**OFFICIAL: JETTA IS BROKEN THREAD** v. Shift Linkage/Grinding Gears

NYSpeed Automotive
1

Okay so I started this thread because I hate to keep making new ones every time this fucking shit-hole falls apart on me.

Anyways straight to the bullshit:

I replaced my coolant hose flange today due to the OEM one being cracked, no big deal, easy install and whatnot. I get the car off the jack stands, drive it around, everything is perfect.

I let it sit for about 15 minutes, pull out of the driveway and when I shift from 2nd to 3rd it grinds into third. It downshifts from 4th to 3rd with no problem, but no matter how I shift, it grinds from 2nd-3rd.

Now, I read online it may be the shift linkage out of whack, so I decided to try that first, only to fuck up the shift linkage and now I can’t even get my car into gear.

I “homed” the shifter in the car with a 5mm pin, but when I “home” the shift linkage itself on the tranny, it doesn’t want to stay. I pushed the springs back and when I go to pull the black set pin so that it locks, it will not lock.

Any help would be great. As of right now I have no car to go to school tomorrow so I am free all tomorrow to work on this if anyone with experience can lend me a hand. I can’t afford to pay anyone to work on my car, besides maybe lunch.

Thanks,
Chris

2

:picard:

Sorry to hear, Chris. Hope you get it all figured out.

3

Just to throw some salt into my wounds…my brother left my window open last night.

My interior is soaked.

I.AM.DONE.

4

The guy that bought my bimmer loves it. Jus’ Sayin’.

<3

5

you shouldnt have bought a mk4

srsly, theyre shit

6

Paulo I srsly wish I had.

This car is for sale, see Auto Trader Sales

7

Word to big bird. :tup:

8

Glad you finally made this thread.

9

You gave me the idea lol

10

sorry that the car isnt working out… my malibu never had problems :roll: <3

damnit kawi please make a zx-10Car.

11

Knowing how a transmission operates, I am confused as to why mis-adjusted shift linkage would cause grinding…

12

+1… Sounds like a syncro to me.

13

Is there a short-shifter installed? I have read that they cause much more wear and tear on syncros — oh yeah, and personal experience.

14

Syncro was my first thought actually, I read on VWVortex that with MK4s sometimes the adjustment was off causing a notchy shift so I figured it was worth a shot.

Unfortunately for me, whoever the previous owner was decided to fuck with the homing pin on the tranny so I cannot re-adjust it.

15

fixed!

Seriously though, I feel your pain man. My girlfriend’s Passat was one headache after another it seems in the last couple years. Actually, all in 1 year the turbo blew, heater core went, flex pipe rotted out, oil pressure switch broke, and oil cooler cracked. Ended up selling it with the heater core shot, but this was all on a car under 10 years old and under 80k miles! You’ll find a buyer though, at least the Jetta is more desirable than the Passat. And you are sorting out the issues now, :tup: to that. Good luck with the shifter issue and sale!

16

I am tired.

I am sore.

I am relatively flat out of cash.

But…

The fucking shit-pile works again.

I had to run up to VW and pick up a new shift-linkage spring and counter-weight, apparently the old one wasn’t fully engaging and for some odd reason the previous owner decided to remove the counter-weight for “sweet shifting mods braaa!”

Fuck.

It works again, for now.

17

Well good to hear you can hit the road again.

Wasted linkage can def do that. I had an issue with getting into 1st, my linkage was frozen from the car sitting a long time.

18

works and grind is gone?

19

Yep, I’m perplexed how the grind is gone, I was willing to bet for sure it was the syncro gear but nope…drove all over tonawanda trying to get it to grind again and nothing lol.