1998 ALH Beetle clutch won't engage when shifting

[bizzle]

I took my beetle into a shop this morning to have the A/C checked out and the mechanic told me that my shifter had some sloppiness to it and the shift mechanism might need replacement. I told him I never sensed an issue but that I would put that on the list of things to watch out for. I drove about 5 miles and then when I came to a light I was unable to engage any of the gears.

I can put the shifter into any of the gears but they just don't engage and move the car. I have been able to put the car into gear a couple times by grabbing onto the golf club black in color looking piece but I can't figure out where the problem is. The cables all seem to be adjusted correctly. The part with the VW stamp in this picture

has about 1/2-1" of play. I'm not sure if that is normal.

Is this an adjustment issue that I need to try and figure out or is the part with the VW broken?

 

[KLXD]

To clarify, clutch engaging is when you let the pedal out and you start moving. Are you saying when you step on the clutch you can't shift it into gear because the clutch doesn't disengage?

If you put it in gear with the hockey stick in the picher then start it without moving the shifter and release the clutch does it go?

 

[bizzle]

I can shift any gear but when I let the clutch out the car won't move.

Sometimes I can get the car to move when I manually place it in gear with the hockey stick but most of the time it's acting like it's not in gear. Seems like it has a lot of play like it can't get all the way where it needs to be. I tried a bungee cord just to see if I could pull it tight enough to engage and it was either in 2nd or 4th and moving (then stalled)

 

[jimbote]

there may be an issue with the in cab shift mechanism ....you may need someone to shift inside while you watch the selector at the transmission to see if the selector is moving as commanded

 

[bizzle]

I had my wife shift while I watched and it seemed like it was moving correctly. But it wasn't going all the way because of that play. Can something break in that mechanism or can it strip teeth or something? Whatever is broken it looks like it'd be hidden because all of the cables look intact and none loose.

 

[KLXD]

I think Jim's right. Some problem at the base of the shifter since you say things look good on the trans. Seems I've seen threads on shifter adjustment that might help. Not that I believe it's an adjustment problem but you might get some insight.

Closest problem I've had to yours was when the arm on the trans broke at the bolt hole for the weight and bent. I think I could get R, 1, 3 and 5 but not 2 and 4. Sounds like you have slop that uses up travel in both directions.

I don't recall ever removing the shifter on a water cooled VW so I can't help much.

 

[bizzle]

Thanks for the insight and responses. Was it obviously broken? As in, if I had a problem like you're describing would it "look" broken or look fine like the picture above but still be broken underneath the black piece that is about 7oclock from the hockey stick?

or are we talking about somewhere under the shifter in the tunnel?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[KLXD]

That was the A3, the weight is bolted on. The A4 hockey stick is integral.

 

[bizzle]

My dad's 2001 doesn't have that whole black cap that's in the 6-8 o'clock area. There is just a bolt showing. I haven't removed the cap from mine but I imagine that underneath it would be a similar bolt but I don't know. I don't have my car because I had it towed to a local shop.

But my dad's doesn't feel like there is any play at all whereas my hockey stick is all sloppy. That's why I'm wondering if there is a bolt under there, if the bolt might have come loose, or if something might be broken in there. I'm not a fan of the shop I towed it to but I was in a bind unfortunately.

 

[KLXD]

So you suspect the linkage on the trans is loose. Could be. If you hold the hockey stick and there is little play in the shifter you may be right.

The fact that you can get it into gear moving the hockey stick seems to argue against that.

 

[bizzle]

the linkage teeth were stripped. Couple hundred bucks later and the buggy is back on the road.