New major problem: won't shift in or out of gear!

Hey guys--was going to work this morning, and the car went into reverse and 1st gear just fine, then in a blink, wouldn't shift out of gear or into any other, no matter how hard I tried. The car wouldn't get out of gear, even with the clutch pedal pushed in. The clutch feels normal, no loose play or going to the floor. Bad throw-out bearing? I was able to nurse it home after work, but something is definitely not right. No warning, no weird noises, just this. I can shift it into gear when off, but with the car on, it's like the clutch isn't even working, it could stall in 2nd gear if I am not going above 15 MPH. Could this be a bad clutch, also? The clutch has given me no trouble up until this point, and still has normal travel and resistance. So I am thinking throw-out bearing, or the clutch itself? Help me out, my car is disabled. It's not the shift linkage that I can see--It still is adjusted properly, unless the L- linkage (plastic broke), in which case I have a spare. I can check into that tomorrow. But, unfortunately, I ma suspecting something worse.--Steve

my money is still on a clutch hydraulic problem, when the slave cyl goes bad you often still feel pedal pressure because you still moving it a little bit and also compressing the bubbles that have been let into the system and working against the pedal return spring.

A piece of broken disk cushion spring wedged between PP and disk will also cause those exact symptoms.

So, basically, I am looking at a new clutch and related components? (i.e. throw-out bearing, PP, etc.) Just want to know. Also, should I get it towed to the repair shop? I have a place about 1/2 mile from here, but it's probably not worth the drive if it will mess up the trans.--Steve

So does this sound like a bad clutch? Or a bad slave cylinder? I guess I won't really know until we get in there, but it would be nice to know which one it is. Also, anybody have a reasonble idea of the cost of a clutch replacement? I know the cost for the parts and related components are about $300, how about the labor at an independent mechanic? I am leaning toward the clutch, because the brake fluid level is fine, has been changed, and nothing is leaking out on the bell housing of the transmission. The master and slave clutch cylinders would be less $$ to change, but I'm thinking the spring broke or some other problem in the clutch itself. The clutch pedal feels normal, and returns to where it should be. It doesn't in any way stay at the floor or not come back to where it should.

It's easy to test the slave cyl jst take it out have someone slowly step on the clutch while you push back on the piston. It will be very clear if it's good or not.

Car is at a trusted independent VW mechanic. He hasn't taken out the trans yet, but agrees it's probably the clutch. However, now he says it runs poorly with a lot of smoke, and won't rev, in neutral, above 2k. I had no problem like this before the clutch. I am guessing that a piece of the spring lodged in the clutch and the car isn't really going into "neutral". Could this cause the smoke/bad power scenario since there is friction on the trans and who knows what gear the car "thinks" it's in? I just can't believe that this isn't a sheer coincidence. So, we are going to tackle the clutch first, the smoke and power second.

Prior to the clutch, the car had been running excellent except for the slight hesitation and a bit of smoke problem when the car is cold. What do you guys think? Coincidence or one problem?

It was, as Chris said, a broken piece of disk spring caught up in the clutch. So time for a new clutch. The slave and master are fine. I got the new clutch kit from Impex, and everything looks good except for the throwout bearing, which seems to have suffered minor shipping damage in that one of the plastic tabs is broken off. Now, I have to figure out if those tabs are critical, because I don't want the mechanic to install the stuff and have the throwout bearing come loose or fail in 6 months or something like that. So that's a bummer. Still don't know about the running issue. He said timing is in spec.

Which clutch kit did you get, TDI or VR6?

Chris--I believe it is the G60 Corrado with TDI plate. It is the Sachs KF78701 kit from Impex. I'll probably have to have them ship out another kit or the bearing, though, since the release bearing came shipped with one of the retainers broken...bummer. Unless, that isn't terribly critical, but, I bet it is.

OK, good choice on the TDI/G60 clutch kit. The common wisdom about choosing the VR6 kit is so...well...common, but you clearly have seen the light!

Chris--yeah, I had read about the problems with going with the VR6 clutch kit. So, hopefully, I have the right one. Right now, I just want to get this car back on the road. Still don't know what the mechanic means when he says it is running "rough" but idling well.

We had to have Impex send another release bearing out. The one in the kit was broken. Impex said it wouldn't be the same brand (Sachs) but hopefully that won't matter. I need to get this car back on the road ASAP.

Steve

This may be too easy, I had the same problem and I found a loose nut at the end of the cable connecting to the " shifting braket " by the transmission good luck

Mario