put shifter in fifth gear and its like its in neutral

Camaroraca

Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2010
Location
Maine, scarborough
TDI
2002 gls jetta TDI auto
i finished my 5 speed conversion and went threw the gears on the jack stands and fifth gear is like its in neutral no metal on metal sounds just like it is neutral what should i be looking for? all other gears work fine and the car drives Very nice, what a power difference!!! could it be just the cables out of adjustment or and i looking at bigger problems
 

SkyRyder55

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2012
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
TDI
1998 Jetta TDI, 1990 Corrado G60 (AHU soon)
I dont know what tranny you put in. But I know the ones that are in the 97 -99 jettas have an issue with fifth gear getting starved of oil if the oil level in the tranny is slightly low. If fifth is gone there is a cover on the drivers side of the tranny that is easy to pull off. pop her off and have a peek. fifth gear is what you are looking at. Probably a toasted shaft and gear set and bearings.
 

Ol'Rattler

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 3, 2007
Location
PNA
TDI
2006 BRM Jetta
More info would be helpful.
  • What is your trans code.
  • Was it just a ratio change or auto to manual change?
  • Was the tranny removed?
IDK much about what is in a 2002 but you can do a 5th gear ratio change on some dub without removing the tranny.

With the problem you are having, I would certainly do a proper linkage adjustment. I would try disconnecting the cables and try engaging 5th with the lever on the tranny.

Before disconnecting the cables, have someone shift through the gears and watch the lever on the tranny and you should be able to figure out how to get the tranny in 5th. Basically, 5th will be either all the way up or all the way down and the lever rotated in the same direction as 1st and third.

If you can get it in 5th at the tranny but not with the shift lever in the cabin then your linkage is out of adjustment.
 
Last edited:

Camaroraca

Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2010
Location
Maine, scarborough
TDI
2002 gls jetta TDI auto
Thanks for the info. I pulled the cover on the side of the trans and the shift fork where it rides in the gear were worn so bad they didn't reach the gear any more
 
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