Shifty shifting into 1st.

'99 NB TDI, manual, 340k-ish miles.

Intermittent hard/impossible to shift into 1st. Other times shifts fine.
Suspecting synchro/internal wankiness, but maybe linkage?
Ideas to opening up and fixing, or finding "used" to swap in?
(Also sometimes locks in 5th, takes starter bump to free.)

Thanks.
Lowell

Dieselgeek has a bushing kit for you shifter. One piece of it is even called “1st gear getter”

Thanks. However, mine is a '99, and they list 2000 and up. And to my untrained eye, my shifter bits are not the same.

??

If you have the early shift setup, it might be a worthwhile upgrade to take the time and effort to swap in a late model shift assembly (from the shifter to the shift tower on the trans, I believe) from a wrecking yard or someone here.

hey_allen said:

If you have the early shift setup, it might be a worthwhile upgrade to take the time and effort to swap in a late model shift assembly (from the shifter to the shift tower on the trans, I believe) from a wrecking yard or someone here.

Click to expand...

There’s no “might” about it. That is definitely a worthwhile upgrade.

Is it really

It looked pretty daunting, that upagrade. While on subject, Is it worthwhile to put in a Megan racing shifter while that shiftbox is out of the car.

http://meganracing.com/ss-vwg99.html


Dieselgeek short shifters are everywhere. But what are the pros and cons for this setup?


I hope this is not a thread hijack!

hey_allen said:

If you have the early shift setup, it might be a worthwhile upgrade to take the time and effort to swap in a late model shift assembly (from the shifter to the shift tower on the trans, I believe) from a wrecking yard or someone here.

Click to expand...

This, for sure. Ditch the early setup. Good news is, it is not diesel specific, so any 2000+ 02J gearbox/shift linkage will work.

All the above ideas are valid but, have you checked the fluid level?
Before you change the linkage, check for radial sloppiness in the selector shaft on the trans. If the linear bearing is shot (wobbles back and forth) and the seal was letting water in you could have bigger issues.
Drain your fluid and see if it looks rust colored.
I just had a car come in for your stated reasons and found rusty gear lube, all the balls in the linear bearing had sifted out into the cup on the inside of the shift tower, and the splines on fifth gear had almost sheared off.
I hope that is not the case with yours.