The car for the past 3000km or 2000 miles has been driving and shifting fine, now all of a sudden I go to race today and the car does not want to go into any gear. The shifter feels all sloppy and it is really hard to get into 2nd, 4th, and reverse. The transmission is fine, I just think the cables might have stretched or something? has anyone ever had similar problems?



basicly when I shift now it won't click into gear, I have to force it in. Because it feels like the throws are to long for the shifter, if that makes sense.

 

I had problem getting into 3rd gear. I had to move my shift assembly up about 4 inchese so that the cable had a nice smooth arc. The cable had to make about 90 degree turn to hook up with the shift levers. Before it was very tight and no arc in the cables. Sometimes it would not get in to first and the shifter feels binded up. After giving the cable some slack and a nice arc. It shifts beautifully. I can slam it into any gear with out any hesitation.

 

I just don't get how it was fine for so long, and I raced it etc. Then all of a suddenly one day wammo, volkswagon shifting. This is starting to make me like shifter rods better......

 

I would inspect the cables from underneath the car to make sure there is no burning from the exhaust or anything on them.

Also I would change your tranny oil. Make sure you lub up the bearing on the shifter as well. It may be the shifter assembly and not the cables.

 

check on the area where the cable is connected to the tranny, the bushing inside of the shifter cable might came out. that happen to me once, cause i didn't use the washers where the shifter cable was connected and the inside bushing came loose. It made the shifting very diffcult and the throw was almost twice as long.