Manual gear box, clutch not disengaging properly?

[warhead]

The Golf is pretty much the first manual car I've been driving on a pretty much daily basis so I don't really have any experience with what changing gears *should* feel like.

But in the golf, since day 1, it feels like the shifter gates really hard. Best way to describe is that when you shift, you feel the stick go in half way, and there'd be a "bump" you have to push harder to get it in all the way.

I've also noticed that when the car's rolling, say 60km/h+ and I put the clutch all the way down, when I shift, I can still feel resistance as if the gears were still touching each other slightly and sometimes you feel the thud where the stick basically gets "thrown" into the gate on it's own. Kind of like what you'd get if you were to slam your gears into the gates without using the clutch, minus the loud grinding noises.

Playing with the gear box while the engine is off still gives me a bit of a "bump" spot when shifting, but obviously don't feel the resistance in the gears since nothing's moving.

What I'm wondering is would this sound like my clutch doesn't fully disengage when I put the pedal down?

[CatonaPC©]

I think your clutch is okay. What I think you're experiencing (given you don't have much manual driving experience) is you're trying to change too fast. You should be able to change gears with just two fingers only using light pressure.

Don't try to force the gear in. Give the synchromesh some time to match the gearbox spin to the desired gear. It should then slot in easily. The "bump" will still be there, but the gear stick should ride over it almost on its own accord.

[Tim]

the other thing which i noticed in my car.

Its just a little bit tight when the car is new. Mine took 10-15k to loosen up and then the gearbox started to glide into gear much nicer.

[warhead]

I think your clutch is okay. What I think you're experiencing (given you don't have much manual driving experience) is you're trying to change too fast. You should be able to change gears with just two fingers only using light pressure.

Don't try to force the gear in. Give the synchromesh some time to match the gearbox spin to the desired gear. It should then slot in easily. The "bump" will still be there, but the gear stick should ride over it almost on its own accord.

All the gears change pretty smoothly (disregarding the "bump", just going from 1st to 2nd is a bit hard.

What made me concerned is one time when I was trying to down shift from 4th to 2nd ( going pretty slow, maybe 40km/h but approaching a green light ), and with the clutch completely pressed the whole way, I still felt a sort of grinding resistance. Is this what you described as the synchro catching?

[CatonaPC©]

I still felt a sort of grinding resistance. Is this what you described as the synchro catching?

A shift from 4th to 2nd in a new car might be hard on a tight new gearbox, so go easy on the gear jumping for now.

You can't really analyse these things in a forum, so if you are concerned, your best option is to visit your dealer workshop and get it checked.

[bazzle]

Warhead... How many KK's on your Golf?

If it has a few it could be other things.

Bazzle

[sucnip]

Snick snick...

Gear changes in German cars usually feel like two distinct movements. In some Japanese cars changing gears feels like one fluid motion. Per the advice above never force the car into gear.

When downshifting (ie: 4th to 2nd) move the lever to neutral (Snick) and gently press the lever over and down (two finger pressure). Feeling and/or hearing a slight whirring is normal - this is the syncro. After a second or two the lever will almost fall into place with light constant pressure. Once in second you can re-press the clutch go to neutral and back into second with very little effort.

Good luck and enjoy.

[warhead]

Car's done about 16,000kms - practically still new.

When I mentioned down shifting from 4 to 2, it wasn't to engine break, but to have the car in the right gear as the traffic light I was approaching had just turned green. I only ever engine break down to the 3rd gear.

But taking advice mentioned here, I now wait about a 1-2 seconds after putting the clutch down before shifting and it does feel much smoother.

I was driving a rental manual car the other day and compared to the golf, I felt nothing from that gearbox when I shift, it was as if everything inside was made of butter

[Fanaki]

I was driving a rental manual car the other day and compared to the golf, I felt nothing from that gearbox when I shift, it was as if everything inside was made of butter

^ EXACTLY! i jump in my bro's car from time to time and there is no "feel" in the gear box at all.

does anyone here double clutch on a frequent basis ie on their daily drive (or only on the track, if ever)? and if so do you find the change to be smoother?

[CatonaPC©]

If you're good at it, you don't need to use the clutch at all, except when selecting first gear to move off.

[Fanaki]

If you're good at it, you don't need to use the clutch at all, except when selecting first gear to move off.

yes i have known of this (wasn't too sure if it was a myth or not) but i have not been game enough to give it a go. might try in the old paddock bomb next time i'm at the farm