I've lost reverse - now fixed!

[The_Dude 0]

Pulling up to my house, I go to reverse to straighten up and nothing, just rolling forwards. First still seems to work, so its not a clutch problem.

 

How easy is it to remove the gearstick trim and have a look? Is it worth it? My housemate is away for the weekend so I'm stuck on my own, so no waggling the gearstick and looking in the engine bay. :( Oh, and no axle stands either.

 

HELP! :brickwall:

[ProdigalSon 1]

It's DEAD EASY to look at the gearstick mech, just pull gently upwards on the plastic gaiter surround and it will pop off - usually the back first. If you unscrew the gear knob by turning it anticlockwise until it's obviously loose, you can remove the knob, gaiter and surround in one piece. Once that's done, you should see the mechanical bits :D

 

Do a search for 'gear linkage alignment' and you should have some joy. It's probably either that you can't push the gear lever left enough or forward enough to select reverse, or the small circlip on the side of the mech is missing and it is making gear selection a bit random... :roll:

 

Good luck, let us know if you can't get it sorted. :wink:

[The_Dude 0]

It's DEAD EASY to look at the gearstick mech, just pull gently upwards on the plastic gaiter surround and it will pop off - usually the back first. If you unscrew the gear knob by turning it anticlockwise until it's obviously loose, you can remove the knob, gaiter and surround in one piece. Once that's done, you should see the mechanical bits :D

 

Do a search for 'gear linkage alignment' and you should have some joy. It's probably either that you can't push the gear lever left enough or forward enough to select reverse, or the small circlip on the side of the mech is missing and it is making gear selection a bit random... :roll:

 

Good luck, let us know if you can't get it sorted. :wink:

 

Cheers Prodders, have already got as far as getting everything off after a bit of looking and thinking :wink: , but had hit a brick wall after that. Hopefully the search will help, I can never think of the right words to look for.

[The_Dude 0]

After 10 seconds of looking under the bonnet I found this

Guess I should have had a proper look before coming running on here!

Another fekking trip to VW. :(

[The_Dude 0]

And what gears does this mean I've lost? 1&2 as well?

[ProdigalSon 1]

Some pics, to help work it all out: :wink:

 

stromlaufplan_gamma4.pdf_DSC9043.jpg[/attachment:17vhmd9q]

Corrado92.pdf_DSC9044.jpg[/attachment:17vhmd9q]

passat climatronic wiring diags.pdf_DSC9045.jpg[/attachment:17vhmd9q]

climatronic wiring-Golf from May 01.pdf_DSC9046.jpg[/attachment:17vhmd9q]

2.8l 24v Climatronic system.pdf_DSC9047.jpg[/attachment:17vhmd9q]

_DSC9048.jpg[/attachment:17vhmd9q]

[ProdigalSon 1]

And what gears does this mean I've lost? 1&2 as well?

Whoa! :shock: Didn't see those posts while I was making pretty pictures :oops:

 

Er, if that piece has broken, then you won't get any front/back movement from the gearstick into the gearbox, so you have probably lost all gears... :sad:

 

Will have a look now on mine - back in a mo!

[The_Dude 0]

And what gears does this mean I've lost? 1&2 as well?

Whoa! :shock: Didn't see those posts while I was making pretty pictures :oops:

 

Er, if that piece has broken, then you won't get any front/back movement from the gearstick into the gearbox, so you have probably lost all gears... :sad:

 

Will have a look now on mine - back in a mo!

 

Awww, shoot. *crosses fingers*

[ProdigalSon 1]

And what gears does this mean I've lost? 1&2 as well?

Whoa! :shock: Didn't see those posts while I was making pretty pictures :oops:

 

Er, if that piece has broken, then you won't get any front/back movement from the gearstick into the gearbox, so you have probably lost all gears... :sad:

 

Will have a look now on mine - back in a mo!

My bad - that cable does 'side to side' so you will have lost Reverse, 1st, 2nd, and 5th :bad-words:

 

You may be able to drive on 3rd and 4th but you are liable to kill your clutch :sad:

 

Pics to explain coming up...

[The_Dude 0]

Dagnammit.

 

Though I did find this in another thread, so I thought I'd lump it in here too so I have all the info in one place.

With thanks to Cheesewire :notworthy:

OK, here's the deal people.... and I'm going to stick it.

 

Backward and forward travel

 

This is adjusted on the gearbox selector. There are two cables. An upper and a lower. The lower one is fixed and the upper one is adjustable. 13mm spanner.

 

Left and right travel

 

This is adjusted at the gearstick end under the gaiter.

 

The object of the adjustment is to get the left, right, forward and backward planes all equal in travel.

 

A common issue is when the lever has more travel to the left, which makes engaging 5th difficult, or has more travel to the right, making 1st and reverse difficult to engage. Make sense?

 

9 times out of 10, the backward and forward planes are OK, but to check, just make sure you can select all the gears to start with. If you can, it's the left / right planes that need adjusting.

 

So....

 

1) Pop the shift into neutral and slacken the aforementioned 13mm nut on the top cable on the gearbox.

 

2) Lift up the gaiter and look at the sprung mechanism in front of the OBD port. Flick the stick left to right to see it in action. It has a 13mm nut on it and stiff spring, it's pretty easy to spot tbh.

 

3) Hold the stick firmly and slacken the nut.

 

4) Now....this is the critical part.....you need to make sure the gear stick travel is the same in both directions (left and right) and then retighten the nut.

In other words, the 'day light' gap between the moving parts should be equal at the limit of the stick's travel - on both sides. It's difficult to explain and I can't take pics (yet) as my car is at Stealth.

You should see what I mean when you start playing with it.

 

On David's picture above, parts 7, 8, 13 and 17 are the fellas I'm on about.

