5 spd shifting issues

[MichelleRoze]

So i'm curious...I've heard this is a fun "feature" of the nB but I'm also continuing to have issues in other gears.

When I'm downshifting...say to a red light or stop, I have a hard time finding first gear. I'll have the clutch all the way in, and it feels like there is no place for the shift knob to go into for 1st gear. So I have to put it into second, wait a minute, and try again. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I've had to take off from a dead stop in 2nd gear...not really fun when your afraid of stalling in rush hour traffic. I heard this was a "feature" of these cars. They all do it. True?

Now, it seems to be getting a little worse. When I try to upshift. Sometimes I can't find 3rd gear. It does the same as 1st when down shifting. It just seems like there isn't a notch for it or something. So, I go back into 2nd, then try to find 3rd again and it's usually not a problem.

And starting this last week. When downshifting into 2nd gear...ocassionally it'll grind.

Now mind you, this is a 5 spd swap transmission, with a stage 2 clutch and 14lbs flywheel. New throw out bearing, the rest of the parts were used. I press the clutch pedal as far to the floor as humanly possible. I would have to cut a hole in the floor to press the clutch pedal any further. So I don't *think* it's anything I'm doing. I have a feeling that this might be a hydraulic/pressure issue.

I've read a few things saying, check your brake fluid, check your tranny fluid, check the slave cylinder...etc etc. Any ideas? Would these be good places to check?

[Smileybug]

What year car did the swap come out of? Was the linkage adjusted properly? My first step would be the linkage, and make sure its all adjusted. If the swap came out of a '98 or '99 I'd also look into the shift carrier (I think thats what its called...I know D2Beetle has some more info on it). In the early cars it was platic. Mine broke back in March and I think it had been failing for some time. I had issues shifting into the upper gears mostly (as in 1st, 3rd, and 5th). Once it was replaced, its shifted great ever since, and my mechanic said he didn't really adjust it much either.

The inability to go into 1st, depends on your rpm/speed I believe. It won't let you just throw the car into 1st at 50mph. I think you have to be under 15mph or so to get it into 1st gear if you're moving.

[miffmole]

I don't even downshift if I'm coming to a stop anyway. I just go straight to neutral and roll to a stop. My car rolls well. From 55 mph it'll roll almost a mile.
How many miles has it been since you changed your manual transmission oil/fluid?

[Smileybug]

Depends on the situation...if I'm coming up on a light that is red but I know is going to change to green soon, I'll throw it into 2nd. Otherwise, I do tend to put it in neutral.

[MichelleRoze]

I put it into neutral when rolling to the stop. but if I have to COMPLETELY stop, I have to put it into first and sometimes it won't go, even after I have stopped. Then the light turns green and I get frantic and cars start honking...

I think the tranny and shift linkage both came from a 2000+ model. Jim checked the fluid prior to installing the tranny and said it looked clean and never mentioned anything about it being low.

Also, the shift tower (golf club looking thing on the tranny/counter weight I guess) - Jim told me that it had some "play" in it. But a few other people looked at it and said it was fine, that it was normal. So....I don't know. Are you supposed to be able to wiggle the shift tower??

I'm gonna check the brake fluid today before I leave work. I remember the other day when cleaning out the car, there was some kind of fluid on the top of my monster mat, closest to the pedals. So maybe something is leaking at the pedal?

[Smileybug]

I doubt its the pedal. I'd make sure the linkage is adjusted properly. Bill's old Passat had a heck of a time getting into 1st...it got so bad that you had to put it into 2nd to get it to go into 1st at all. Shift linkage was the culprit.

I can move my shifter around a slight bit when its in neutral. It got much tighter though once the plastic carrier was replaced. How much can you wiggle it? Is it only in neutral or in other gears?

[GOBUGWILD]

Originally Posted by MichelleRoze

So i'm curious...I've heard this is a fun "feature" of the nB but I'm also continuing to have issues in other gears.

When I'm downshifting...say to a red light or stop, I have a hard time finding first gear. I'll have the clutch all the way in, and it feels like there is no place for the shift knob to go into for 1st gear. So I have to put it into second, wait a minute, and try again. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I've had to take off from a dead stop in 2nd gear...not really fun when your afraid of stalling in rush hour traffic. I heard this was a "feature" of these cars. They all do it. True?

Now, it seems to be getting a little worse. When I try to upshift. Sometimes I can't find 3rd gear. It does the same as 1st when down shifting. It just seems like there isn't a notch for it or something. So, I go back into 2nd, then try to find 3rd again and it's usually not a problem.

And starting this last week. When downshifting into 2nd gear...ocassionally it'll grind.

Now mind you, this is a 5 spd swap transmission, with a stage 2 clutch and 14lbs flywheel. New throw out bearing, the rest of the parts were used. I press the clutch pedal as far to the floor as humanly possible. I would have to cut a hole in the floor to press the clutch pedal any further. So I don't *think* it's anything I'm doing. I have a feeling that this might be a hydraulic/pressure issue.

I've read a few things saying, check your brake fluid, check your tranny fluid, check the slave cylinder...etc etc. Any ideas? Would these be good places to check?

I would just coast in neutral to the lights.... it is alot easier on everything.... i wouldn't down shift it puts stress on the engine and gears

[Smileybug]

Been downshifting into 1st/2nd at lights for years (when I'm coming up on an impending change to green anyway)...I have 94k on my car with no signs of trouble whatsoever. Coasting to neutral is fine. But it is a preferential thing with a lot of people, just like some people skip gears upshifting and others cycle through.

[MichelleRoze]

I can wiggle the shift knob quite a bit in all gears. Not as much as I can in neutral of course, but still seems quite a bit. I don't use the transmission to slow me down. I coast to the light in neutral...and then actually let up on the clutch in gear if the light changes, otherwise I come to a complete stop in neutral and then try to jam it into first while waiting for the light to turn green. lol

[O 16581 72452 5]

Originally Posted by MichelleRoze

I can wiggle the shift knob quite a bit in all gears. Not as much as I can in neutral of course, but still seems quite a bit. I don't use the transmission to slow me down. I coast to the light in neutral...and then actually let up on the clutch in gear if the light changes, otherwise I come to a complete stop in neutral and then try to jam it into first while waiting for the light to turn green. lol

Like everyone keeps saying, look at the shift linkages, they're directly on top of the transmission. You should be having problems with 1st, 3rd, and 5th if the adjustment is off or something is damaged.

[Smileybug]

Sounds like you definitely have some adjustment issues of some sort. I would check your shift carrier too. Shift Carrier Lever DIY
That I think its for the earlier shifter set-ups, but I'm not familiar with the newer ones to know if it would apply to you as well. My shifter was much more wiggly before the carrier was replaced.

You shouldn't be able to wiggle the shifter in gear. It should be pretty solid.

[MichelleRoze]

Cool. I'll take a look at that this weekend when I get some free time to tear it apart without having to be somewhere shortly there after. I appreciate the help and will report back with what I find.

[DZLBUG]

Is it any easier to shift into 1st after holding the clutch in for awhile? If so the clutch is releasing too slowly, could be a master/slave cylinder issue.

[MichelleRoze]

No I don't think so. It usually requires me to put it into second and then try first again. It usually acts up if I've been in a higher gear for awhile. Like exiting off the highway, I've been in 5th for x amount of time and then getting into first isn't easy.