Author Topic: Tranny question (Read 4310 times)

turborabbit · « **on:** December 03, 2008, 05:14:32 pm »

Hey, guys, I've got 3K on my '86 Jetta TD/5spd graft into my '81 Caddy. I have a vibration at idle and reverse slips out even when I hold the shifter. Any comments?? On a lighter note it starts great, gets 51.7-56.6 mpg on 380-385-380-400 and I have $207 (rings, incerts and a vaccum check) in the rebuild. I'm thinking about wvo-anbody have experience with it?? Thanks-warren

cyrus #1 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 03, 2008, 06:23:17 pm »

How is the oil level? Does it ever pop out of 5th? Does the shift linkage feel normal otherwise?

MK3 trannys had a notoriously weak reverse gear. I don't know why this was the case when the earlier ones didn't seem to have issues. Anyway, my brother had a '94 GTI that the reverse gear crapped out on. His also popped out of reverse. The reverse idler gear looked like this:

Dakotakid · « **Reply #2 on:** December 03, 2008, 09:09:45 pm »

Mk. II's can only have the reverse gear get "ground" so many times before you lose them as well.

Perhaps, the previous owner had the bad habit of grinding reverse. The nylon lock-out may have been broken off in the original car.

I have made it a habit to always slightly grab first gear before I go to reverse. Now, I never have any problems with reverse.

turborabbit · « **Reply #3 on:** December 04, 2008, 11:46:02 am »

Thanks Cyrus1 and Dakotakid. The hypoid oil level is full plus 1cup and I never, naye, almost never grind a gear. Is there an adjustment? I haven't yet traced out the linkage. I also read in an older post, something about swapping linkage boxes, whatever that means. Thanks for the replies-warren

zukgod1 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 04, 2008, 11:55:04 am »

If its full of oil and you have been nice to it sounds like it's just plane junk

Time for a rebuild or replacement.
On a good note it's not to bad to swap it out.

Dakotakid · « **Reply #5 on:** December 06, 2008, 09:30:00 am »

My last idea here: drain the trans and flush it out with some diesel fuel and catch it all in a clean coffee can. If reverse is damaged....there should be some chunks coming out of there. Insert your small finger into the drain plug void and fish for chunks.

Many guys will say not to flush out the trans like this. I have done it for over two decades on many trans and never created any damage in bearings or whatever.

turborabbit · « **Reply #6 on:** December 06, 2008, 10:23:08 pm »

Thanks, Dakotakid, it's worth a try, after i trace out the linkage. Know where I can get a shifter bushing kit??-warren

Dakotakid · « **Reply #7 on:** December 06, 2008, 10:39:57 pm »

I buy a lot of stuff from autohausaz.com
Also egermanparts.com and europartsdirect.com

fatmobile · « **Reply #8 on:** December 07, 2008, 03:37:51 pm »

The magnet inside the trany might have grabbed much of the gear grindings,.. so it might not show up in the drained gear oil.