Lost 5th Gear

[reubenwilliams 0]

Hi all, I'm in a Mk2 GTi 8v atm but was wondering if anyone had had any similar problems to this:

 

Driving home from leamington in 5th, put my foot down to overtake and it fell out of gear... Now it wont enter 5th at all.

 

I also have a very rattly noise coming from the gearbox when in neutral but it goes away when the clutch is down.

 

Any ideas?

 

cheers

[boost monkey 0]

the gearbox is different matey, you have rod change and we have cable change plus ours is hydraulic.

 

But it sounds like your bushes need replaceing on the rods. I've done this on my mk2 16v and my 8v jetta and it really does sharpen up the gearchange plus doesn't jump out of gear anymore!

 

Bush kits available online or from factors and VW.

 

hth,

 

Jon.

[reubenwilliams 0]

I dont think its that mate we had a look at them - you cant even get it to acknowledge anything even pushing it to the max! I'd had that as my hope too but my luck just isnt that good!

 

Cheers though for the thought.

[mattkh 0]

Hi all, I'm in a Mk2 GTi 8v atm but was wondering if anyone had had any similar problems to this:

Any ideas?cheers

Hi

You are getting low on gearbox oil.

[boost monkey 0]

if you can get it into any gear (if that is what you mean by getting it to acknowledge anything) then your clutch is going / going / gone.

[reubenwilliams 0]

No sorry, all the others are fine, its just no sign of 5th!

[boost monkey 0]

gearstick alignment in the cabin?

[reubenwilliams 0]

we tried selecting gears from under the bonnet to rule out worn bushing - no luck. :shrug:

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

think you best off getting another box mate...

[colinstubbs 0]

I had this in my C, the bolt holding 5th gear on the shaft had sheared. I could sometimes get 5th but it would remind me something was wrong with a horrible grating sound.

The syncomesh cogs stopped it coming right off the shaft and that's what made the noise.

 

Vince at Stealth whipped off the g'box end-cap and managed to remove the old bit of bolt and replace it in-situ,.............which was nice!

 

It could be that simple.....or maybe not.

 

Hope that helps, Colin.

[reubenwilliams 0]

Colinstubbs you are my new friend!! :norty:

 

That is what I wanted someone to say, well not 'wanted' but was expecting.

 

That is what I was thinking / seems to fit with all the symptoms but it hasn't ever come back probably because I dont drive it that much being a 4spd and a skint student combined!

 

We shall have a look soon, thanks for your help

[colinstubbs 0]

Good luck mate, if that is the problem the only difficulty will be removing the bolt stub. If you can't do that then obviously it's a strip and rebuild.

Part of the reason for taking it to Vince was hewas only an hour away and if I was gonna have to have a rebuild I may as well have got him to do it with his excellent reputation in that dept.!!!!

[reubenwilliams 0]

yeah I wish i could budget for that but It's going to be a home job... we'll see how it goes

[jamiejamie 0]

How did it go with yours? just got the same problem on my vr6, different box but sounds like exactly the same fault you had...

[flusted 0]

have you checked the white plastic linkage that is mounted on little balls? weve picked up many golfs claiming gearbox has gone cos 5th has gone and its always these white linkage bits and best bit they are about £4

[jamiejamie 0]

yeh, replaced the linkage when i lost reverse a few weeks ago, been fine since then - till now.

no 5th gear, grinds when you try to engage it and when in neutral makes noise when clutch up, making noises when moving too that sound like coming from the box.

not looking good, having to drive an auto corsa while it's off the road again!

[flusted 0]

That noise would be release bearing?

 

Theres another rod with plastic ends, was it that 1 you replaced or the 1 thats all plastic?

[jamiejamie 0]

I replaced the top one, the all plastic one.

Just been to my mates garage to get him to have a look. He reckons the 5th gears not engaging inside the box and that the noise after trying to select it means it's still free-wheeling as such and not going back where it's supposed to be, so it does look like the inspection plates coming off to see what the problem is.

The gears select as they should so it doesnt look like the easy fix of changing the other linkage that you mentioned unfortunately.

I have too much on this week so i have booked it in for tuesday, fingers crossed...

[MattWilde 10]

Have a go a slightly loosening the 13mm pinch bolt that holds all the linkage to the lever arm. then move it millimeters and re tighten, try for 5th again. keep having a go at that, can get frustrating as it only takes fractions of movement to make big changes to the whole alignment of the linkage. Had this prob with 1st on my mk2 and after burning my arms abit got it all sorted. Make sure it's super tight when you get it in the right place though, you don't want that moving when you are driving along or it's bye bye to all gears!!

[jamiejamie 0]

I'm going to have another look at it, all the linkages seem to be fine as it selects everything as it should and mainly seems like the problems start with trying to engage 5th and getting the grinding noise. Then in neutral with the clutch up theres still a wirring from inside the box but only after trying 5th.

My garage just looked at it and was talking to another mechanic that had just done a golf vr6 box... They reckon that the 5th on these is not right by the inspection plate (i'm going to be having a look when i get a chance anyway to see if there is any signs of problems whatever happens) Also that the problem may not be the 5th gear coming loose but if the shaft bearings have gone and when selecting 5th it's lifting the shaft which stops it lining up properly.

Basic diagnosis was that it would be better and cheaper to get a guaranteed box to replace it!

I would love it to be just the linkage part like you say but then it does seem to be a bit more serious unfortunately, i will probably get new ones anyway now as it looks like it's off the road for a while again as i don't have much time to do anything to it!

[jamiejamie 0]

Another update on mine...

The shaft bearings are gone, it's lifting up the shaft stopping the 5th gear from engaging properly internally of the box itself.

Bugger!

Having a think about what to do next, might be selling her. Looking for a guaranteed box only to replace it thoguh i would love to put a 6 speed in i don't have time/money/enthusiasm for a project like that at the moment.

So it looks like it's off the road again for the time being...

[KipVR 1]

I'm looking for a cheap Mk2.

[jamiejamie 0]

having just looked at the post : Jassonvr6 my satin silver vr6

I think i will really miss mine if i let her go now and i've spent too much on her to let go cheap.

If anyone has a really good condition box or know of anywhere that sells good recons i'd be very very interested.

Still toying with the idea of an r32 box or similar, what else goes in easily? I know someone who was putting an audi box in but i can't remember what one he was using (s3? i know it was a 6 speed) - will have to ring him to find out what happened to a mate of ours that had a head-on in his a few weeks ago (who is ok, car a bit dented i heard)

 

Pity me though, driving a corsa 1400 16v AUTO!?!? for the next month till i get something sorted!!

[jamiejamie 0]

I wasnt convinced that the box was knackered, had a look the other day with a mate and now convinced somethings going on with the selector.

By changing gear on the selector itself all gears appear to go in fine with a bit of play to be expected, using the gear-lever i get all the problems i listed above.

Having a second pair of hands to do this with me as i sat in the car, i did manage to feel the bite of 5th gear.

To me that would say that the box is ok after all.

There is a lot of play in both ends of the selector rod (mainly the lower one, not the one you can adjust) and it all feels sloppy as hell by the stick.

Going to look into getting that mentioned ball end for that rod, i'd had it on good authority from a mechanic that had an identical problem on a golf vr box, would like to prove them wrong!

Does anyone know if the vw stealers do a repair kit for the lot so i can sort out everything - so it's like new but without having to replace the rods preferrably?

[jamiejamie 0]

Just been looking at my mates passat vr6 (for sale if anyones interested) and considering how much play is in my rods i would think that its pretty certain thats where the problem is on mine - fingers crossed i might have this back on the road when i finally get some time off work!