted, can I do this on the Corrado or do I have to press it to the floor every time?

[morpheus20170 0]

Well I have now been told by The Phirm that they do some kind of thing to make your gearstick a lot more positive and shorter shifting, so like quickshift, sounds like something I would like to try.

Still unsure what to do to get the best from my engine through the gearbox though, G60 box, G60 box with different ratios, Mk3 Golf 2.0 16v box, Passat box, so much on here about it I am now totally confused which way to go