Stiff 2d gear shift

[DogDiesel]

Owned this Caddy for over 20 years, 8 more before it.
Issue:
020.  All OEM parts.  Every part new.  Have used and replace all parts over lots of miles more than once and second gear isn't smooth. 
Same issues with two transmissions, ruling out bad 020.
First gear isn't distinct.  Unless you know to test, when hitting first you go instead into third.
Press down for 1st not bullet proof, have still hit third.  I have just learned to check before I take off, you know when you're in 1st.
Motormounts neutralized, which has no effect.
Yes the bushing under the shifter has been changed.  ALL PARTS NEW.
I have sub'd in other linkages and parts, always the same.  Shifts good, but not great.  I want great.

"If you continue to do the same things, expecting different results...Change requires you do something different"

What can I change to effect these two issues.  Stiff second shift and indistict 1st gear.
Wayne

[JamesT]

It sounds like the shifter base isn't positioned correctly.  There's a procedure for adjustment in your Bentley. If there isn't enough adjustment, your splined relay arm could be off by a spline.

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

Try changing the fluid to Synchromesh and see if it helps.

[theman53]

I would bet on the linkage is worn to snot and the trans is fine. The new VW fluid is great for crunching gears, but difficulty getting into gears is usually a linkage problem. missinglinkz has what you need for trouble free repair.

[DogDiesel]

Rule this one out.  Have already did this, and you must note that I indicated it is the same with two transmissions, and at least one of each shifter part, to include the shifter bushing.  It shifts good, but I see fault and want great.  I want perfect.

Try changing the fluid to Synchromesh and see if it helps.

[DogDiesel]

Hold your money.  Every part is new.  Already said that.

I would bet on the linkage is worn to snot and the trans is fine. The new VW fluid is great for crunching gears, but difficulty getting into gears is usually a linkage problem. missinglinkz has what you need for trouble free repair.

[DogDiesel]

OK,
   think I found the procedures that will take me from shifting good to perfect.

   found some good info:  Looks like others have well studied the problem.

best procedure:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?4737208-Phenoms-Howtos-mk1-shift-linkage-troubleshooting-guide
this guy wrote an encyclopedia on the topic

http://www.4crawler.com/Diesel/ForSale/ShiftLinkage.shtml#ShiftLinkageUpgrade
"Next, I pulled the gear shift boot and found the shifter base was not aligned properly to the holes in the floor. I loosened the retaining bolts and moved the base around until it aligned properly and tightened everything back down. I found this helped, but it was still not shifting as I would like it. " Roger

I have owned this Caddy since the early 90s.  Its a great looking perfect body truck with original paint.  Had 8 more before it.  Repowered to AAZ, converted to serpentine, power steering, cruise, rear slider, intermitten wipers, tach and just complete a Scirroco style GRIFFIN race radiator that will let me have AC with serpentine.  My next uprades will be ducted aftercooler, pyrometer.  Have all the stuff to completely re-do my interior (non-drooping headliner and back liner.  This will give me 1.5" more headroom, so I can drive with my baseball cap on and not touch the roof.

I am re-engineering and adjusting to perfection.

[damac]

ok so all new parts

the book does say to align those holes in the bracket with the bolts a specific way. 

also the 4 speed and 5 speed box is different in case somebody did a swap and didn't use all the right parts.

is the actual shift rods in ok condition where it pivots without slop and is the finger end rubber intact?

also notice the cage that the ball rides in?  get under the car and move/watch movement while somebody else shifts.

you want that ball just tight enough in that cage so it doesn't bind, but still moves.  for whatever reason most cars i come across i have to take this off the car and slowly smack the middle area where the ball rides.  take your time and tap lightly to get a feel where you should be.  a ton of slop in that area can screw you up big time.

there is also some measurements under the car at that box and centering the finger.  Now I don't have much history with these cars but on a jetta and rabbit i actually shored all the play out of the linkages with new parts like you and tried to go by the book adjustment wise and it wasn't perfect.

so i loosened linkage, put tranny in 1st gear and got a helper to just hold the shifter in the car in position against gate and then tightened it down.  haven't had a problem in either car since.

[bajacalal]

I've never driven an old Volkswagen that wasn't somehow like trying to shift a baseball bat in a barrel of coconuts. With a good transmission linkage, the shifting is acceptable, but never fast and crisp. With worn out transmission linkage, these cars are practically impossible to drive.

I'm not tying to be an ass, but resign yourself to the fact that you own a 30 year old economy car. Remember, these were cheap cars back in the day. It's not going to drive like a sportscar. There are simply too many moving parts and bushings in the linkage on these, to ever get quick, fast shifting. I also read somewhere, that when VW designed the mk1, they had one design/engineering team work on the body, another do the transmission and then somebody else was tasked with the job of somehow coming up with a way to shift gears in the thing. And, I believe it, there's no coherency. The mk2s are just a little better.

Onto your problem, I think the car (or truck as you have it) body may be part of your problem. The geometry isn't the same as when it was new, especially if the truck had any fender-benders in it's life, so if you're adjusting the linkage in accordance with the instructions for a new vehicle, it may not work as intended. That's one thing that frustrates me about these, the chassis isn't very rigid, the doors, hood and hatch on my car require routine realignment (about once every year).

[theman53]

Hold your money.  Every part is new.  Already said that.

I would bet on the linkage is worn to snot and the trans is fine. The new VW fluid is great for crunching gears, but difficulty getting into gears is usually a linkage problem. missinglinkz has what you need for trouble free repair.

If it was the same with 2 different trans then it isn't the trans. It is in the linkage. I consider the relay ball and all the pieces from the stick to the trans linkage. I would start looking there. I have my MK2 shifting like a new mustang now, but it took about 200.00 in linkage parts and the better part of a weekend to install. The Relay ball was the key for mine.

[DogDiesel]

Relay ball and all parts new.  Thanks to the encyclopedia quality article I found as as result of key search words provided in this topic, I think I can get it from shifting "good" to perfect.  Likely my good is some peoples great, but as I have stated, I want perfect shifts.  I want it to shift like new or better.   
I think this thread has been very helpful and want to thank those who contributed.

Wayne

Hold your money.  Every part is new.  Already said that.

I would bet on the linkage is worn to snot and the trans is fine. The new VW fluid is great for crunching gears, but difficulty getting into gears is usually a linkage problem. missinglinkz has what you need for trouble free repair.

If it was the same with 2 different trans then it isn't the trans. It is in the linkage. I consider the relay ball and all the pieces from the stick to the trans linkage. I would start looking there. I have my MK2 shifting like a new mustang now, but it took about 200.00 in linkage parts and the better part of a weekend to install. The Relay ball was the key for mine.

[burn_your_money]

I have my MK2 shifting like a new mustang now

It still sucks eh?