"Reluctant" gearbox

[Wand Weaver]

I'm curious whether anyone else has had any issues with getting their Polo's into 1st gear after sitting at idle out of gear for a while?

It's happened a few times (not many) since I got the car when the gearbox doesn't quite want to go into first - it seems to get "stuck" halfway up the gate and doesn't fully engage.

Just wondering whether it's an issue I should really get looked at by a dealership - or whether it can be a little reluctant sometimes?

I've only crunched it once - all other times, I've put the car into second, then into first - resulting in a rather "un-GTI" takeoff

[shaneth]

Im pretty sure its a safety feature to stop you going from 5th or reverse or something straight into 1st. Mine does it sometimes when i pull up at lights without down changing gears. All you have to do is slip it into second and then back to first.

[Wand Weaver]

Im pretty sure its a safety feature to stop you going from 5th or reverse or something straight into 1st. Mine does it sometimes when i pull up at lights without down changing gears. All you have to do is slip it into second and then back to first.

Cheers mate

Saved me looking like a goose at the dealership. Now that I know it's not just mine, I'm not worried about it at all, especially since what you said makes sense.

[shaneth]

Yeah my last car had the same thing so when the polo did it to me the first time i figured it out.

[Guy_H]

We have been working on engine mounts on the little fellows, our first prototypes went in Friday, although too stiff (ie: too much vibration at idle) - the difference in the shifting action is amazingly transformed.

These things run a cable shift gearbox, and the rear pedulum mount is the same as the one from the 1.2 litre, 40 kw car, so its not realy meant to handle the HP & Torque we are putting through it. The engine can rock just on 50mm at the extent of the arc of travel, the shifter cables are constantly being stretched & compressed in this movement. The poor gearshifter struggles under these conditions!

Its a difficult engineering issue to fix, but after a couple of months, we almost have it sorted.

[Guy_H]

Good news is the mount has settled & the vibration settled down - seems like the mount requires a bit of break in time (like most engine mounts)

[insanekiwi]

Guy,

When is this modification going to be completed? I am eagerly waiting for it!

[Adam]

Guy,

When is this modification going to be completed? I am eagerly waiting for it!

alittle off topic. a friend of mine was telling me that putting synthetic gearbox oil will improve the shifts?? is that true?

[insanekiwi]

From what I've heard in the past, best to stick with the fluid recommended.

Only thing I really heard positive was redline gearbox fluid, apparently really good...

[VWindahouse]

From what I've heard in the past, best to stick with the fluid recommended.

Only thing I really heard positive was redline gearbox fluid, apparently really good...

I have used redline fluid before in the very knotchy toyota sportivo 6 speed gear box. Made shifting a lot smoother even at high revs!