Unique Transmission Issue

TomJD

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Location
St. Louis
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI GLS, 2015 Golf TDI
I'm having shifting trouble with my 2000 Jetta. I say unique in the title because after searching nearly every thread on the subject, I am unable to find one that fits my problem. Maybe it is just how I am reading it, I don't know.

PROBLEM:
Anyway, I had my DMF replaced 6k-ish miles ago. Everything went fine and no issues. However, since then I am having trouble putting it into gear from neutral about 1 out of every 15 or 20 times. If I am sitting at a stop sign and want to go, I put the clutch in and I simply cannot slide it into gear. Clutch out and back in, and it works fine.

Sometimes when I am driving, and say, the person in front of me slows down substantially, if I put it in neutral and then go to pick a gear (any gear but usually not 4th or 5th), it will not let me. Clutch out and back in, and it works.

There are other times when if I just push hard enough it will slide into first. But it is such an excessive amount of force. I have driven other ALH/02J set ups so I know how it "should" feel.

Again, this happens about one out of every fifteen or twenty times.

CURRENT ATTEMPTS AT FIXING IT:
The first thing I have done is changed the transmission fluid. It had been about 90k miles since I did it last. It was dark, but the correct amount came out so I know it was not leaking. Since it has been replaced the problem has not been remedied.

I took it to Oilhammer last week. He did the DMF. He was unable to reproduce the problem. So hopefully if nothing else, I can gather more information and go back to him.



Any suggestions? :confused::confused::confused:
 

Enabled

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2013
Location
Houston, TX
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI Manual, BMW 328d SW
Did you bleed the slave, replace any soft lines in the clutch hydraulics? The rubber lines can balloon up instead of pushing the pressure plate out.
 

TomJD

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Location
St. Louis
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI GLS, 2015 Golf TDI
I personally did not do the DMF replacement. So I cannot confirm what all was done. Oilhammer did it so I am sure he did it right and would have noticed issues.
 

TomJD

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Location
St. Louis
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI GLS, 2015 Golf TDI
I can try that this weekend. I think that's a fair next step.
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
1 out of 20. Mines done this for 10 years, 1st and R.
Bump the throttle or re-clutch, it always goes in smooth.
 

TomJD

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Location
St. Louis
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI GLS, 2015 Golf TDI
It is really 1 out of 12 or 15. Even though my commute is 100 miles a day, this is a constant reminder how often. I shift. Run into this problem a couple times a day and it becomes reason for concern. I hope it's fixable.
 

tongsli

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 31, 2000
Location
Baltimore, MD
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI, 2004, Jetta Wagon TDI PD
It is really 1 out of 12 or 15. Even though my commute is 100 miles a day, this is a constant reminder how often. I shift. Run into this problem a couple times a day and it becomes reason for concern. I hope it's fixable.

Did you have to do this before your clutch job?
 

TomJD

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Location
St. Louis
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI GLS, 2015 Golf TDI
Resurrecting this issue as it's still present. I've adjusted my shifter a couple times since making this thread. It seems to fix it, but then it returns.

Currently when I have the issue of putting it into first, if I go into second and then first it works every time.

Also, there seems to be a lot of play in the shifter itself. 312.270 miles of shifting does that.

Has anyone else had this problem?
 

Dimitri16V

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Location
DE
TDI
01 Golf, 04 Golf
Miles should not be an issue if everything in the linkage is OK
Can you shift just fine with engine off ? If you can , the linkage is OK
How are the motor mounts ?
 

TomJD

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Location
St. Louis
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI GLS, 2015 Golf TDI
It doesn't shift all that great engine off. I can replicate the issue.

If it makes a difference, I have a lot of play in the shifter. First seems to be extra bad.
 

tongsli

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 31, 2000
Location
Baltimore, MD
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI, 2004, Jetta Wagon TDI PD
Many thanks! I'll have to start giving this a try. As I just noted before reading your post, the shifter is very sloppy.
Did you check the bowden cable ends? Do you know what those are? THey are the plastic pieces at the end of the shifting cables that tie into the top of your transmission.

Make sure all the teeth are there and that there is no movement on the cable ends once the locking mechanism is engaged.

 
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