Weird/new shifting issue

had that same problem, its an adjustment to the shift plate at bottom of shift lever..Dr. Clock had the answer,it worked in my case, something about putting in a certain gear moving full left or right, tighten, fixed..

Thanks a Million!!

I will see if I can find it though a search.

PM Dr. Clock

Did you check the knuckle between and to the rear of your seat for any wear?

Scott S posted:

Hi All - 

Went for a great drive over the weekend. Along the way I had a tad of difficulty going from 1st to 2nd after a stop sign. I could not easily get the car to into 2nd gear. Initially I credited it to a stupid user error - but it wasnt...

When I got home, I found that if moved the shift lever a touch to the right when going for second, it would go in.

But the question lingers on what would have caused this change. Fluid looks fine, car only has 2200 miles. Shift lever is tight to the floor/never been messed with.

Any ideas? 

Thanks - 

Scott S

 

Drive and get the car into second gear and stop in a safe place ( your house or any parking lot etc. ) . Turn off the motor with the tranny still in second gear and loosen the two shift lever hold down bolts...wiggle the shift lever a tad in all directions while keeping all in the second gear position just to let things settle a bit. Tighten the two bolts back down and go for a drive. This is a cost free easy try for a quick fix. Sometimes things need to be tweaked a bit after a break in period. 

David - 

Thanks very very much. Your approach took 5 minutes and worked great. Even reverse is now easier to feel in the gate.

Really appreciate the help!

Arden posted:

Did you check the knuckle between and to the rear of your seat for any wear?

What a coincidence:  Someone recently suggested checking "the knucklehead between my  Nardi and the rear seat for wear."

Hi I am new here got my speedster last week

The gear shift is driving me mad very sloppy very difficult to get into second, I tried the above method did not work

when I loosen the two screws completely the shifting rod down under just dropped down. The underneath shifting plate is not attached to the tunnel is that normal, 

I then managed to use the two screws to reattached the whole thing. I manage to sometimes get back into gear , the neutral zone is like a square.

I was thinking if I have to renew the bush in the rod how can I pull the rod out in front

there is no space in front of the opening, the battery box is in the way.

Do I have to cut a hole in the very front and spoil the car scarey. Or will the shorter rod be a saviour?

Help anyone Tks

Did you check your shift coupler it also might need replaced

Tks I have not but be in very near future, I am prepared to get to the shop and buy the new coupler and bush to standby

Mean while I am still trail n error with different positions of the of the gate, seems the more possible option ( I mean with this positon I have higher chance to get into some gears is with the shifter in middle position neutral and tighten

But going from third to 2nd is nightmare

Changing the shift rod bushing is a right of passage for old VW/Speedster owners. It's a PITA but you can do it without ruining the car. 

Tks Arden, I got the couple this morin, on investigation the old one was disintegrated

Took me a few hrs to dissemble and put the new one on, the rod bushing was not atempted but seem in ok condition.

The result now is very positive gear changes even the reverse.

The next thing is the engine seem like a 1600cc but very sluggish, I shall put in an electronic dist, new plugs may be a new single carb to see if that helps.

Tks again

No problem I’m glad it fixed it ! If it was like mine it would of been nice to have smaller hands not much room to work on . I hadn’t driven mine in a couple months an had put a new motor in and was driving it home from my shop I was in 3rd gear went for 4th or so I thought ended up being 2nd rpm’s went really really high I about **** my pants it being the madden voyage on the new motor! I nursed it the last mile home pulled off that plate and mine too was disintegrated I put a new one on and it shifted like it was supposed to and luckily no damage to the new engine.

Your speedster is very beautiful!!!

Mine is also a wide body the previous owner put in 225 front 255 rear

to my surprises steering is not heavy, but the big custom made exhaust is loud, too loud.