Hard gearing - lubrication didn't help

[$hitblast]

The last month, but quite noticeable so the last week, shifting has become hard. There is about a 1/3 chance of getting directly into third gear on the first try. When it works, it works smoothly, but it otherwise feels like its just about to find its way, before it gets blocked. Fifth and reverse are even worse, with both of them being hard to get out of as well. First gear works maybe in 70% of tries, while fourth and second are almost normal. There is no problem so long as the car stays in gear or in neutral.

I reached down the bulkhead and sprayed the levers down there, where the plasting rod from the base of the shifter comes out, with a good amount of bike-chain-oil. I opened up the box beneath the shifter and doused it liberall as well, but this had no effect.

Any ideas?

[h100vw]

You probably need to reset the linkages completely. There's bound to be a guide on youtube somewhere.

[$hitblast]

Yea. That looks like a job too. Have to get to from beneath.

[Bora Sport]

If it is something other than a VR6 that had a cable change O2A gearbox the it will likely be an 020 gearbox which has linkages with plastic bushes and a plastic 'golf ball' as part of the linkages. These deteriorate and fall apart making the changes hard because you are not getting the full 'throw' of the gear stick movement. If you change in a relatively fast and smooth fashion it will probably go in as it should. If not it can baulk. I suggest looking for a gear linkage refresh kit.

[$hitblast]

Yes, Bora, that worked a treat. All gears, except for fifth, are decently smooth with this method, except for fifth, which I still may get the hang of with some more practice. That gives me time to wait for warmer weather. I'll have to do the job outside.

[$hitblast]

So, I figured it matters if the play in the stick is side-to-side or front-to-back. Front-to-back is about 3,4 cm, and side-to-side one third of that. Does that point to a specific bushing having been worn the most?

[Bora Sport]

Its been a while since I had a Mark 3 but I'm pretty sure you can find refresh kits on EBay that will include all the little nylon bushes plus the golf ball bush that is down under the gear stick as I recall. Should be pretty cheap. Something like this?

VW GOLF MK3 GTI 1.8 1.9D GEAR SHIFT LINKAGE REPAIR KIT C290 | eBay

[$hitblast]

I took some video of the under-the-hood-part of the shifter-linkage:

http://www.yourfilelink.com/get.php?fid=1320603

http://www.yourfilelink.com/get.php?fid=1320604

[$hitblast]

Edit: Sorry, double-post.

[$hitblast]

So there seems to be considerable play around the "ball" in the front linkage. It sort of looks like there is supposed to be a little play there. There is a couple millimeters of playat both ends of the weighted bar too.

[Special Air Service]

the ball is where the worst will be..............min was that far gone I was able to push some large rubber hose over it to get me through until new part arrived.

I even had to put qute a few layers of good cloth tape around it to take up the final bit of slack....

[$hitblast]

So, that begs the question: Is the ball supposed to be able to rotate inside its cage? If I put rubber around it, that might take up all the space around it, preventing it from rotating, like it does now.

[Special Air Service]

they need to rotate, or at least slide......there where aftermarket ones available that were square shaped........Fill th gap until there is only just enough "clearance" for it to move......

[$hitblast]

Here's some better accessible youtube.video:

From linkage to gearbox

https://youtu.be/dt9pKrPhyew

Angular direct by wall

https://youtu.be/xRsXkRsuF7g

Front ball

https://youtu.be/5y06fxVKXz4

[$hitblast]

Well, too late.. I was rolling along three weeks ago, when the stick suddenly got stuck between third and fourth gear and a very telling grinding noise sounded from the front. I was far from home, and had to hand it over to the local wrecker.