Gear stick problems

[welshside 10]

I've been having some bad luck recently, a few weeks back I had brake failure but sorted that out ready to take a drive up to Brecon with some mates on the bank holiday. Just as I got to a roundabout in Chepstow to meet up with everyone I stopped, went to put it in gear and the gear stick went floppy and wouldn't select any gears.

 

So I put on the hazard lights and had a look at the gear stick mechanism to see if I could tell what had gone wrong. I could see that the connector was sitting in there not attached to anything. I've never had to play around with the gear stick before and couldn't see where it was meant to attach.

 

At this point I was stuck in gear in the outside lane of an A road with more people ignoring the fact I had my hazard lights on thinking that beeping their horn at me may magically fix any problems I had. Sadly It didn't but luckily a mate was just down the road so came and helped me push it to the other side of the road so it was out of the way.

 

I gave breakdown recovery a call and a guy turned up and managed to get the connector back where it belongs and said it was the forward and back selector and it should have something to stop it slipping off which was missing. So put it on the back of the truck to take me home as it would probably just detach itself again.

 

I've had a look and there are broken plastic fragments at the bottom of the case and I can see where the connector attaches to the gear stick but cant work out whats broken. Is there meant to be a cir-clip, split pin or something else on the end to stop it slipping off?

[Rams 0]

Yes there is a clip, it happened to me before, try TPS for the clip. Is the black plastic part broken also? Thats the shroud that goes over the shaft.

[dannyboy 0]

That C-clip is a pain in the AR$£ to get into place and chances are it will come off again. Ive put the tightest split pin i could find and a washer so it wont be coming off again. mine got stuck when i was on a autobahn dropping down a gear to overtake at 80mph.Now that was dangerous as i had no gears in the outside lane.

 

People need to calm down,people using their horn in anger are a bunch of idiots. its there to warn of a danger,like some idiot parked opening a door without looking or someone walking out in front of you

[daves16v 1]

Are you talking about cable connection on the bottom end of the gear stick? There is a ring on the end of the cable that houses a bush that can disintegrate with wear and there is a cotter pin that holds this cable on to the end of the gear stick.

[welshside 10]

Thanks for the feedback. I tried to take some photos but it's hard to get an angle that shows what's wrong. I can't see any plastic parts, but there are small broken bits of plastic sitting below.

All I have is the main gear lever shaft with a pin sticking out of it where the connection goes and nothing else. Can it be fixed with a washer and split pin or do I need anything else. Sorry I can't give any more info but it's hard to see what's going on in there.

[daves16v 1]

Sounds like it's down inside the box, the plastic parts maybe from a previous repair. Without a photo it sounds like the cable end has come away from the pin on the bottom of the gear stick. The pin holding it on may have broken.

 

You need to remove the the gear stick, to do this you need to remove the large centre pin, it's held in with an 8mm bolt but you will need to cut away part of the floor flange to allow it to slide out. I have this detailed on my 'short shifter' install guide. The only other way to remove it is to drop it out from underneath after removing the exhaust.

 

Post up a photo if you can, however bad it is. I can send you a replacement pin if that's what you need.

 

Hope this helps.

[welshside 10]

Looking at the cable end that attaches to the gear stick I'm assuming there is something missing from inside the circular end. Also when the end is attached to the gear stick there is a lot of play before the cable/rod moves.

 

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[daves16v 1]

Yes you have a bush missing which explains why there is excessive movement and why it drops off the end of the gear stick. I've got loads of spare cables with bushes in them if you can't get a new one.

[welshside 10]

Can you get the bush separate or is it built into the cable and what else am I missing, is it just a washer and pin for the end?

Has anyone got the part numbers?

[apd vr 10]

you can buy all the bits from vw.only a couple of bob.

[daves16v 1]

Can you get the bush separate or is it built into the cable and what else am I missing, is it just a washer and pin for the end?

Has anyone got the part numbers?

 

No washer required. VAGCAT doesn't list the bush or the cotter pin separately, might be worth a visit to your local friendly stealer.

[dannyboy 0]

I used a washer and split pin because two cotter pins broke on me.I cant confirm first one was OEM but second one was OEM and it still broke.All the washer does is take the lateral movement of the gearlever and spreads it over a larger surface of a split pin rather than acting on the cotter pin directly (bit like using bolt and washer to spread tension over an area)

 

You dont have to,i just got fed up losing gearing in places you dont want to.

[welshside 10]

I can't really get to my local dealer to get the parts I need, but can probably find them mail order somewhere.

It doesn't look like I can get the bush that fits inside the cable end separately and cables cost quite a bit. It seems a bit overkill replacing the whole cable just because a small cheap bush.

It looks like I have the same problem as this http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?4525122-Can-i-pull-the-gear-selector-rod-out-the-top

 

Has anyone made any replacement bushes or found aftermarket ones that fit?

[daves16v 1]

I can send you a bush and a cotter pin. You will need to remove the gear stick assembly to access the cable end and it is a little fiddly to fit the bush.

 

I had to change one for someone recently and used a nut, bolt and washers to press it in. Can probably supply these too.

[welshside 10]

That would be awesome mate, how much?

I found a thread on another forum where the gear stick can come out from the top on a mk3 golf I think http://forums.thecarlounge.com/showthread.php?2857147-DIY-Revamping-Shifter....-New-Bushings....-Shorter-Throw

Please tell me you can do the same with the corrado (even if it's a lie)

[daves16v 1]

How about £10 posted?

 

I supply short shifters for the Corrado and this is exactly the same removal procedure.

[welshside 10]

I've just sent you a message about parts, thanks.

Hopefully it won't be too hard a job if I can get the gear stick out through the top, will give me a bit of room.

[welshside 10]

I got the parts today, thanks Dave.

I've just been having a look at what needs to be done and I can now see what needs to be cut to get the gear stick out (I think).

 

 

I'm guessing a bit needs to be cut out here to allow the shaft to be removed, is that the only way apart from dropping it out through the bottom?

I'm not a fan of cutting the car, but even less of a fan of removing the exhaust to drop the gear stick out.

[daves16v 1]

Yes that's right, no other way of getting it out, unless someone has found another way.

 

When you press the bush into the cable end ring, apply a bit of washing up liquid as it can be a bit tight and there is a raised section on the bush that sits in the pointed part of the end ring, if that makes any sense?

[welshside 10]

It was a bit awkward getting the bush in level but a few cycles of loosening and then tightening the nut and bolt it was fine.

It's a nicer feel now with less play. I was hoping it would help with the problem I have of getting into second, but I still need to be quite firm to get it in, I don't know if this causes excessive stress on the bush causing it to fail.

[daves16v 1]

Sounds like you might need to make some adjustments at the gearbox end. You can adjust both cables at that end.

[welshside 10]

I've seen a guide for adjusting it somewhere on here, just hope if it doesn't effect the other gears. Second is the only one that's a problem really.

I better change the gearbox oil as well as I'm not sure when that was done last.