Stiff shifter movement???

[trev]

Cold, first thing in the morning or first run of the day, the shifter will not move fore-aft. Side to side is fine.

I'd suspect cold oil, as suggested by a bud, but the movement is easy, when it finally decides to be willing to cooperate.

Nothing in or around the linkage seems out of sorts. Well. High miles. Other than that, it was working pretty well, then started this.

Anyone got anything in the way of similar experiences? What fix? Am I looking at having to do butchery on the trans?

Cheers
  Trev

[Powered by Spearco]

Cold weather does play a factor in shifter linkage and how it performs. Give all the joints and bushings a good spray with some non-freezing lube and move it around. It should loosen up.

[theman53]

If you are parked not moving then do what powered by spearco said.

If you are rolling and it won't move, but moves when parked, change the trans oil. Brokevw has a good website with the how to on it. Make sure you are able to get the fill plug out before draining the oil. Also make sure you can get the speedo cable out if yours requires that for the last 500mL of the fill.

Use only a 75w-90. I tried Valvoline durablend in 80w-90 and it ground 2nd real bad. I drained and went to royal purple with no troubles. I have also had no troubles with Mobil 1 full synthetic.

[trev]

Thanks for that!

Gonna have to do some digging on BrokeVW's site anyway.

Really weird feeling. Like, solid on the fore-aft , then when it moves, it's really quite free. Wondering if there is a detent hanging, or some such.

Had lots of experience with a slow stiff shifter, on my last truck, a Mazda B2000. 1-2 shifts when cold, were to be thought out, and planned in advance! This feels different. No grinding, no laggy slow motion shifting, just the hang-up when cold.

I gotta do a transplant of the trans anyways, sometime soon. Maybe before spring, even! I'll go through the one going in, and change out the fluids with 'the good stuff'.

Cheers
  Trev