 

5) When you're happy the left and right planes are equal in travel, retighten the 13mm nut on the gearbox.

 

Job done. Take out and road test.

 

If it's still bad, check the shift lever isn't missing it's hinge circlip.

[ProdigalSon 1]

OK, here's the deal:

 

2.8l 24v Climatronic system.pdf_DSC9049.jpg[/attachment:18zqsh5i]

_DSC9050.jpg[/attachment:18zqsh5i]

Looks as though your metal bracket is broken. This can be replaced without too much hassle, just have to unbolt the old one, grease then fit the new one and reconnect the cable, then align the gear mech according to the 'gear alignment' thread (as per my earlier pics, ironically!)

 

If the cable end is gone you may have to replace that entire cable, which means pulling the old one out, something that is not easy to access :roll:

 

Hope that helps, and that you get gears back soon! :wink:

[ProdigalSon 1]

That is the thread I was on about :wink: Used it myself when 1st and 2nd were becoming hard to select :salute: Could've used some pics though as it is hard to visualise until you are looking at the naked gearstick! :lol:

[The_Dude 0]

My VR looks different to that, but its helped clear up a few things

I have also been taking pics.

Should look like this without the crack.

 

But looks like this!

 

Thankfully it looks like I'll be able to get away with just replacing the crummy plastic bit.

 

Thanks for all your help ProdigalSon :clap: :clap:

Jim.

[ProdigalSon 1]

My VR looks different to that, but its helped clear up a few things

 

Thankfully it looks like I'll be able to get away with just replacing the crummy plastic bit.

They used a plastic bit for the gear linkage? :scratch: :camp: :cuckoo: At least that explains why it broke - was wondering how my metal part could have sheared!

 

Thanks for the additional pics, I see how your VR differs - same principle but a later design I guess... Should've asked which engine you have :roll:

 

Thanks for all your help ProdigalSon :clap: :clap:

Jim.

:salute: No probs. Glad to have helped :D

[The_Dude 0]

They used a plastic bit for the gear linkage? :scratch: :camp: :cuckoo: At least that explains why it broke - was wondering how my metal part could have sheared!

 

Thanks for the additional pics, I see how your VR differs - same principle but a later design I guess... Should've asked which engine you have :roll:

 

What a piece of poo, why did they add in the plastic bit? I wonder if I could just attach it like yours and do without? Hmmm.... :scratch:

[ProdigalSon 1]

They used a plastic bit for the gear linkage? :scratch: :camp: :cuckoo: At least that explains why it broke - was wondering how my metal part could have sheared!

 

Thanks for the additional pics, I see how your VR differs - same principle but a later design I guess... Should've asked which engine you have :roll:

 

What a piece of poo, why did they add in the plastic bit? I wonder if I could just attach it like yours and do without? Hmmm.... :scratch:

I guess so, why not? :shrug: It might be a bit barn-style, but it might just get you to the dealer's on Monday... I'd put some effort into making it good and sturdy if you want to use it like that for longer though.

[Toad 0]

Balls. You should have given me a ring, I've been looking at a spare one of them today that I'm sure the owner could have lent you.

 

You can also get Gruvenparts alloy ones that are shorter than normal and reduce the side to side motion of the stick.

[The_Dude 0]

Balls. You should have given me a ring, I've been looking at a spare one of them today that I'm sure the owner could have lent you.

 

You can also get Gruvenparts alloy ones that are shorter than normal and reduce the side to side motion of the stick.

 

Heh, should have remembered that you have access to every spare part needed. That gruvenparts thing looks the biz, but its 87 bucks! Sounds silly, but I just can't afford that now, so I'll have to do with the VW part, provided it doesn't cost 40 quid!

 

Anyone got a parts number?

[Toad 0]

1J0 711 256 apparently :)

 

I was going to buy one of the gruvenparts units, but can't really justify it at the moment.

 

The earlyer shifters were better with the blt and the available adjustment at the gearbox end :)

[The_Dude 0]

1J0 711 256 apparently :)

 

Duh.... :bonk: :wink:

[The_Dude 0]

Fixed! :clap:

Corradude 1 Corrado 0.

 

Though I have to say it is a gash setup. Surely they should have stuck with going straight onto the bracket otherwise this £10 piece of plastic:

Ends up looking like this 15 years later:

[ProdigalSon 1]

Cool :D What did you use? Superglue? Gaffa tape? Bubblegum? :lol:

 

Glad you're geared up again :salute:

[The_Dude 0]

Cool :D What did you use? Superglue? Gaffa tape? Bubblegum? :lol:

 

Glad you're geared up again :salute:

 

Wattle and daub actually. :D

Took her for a spirited test run for and hour and a half just to check everything was working. And yes it is. :grin:

[ProdigalSon 1]

Wattle and daub actually. :D

Took her for a spirited test run for and hour and a half just to check everything was working. And yes it is. :grin:

:clap: :clap: :clap: :grin:

[jamiejamie 0]

just had exactly the same problem, kinda.

I lost reverse and checked the allignment on the stick and then found the same joint cracked on mine (though not quite as bad)

Worth noting that there is a bit of adjustment you can do on that joint, this has allowed me to get all my gears back until vw get the part in (or until it cracks completely)

After i adjusted it, took it for a test drive, did another adjustment - and broke down with another problem.

Good news for me is that my starter motor is knackered, it's good news because i've had a fault for ages that neither i or 3 auto electricians have been able to fix properly. When the engine gets hot and the engine is turned off (or stalled) i then can't restart the car. Been thinking it was imobiliser problem but the solenoid is getting hot, expanding and seizing in the starter - then takes ages to cool down so i can restart. £70 from euros later, £10 from vw and i have a working car again (phew)