Won't shift into second gear

Perhaps bad syncro. Will it go into second with the engine off? Do you have lots of play before the clutch engages?

I had a very similar issue with 2nd.  It was tougher than the others to engage, especially dowwnshifting, but I never got locked out completely.  I have messed with the shifter several times including removal of carpet glue under the shifter mounting plate.  It is good now.  Not perfect but never a problem like it used to be.  I tried a stock VW shifter and it was no better so I went back to my EMPI short throw.

As Stan mentioned, definitely try the easy stuff first.

No, it won't go into second with the engine off. 

My sense is that there is no unusual amount of play, but of course I have not driven a VW for more than 40 years.  The clutch (along with all the controls) has always worked smoothly.   

You betcha....that is where I will start..

Motor/tranny mounts? Clutch cable fraying?

...also, you may have a dampener between your shifter and transaxle. It may be loose. Mine loosened up and caused very difficult shifting. 

Shifter and shift coupling are the first places to start. After that, it gets more expensive.

Yup...no problem...just 2nd...

Forget 4'th....we know that works.

How easily does it go into Reverse?

No problem

Yeah but at 5000 miles and a reconditioned chassis - I'd be looking at the shifter and it's alignment.  Like others said carpet or carpet glue in way maybe. Take it apart and apply some grease, check the 98 cent bushing, and realign shift plate.  Start saving for a CSP or Vintage Speed shifter ($300).

How bad can a stock shifter be?  I ran one, with a short-shift kit (as a poor university student that is all I could afford) for 70,000 miles, and it never gave me any problems.

I loved my (what? $15 maybe?) short shift kit on my '69 Bug also. Seems to me it was an EMPI before China was discovered.

OK, if it shifts into everything else (especially reverse) fine, then I would look at two things, and a possible third:

1.  The alignment of the base of the shifter may be off just a tad.  All it takes is 1/16" a bit left or right and it'll sometimes mess up.  Start by pushing it rightward.

2.  Check the front transmission mount for cracks or looseness.  If it's going bad it may move enough to mess up your shift pattern.

The possibile 3. Would be a bad synchro ring, but if that were the case it should go into gear when the engine is not turning (although you might have to rock the car a bit to find the gear).

Since it won't go into second no matter what, I, too, would suspect the gearshift base being a little off, and that might move the pattern just enough to not let you find the slot for second.  The base can be moved front/back and side to side, but also can be out diagonally just a tad.  Go slow adjusting it, test driving it in between minute adjustments.

Questioning a $300 new shifter?  Has Obama Care now cured the MADNESS? At least feel morally obligated to help the struggling TAIWAN (Vintage Speed) and GERMAN (CSP) economies.

My guess is that when you push the shift lever all the way over to the left to grab Second, the lever can go (currently) just so far and then hits up against the left side of the lockout plate.  This prevents the lever from properly positioning the shift rod and the hockey stick inside of the transmision to fit into the second gear slot.  

First and second are shifted by the same rod within the transmission, so it is usually easier to get it into one of those gears and then move it into the other.  

But not in your case.

 It needs to go just a hair more to find second, but just for second, which tells me that the base of the shift lever (or maybe just the lockout plate) is not positioned exactly straight front to back and that slight angle means that the shift rod is rotating more for one gear (1'st or 2'nd) than the other.

Try loosening the front bolt just a little, so it's still snug, and the back one slightly more loose than the front but still snug, then, using a flat punch or block of hardwood, tap the rear of the shift lever base so it moves to the Left about 1/16".  Re-tighten both bolts being careful that the base stays put and try a road test.  

This is often an iterative process - change something, road test, change something, road test, kind-of-like tuning in a radio.  Go slow, be patient and I think you'll dial it in.

I mention moving the base to the left, but it may be happier with a move to the right.  Play with it and I'm sure you'll get it.

For some reason this reminded me of the time warp with Gordon in the roll as the professor

http://youtu.be/sg-vgGuTD8A 

Oooooookay.

So would you be Riff Raff, or would that be me?

And now back to our regularly schedule (and informative) thread.  Sorry for the brief hijack.

I guess that all depends on your frame of reference, and level of expectations. I've always found the stock shifters to be slightly worse than a popsicle stick in a bowl of gravel... but that's just me.

The VintageSpeed shifter is worth $300.

Stan, you were like 5 during the good old days 

Love it Stan, nice analogy!

.....and I have one.  Those starving college days are long gone.

Yet another hijack...

Yeah Tom, you're right.  Ok, you can be Riff Raff if I can be Rocky.  I sure as hell don't wanna be Frankenfurter.

And now back to our thread - I really like my CSP.  After almost 7 years with it I still enjoy the tight shift feel.

OK, I'll play nice.  

Lane pointed me in the direction of the CSP and I love it too.  Two things make it great:

1) Instead of reverse lockout spring being on the bottom, the spring is in the handle and reverse is engaged by pulling up the the t-handle under the ball.  This removes all off the slop.

2) The throw is reduced by 40%

This gives you solid, quick, precise shifts.

I've tried to keep my car looking like it rolled out of the showroom in 1958.  Most of my changes have been functional; bigger engine, A1 Header, 4-wheel disc brakes, etc., etc. etc., but all where you can't see it.

The CSP does not look authentic, but it's worth it to me for the performance.

I understand that you get both the look and performance from a Vintage Speed shifter, but I'm more than content with my CSP.

I'll cast another vote for the CSP shifter also for many of the points that Tom mentions, nice crisp shifting and the rock solid feel. It would be nice not to have the pesky T, but hey, it works well. One of these days I need to grease it for good measure.

X2 on CSP shifter.

BINGO..... thanks Gordon...it had to move to the left.... shifts better than ever...

thanks again...that is a couple I owe you....bart

Bart:  you're welcome.

Even after all these years I am still amazed at how little the shifter base has to move to get a BIG change in characteristics.

Now crank down those base bolts so it doesn't move again!

GN

The Speedstah Guy from Massachusetts

I had the same problem with my JPS--loosened the bolts under the shifter boot  and moved the assembly  over slightly-problem fixed.

I have a CSP shifter.

The reverse lockout isn't working.

I sometimes hit reverse when going from 1st to 2nd.

It is also difficult to find 1st.

I have spent a lot of time moving things around and haven't solved the situation yet.

Any suggestions?

I have been wondering if I need to make a change back where the shaft connects to the trans. I have an adjuster there and though it might help to rotate the shaft one way or the other.

Thanks.

Giday, Mike. My shifter probably needs a tweak too. When pulling up to a red light, I nearly always shift into second before getting into first for the take off. Sometimes it'll go straight into first, but if not, down to second and back up to first normally cures the symptom.

From time to time, I'll have trouble going up into third too and the cure there is to go straight into fourth and back up to third. I can double clutch the bugger and get it into third too. This only happens about 1 time in 20 and normally I can just walk away in fourth due to the Soob's excellent torque.

I've put 44,663 miles on this stock VW tranny since buying the car in Sept. 2010.

Who knows what mileage was on it before that.

I think someone once posted that setting the transmission in second gear to bolt down the plates worked for them. I think I used that technique years ago. Did you try that ?

I can get it in second if I do it slowly and kind of pause in neutral.

If I try to shift quickly I will usually grind the reverse gear.