Cant get 5th Gear to engage - Help Please

[TougeMk4]

Hey Everyone,

Recently on christmas eve, Santa decided he would give me gear box issuses for xmas. Anyways i was driving down the highway on my way home.. i was in 5th gear, i slowed down to take my off ramp off the highway and after a awhile i came to use 5th gear again in some strech on my journey home when i couldnt select 5th gear..

It felt a bit od, i tried shifting into the 5th gear position and it made a light gridning sound and wouldnt want to actually engage the 5th gear. i coasted home and tried running through all the gears with the car off. i found that i CAN physcially shift it into each gear position with the lever. However when im actually driving i cant get it to stay in 5th gear it just wants to pop out of place and never quite engages the gear, Even if i hold it in place and try to slowly take my foot off the clutch its starts to grind. an incredibley low speeds i have i think managed once for it to stay in 5th gear at less than 40km/h but doesnt feel like its fully in gear.

Last night i tried re-aligning my shifter cables not sure how sucessful i was, but i followed an DIY i found on VWVortex. this didnt help me.

has anyone else experenced this? is my Syncro between 4th gear 5th gear rooted? i dont want to have to take my gearbox out of the car again if its a much simpler problem, can anyone shed some light on this for me?

Bug_ racer (Seb) if your out there i could really use your help.. you helped me out so much last time when i replaced my gearbox when i got my LSD i could really use your advice.

Thanks for your time everyone

Adz

[Golf Loon]

Maybe he used the wrong bolts when fitting the LSD and one is coming out and jamming 5th?

Or the gear / syncro is worn.

Sounds like the box is coming out and apart again.

I can recommend a couple of bloke in Brisie to look at it if you need, PM me.

[TougeMk4]

pretty sure it shouldnt be the bolts .. i bought ARP Bolt kit to suit. But then again who knows. I'll pm you if you can reccomend some blokes to take a look at the box for me that would be Ace.

[TougeMk4]

Just had a little play around then with the shifter cables, i seem to be able to easily select 5th gear when the car is stationary and even slowly take off in that gear with enough clutch slipping.. and it doesnt seem to grind or be difficult at all. only at high speeds. could this just mean something to do with the shifter mechanism has become loose or flogged out? maybe im not following the DIY properly as it mentioned something to do with the little black lever near the shifter mechinism on the Gbox itself which no matter which position i had it in.. did not seem to do anything?? any ideas people? should i try and get a new shifter rebuild kit?

[Manaz]

Loon: I didn't read the OP as saying that Seb built the box...

TougeMk4: Jmac on here is Brisbane based, and may be able to assist.

[Jmac]

There is a fine adjustment for the selector mechanism, thats where i would start. I see you had your gearbox stripped as it wpould be to do the LSD. There is an adjustment to fifth gear which appears to be your drama. I would try the fine adjusting the gear shift mechanism,then take it back to be checked as fifth gear does need to be set up and not just put back together. This will req the end casing to be removed , lose your oil, inspect fifth gear set up, if ok check adjustment then replace and case rubber seal again, and refill with fresh oil , then again adjust the mechanism.
So yeah not a 2 minute job if the fine adjustment doesnt work
Good luck, im back on the 4th if you need any help
Jmac

[TougeMk4]

Thanks Jmac, is it hard to adjust this fine mechinism on the gearbox for fifth gear. something i can do myself? im not use to cable shift so it goes a little over my head. I think i will need your help as im not that smart when it comes to gearboxes, my forte is more engine orientated

I was going to pull the gearbox out this weekend.. but if i can avoid that tedious job and its just a shifter adjustment i'd rather see if you can come a have a look at it for me.

i'll give you a ring on monday if thats alright and see when you might be able to come to my Aid.

Cheers, Adam