tranny trouble - HELP!

[Brian Rages]

Hi... I've got a problem.

My Jetta (1986, five-speed manual) has been running pretty good for a while, it's been leaking gear oil out of the flange seals. Anyway, I think I let the transmission fluid get too low. All was OK, until I pulled off the highway and stopped at a red light. I could NOT shift the transmission into either first or second! I had to start off in third gear.

Later, I was able to get it in second. It seems like if it's in first or second, it won't want to go into third or fourth. If you get it into third or fourth, it won't want to go into first or second.

Now I SUPPOSE my problem could be shift linkage related, but I think everything is working OK down there, and I replaced the plastic bits in the linkage a few months ago, so I don't think it's it.

When I say it won't go into gear, I can move the gear shift left-right OK but it won't let me push up or down to get into gear.

I have found that if I start to let the clutch out, it will grind a bit and slip into gear.

SO... do you think this might improve if I refill with gear oil? Or do you think the transmission is shot? It didn't pop out of any gears while I was driving, it was just hard to get it. I'm at work right now, and I have a significant drive home. I'm planning on adding lube before I head home.

What is happening or not happening in my transmission? Something synchro-related?

Advice, analysis, condolences, predictions?

[82vdub]

I had a similar problem with my winter jetta 4 years ago while heading to Colorado (from Green Bay), 450 miles from home, and -25F weather. When you run the 5 speed trans low on gear oil, the 5th gear gets really hot and is damaged. It would start to pop out of 5th gear after a while and after the transmission gets hot. Exactly what else happens inside the transmission when it's run low on oil, I don't know. I will speculate that the syncro's wear more, the plastic pieces in the trans sort of distort (if there is plastic or nylon) and the bearings wear more. When I had the same problem, I would have to shut the car off, put it in first, start the car, then get it moving then skip 2nd and go to 3rd or 4th. When I first noticed the problem was when I stopped for a toll booth and had a tough time getting it into 1st. Never popped out of gear until the next AM, but long before that, I knew I had issues (never told the wife I knew either).

Like I said, I had the exact problem you had. Here's what I did to bandaid my situation. I ended up hauling the car home (it was cheaper to go back and get it than it was to drop the rental car off at a different location and abandon the car). I filled the transmission with fresh gear oil (just added, didn't flush) and have been driving the car every winter since. I will also add that this car is not a long distance car for me. After filling with oil, I have gone 180 miles in one direction (without stoppiing) and did not have the trans slip out of gear, or shifting issues. I will also add that when it's cold out (colder than 15F), the car flat out just does not want to move, until the trans gets warmer. If it's below 0F, I need to let the car run in neutral for a while to get the fluid thinner before I can even consider driving the car or shifting it to 2nd or 3rd.

In the short explanation, your transmission is damaged, and nothing short of rebuilding it will eliminate possible issues later on. However, I've driven my winter jetta every winter since this happened putting on 4-6000 miles each winter without issue. I got the car for $50 expecting it to not even run or drive, so any extra time I get out of it and miles I put on it I consider it a bonus, since I never expected to get any out of it in the first place. Depending on what this car is for you and how far you drive, you will likely just have to play be ear and see how it goes.

[VWCaddy]

I have some tips on diagnosing shifting problems on the web page below:
- http://www.4crawler.com/Diesel/ForSale/ ... ngProblems

Biggest tip is to get under the hood and see if you can move the shift linkage by hand into 1st or 2nd gear. If not, try popping the shift linkage off the selector lever and see if you can get it into gear again by hand. If you can get into gear by hand, then see what is holding up the linkage fram doing that same thing. Often, 1st and 2nd gear problems are due to the rear selector rod not pushing far enough to the side, Could be due to something going out of adjustment on the linkage, or a worn bushing, or even something like a motor or tranny mount shifting or similar.

[Brian Rages]

UPDATE - I filled the transmission back up and most of my shifting problems went away. I was able to drive home with no issues, shifting in 1st and 2nd seemed a bit stiffer. At home, I replaced the bushings on the relay shaft (hadn't done that earlier).

Shifting is fine, still a little clunky going into 1st and 2nd sometimes. Smooth and easy in 3rd, 4th, 5th.

In the whole ordeal, I never had any popping out of gear.