How do you remove shifter to replace spring and parts?

mtnbob · Post by **mtnbob** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 11:22 pm

86 golf 5-spd 1.6 n/a I bought a shifter rebuild kit with spring and replacement parts. Is there any easy way to replace parts or do I have to unhook shifter from the bottom of the car to get the shifter apart? I have already replaced most of the linkage parts and bushings.

Thanks

Robert

VWCaddy · Post by **VWCaddy** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 12:05 am

I have some tips for that on my web page:
http://www.4crawler.com/Diesel/ForSale/ ... geTips.txt

Vincent Waldon · Post by **Vincent Waldon** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 12:09 am

mtnbob wrote:86 golf 5-spd 1.6 n/a I bought a shifter rebuild kit with spring and replacement parts. Is there any easy way to replace parts or do I have to unhook shifter from the bottom of the car to get the shifter apart? I have already replaced most of the linkage parts and bushings.

Thanks

Robert

If you're talking about replacing parts of the linkage that are inside the car (shift knob spring etc) the exhaust has to come out and then the shift rod is lowered from under the car.

Yep.

The exhaust has to come out. 15 bucks worth of parts... hours of misery.

Post by **Fatmobile** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 12:38 am

Yep, on the A2 you need to drop the exhaust,.. and the heat shield.

You might want to get some new heat shield retainers before you start.
They are almost always junk when I get to em.
Little discs that go over the studs.
Real noisy when the shield falls down on the exhaust.

mtnbob · Post by **mtnbob** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 7:46 am

ok so I need heat shield retainers and a couple of exhaust clips before I start? Do I need a special tool for the exhaust clips or can I remove them myself?

surfcam · Post by **surfcam** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 1:52 pm

If you check in special tools you will see how some people have removed the c-clamps. They reverse a 2" exhaust clamp and open it up.

mtnbob · Post by **mtnbob** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:12 pm

ok go easy on me, but special tools????
don't see it

surfcam · Post by **surfcam** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 12:36 am

I guess I don't think about it any more because I know where it is. Its called List Your Homemade VW Specialty Tools Hear!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://vwdieselparts.com/forum/viewtopi ... l&start=45

Post by **Fatmobile** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 2:23 am

The exhaust c-clips come off easily,.. at least for me, by twisting them out with a screwdriver.
I usually stick a phillips screwdriver in the small hole and twist.

mtnbob · Post by **mtnbob** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 6:10 am

Thanks for the suggestions

One W/the truckers · Post by **One W/the truckers** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 1:52 am

mtnbob, did you drop your shifter out and if so, any pointers. I have the same car and the same questions

therogue · Post by **therogue** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:13 am

I just finished this job. 86 Jetta. It is pretty bad. Have to disconnect exhaust from the manifold. I didn't do anything else with the exhaust - so it was pretty tight. Removed exhaust heat shield. Have to undo bolts (4) underneath vehicle to lower the shifter box assembly. Getting it out at this point is pretty easy.

Now the hard part. I would recommend that if you do not need to uncompress the spring on the shifter then DON'T. In hind sight, all I needed to do was replace the very bottom cup (to prevent accidently reverse gear selection). You have to push the cup up into the vehicle to remove it. If I had JUST done this I would have saved hours of work.

Getting the pin in on the end of the shaft while fighting against spring compression is pretty bad. I used a piece of wire to compress the spring, used a small punch to get the roll pin started and finally a slide hammer to get it all the way in.

Besides the pin, the rest is pretty simple. Remember to install the little plate over the shifter ball BEFORE you put the pin in. (else you'll be taking it back out)

Good luck.

Andy

Former VWDieselParts.com Forum

How do you remove shifter to replace spring and parts?

How do you remove shifter to replace spring and parts?

Re: How do you remove shifter to replace spring and parts?

Just did this