YACT: Link needed.

[billbixbysmonkey]

Bought me a 1988 VW Golf with a 5 speed. Problem is, the shifter is so sloppy, I can't get it into Reverse or 5th gear.

I bought the complete bushing kit but have no instructions on how to put it in. I tried searching but found nothing.

What a better place to turn for help than here. Someone must have link. With pics would be a plus.

I did buy a haynes manual but it shows nothing. Of course. Would a Bentley manual show it?

 

[KingNothing]

I think a factory service manual is your best bet. Check EBay.

BTW, I hope you paid next to nothing for that car.

 

[billbixbysmonkey]

Originally posted by: KingNothing


BTW, I hope you paid next to nothing for that car.

Why is that?




And I paid $50

 

[KingNothing]

It's a 16-year-old Volkswagen that you can't put into fifth or reverse. You're either going to spend a lot on repairs or get rid of it quickly so spending a lot to buy it would be dumb.

 

[billbixbysmonkey]

I spent $20 on the shifter bushing kit that will take care of the shifting problem.

 

You are most likely not going to find online directions for the bushing replacement or shifter adjustments, the actual bushing replacement is relatively straight forward (carefully memorize how the parts inter relate to each other) but when it comes to the adjustment procedure, there is a very specific order of adjustments, I would strongly suggest a repair manual, without it you are going to find it very difficult to adjust the shifter correctly.

 

[jemcam]

I had two mid 80's VW's, a Golf and a Jetta and the shifter bushings going bad are very common. It is fairly easy to replace them, and I can't remember the name of the part, but there is one shifter rod that has a big golf ball size bushing in it and wears out and makes shifting very sloppy too. It's cheap and IIRC, it's just held in with one 10 or 12mm bolt.

Shifter repairs are pretty easy, Look on top of the transmission underneath the brake booster and have someone shift gears while you watch under the hood. You'll see the linkage and will be able to see where the slop is and where the bushings go. Again it's been a while since I've done it, but it seems to me that the majority of those bushings just snap in without any tools required.