Trouble shifting gears 1st and reverse mostly.

Au2ro

Au2ro

Member
I started getting trouble shifting gears a few months ago, 1st and reverse mostly.
The garage have checked the adjustment on the linkage and say that there is too much play at the gearstick end to adjust successfully. They suggested getting new gear lever, ball joint and connectors. They say Audi cannot supply just these parts.
Any ideas of what I might need parts wise and where to obtain them?
 
I see from here all I might need are shims and bushes?

Gear selector bushings

Dieselgeek sells bushings for various VW gearboxes. One of the kits they are selling is as below: http://www.dieselgeek.com/Deluxe_MK4_Shifter_bushing_kit_p/shift-mk4dlx.htm 1. Has anybody tried these? 2. If so, has the shifting improved considerably? 3. Are there alternative solutions...
www.a2oc.net www.a2oc.net
 
I can't quite see how to get access to the balljoint under the gearstick without damaging the rubber skirt and plastic surrounds. Would I have to take the centre console out?

Anyway, since I could not get that done I did try and adjust the gear selector mechanism myself. That was fiddly and it took a few attempts but it does seem better than it was now.
Thanks goes to audifan for this post on how to do it here

Rattle on gear stick.

Im sure this has been posted before but searching hasnt brought anything up for me...
www.a2oc.net www.a2oc.net
 
Looks harder than it is. I put a little extra tension on the cables before releasing the 2 cable locks and that also makes a little improvement, just dont go too far. These cables are now upto 20 years old and when you think how much use they get it is not surprising they stretch and affect the gear selection or vibrate the gear stick, so worth doing on all cars.
 
I have also now figured out how to get at the gearstick balljoint - tiny little black catches on the four corners of the base of the rubber skirt, un-clipped with needle-nose pliers.
I shimmed the balljoint holder between the black plastic holder and the metal cup like container, with a strip of plastic from a yogurt pot with about the same curvature so it was relatively easy (ha, after much fiddling with the balljoint holder, which was bad enough without the shim) to slip between the metal and plastic.
I don't think that the play was in the balljoint though as it only seemed to make the gearstick movement stiffer, but still with a lot of play.
I can't really tell if it made much difference though at least I can still get first and reverse easier than before the adjustment process earlier.
I think that the play might be elsewhere - where the cables connect to the levers under the gearstick maybe...?

I will keep looking for replacement cables and bushes.
 
You have checked all linkeages are tight on the gearbox end and also the ball joints where the adjustment point of the cables fit on the gearbox. One cable translates the left right of the gear stick the other the forward back, just cant remember which one, easy enough to spot if someone moves the stick you can see which cable moves. I would pay more attention to the far left movement as that is where reverse and 1st are.
 
Thanks audifan.
On a short drive today it was much better, though changing gears seems a bit different now after the adjustment. Though I do like the stiffer feel, the gears don't seem to be in the same place after struggling with first and reverse for so long it seems strange to hit them so easily now. Hopefully I will soon get used to it, next weeks commute will tell.
 
Yes it is like driving a different car and it will take a short time to readjust your driving. Glad it worked.
 
@audifan I drove it to work and back for 4 days (it did not get much use over the long weekend) and it was much better, no problem getting it into reverse any more, though 1st and 2nd seem different now and I still have to get used to that. It feels less stiff now than it did when I first shimmed it and it springs back in to the neutral position between 3rd and 4th OK.
The main thing I have noticed is that I no longer have to look for a parking space that I can drive forwards through to where I am going to park so that I don't have to reverse out of or into it. ;)
 
That is good news and after a bit more "training" by the car you will be up and down the box like it was new. May even find the shim is not needed.
 
Hi All, I have owned by first A2 for 6 months now (1.4 tdi 75, 134k miles) I am impressed with the car and enjoy driving it very much. Recently I have noticed that engaging first gear is increasingly difficult once the car is at normal temperature. It's okay when cold and engages easily if the car is still rolling. Hard to engage when stationary and fully warmed up. Any ideas? The clutch seems okay, good travel and no slipping. Any help gratefully received.
 
Alcamo said:
Hi All, I have owned by first A2 for 6 months now (1.4 tdi 75, 134k miles) I am impressed with the car and enjoy driving it very much. Recently I have noticed that engaging first gear is increasingly difficult once the car is at normal temperature. It's okay when cold and engages easily if the car is still rolling. Hard to engage when stationary and fully warmed up. Any ideas? The clutch seems okay, good travel and no slipping. Any help gratefully received.
Click to expand...
Hiya, sounds like clutch drag to me. Good quality replacement clutch kit, make sure output shaft splines are clean, centre plate slides easily on output shaft and clutch actuating lever is clean and lubricate pivot points. I had the same problem with my sons Lupo. Once I had done the above, totally transformed the gearchange and drive. I know it’s a b****r but well worth it. You can clean the gearbox thoroughly and the engine bay at the same time.
 
Hi. many thanks.
Problem seems to have cured itself or at least is less noticeable. I don't feel that it needs any intervention for now but really appreciate your advice.
 
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