No 4th gear

[xatex]

I bought a beetle, 4th gear wouldn't work. You could hold it down by putting a lot of force on the shifter, and it would stay in gear, otherwise, as soon as you let off the shifter or tried to apply the gas, it fell out of 4th. I moved the shifter around, took it off and saw the bushing was still intact, looked at the steering coupler, then finally took the transaxle out and replaced it with another transaxle bought used here on thesamba from someone who said it was in good working condition. I got the other transaxle in, and still, no 4th gear! Although I can lightly hold the shifter in 4th, and it will stay in, but it whines some.

So either I am having real bad luck getting transaxles with no 4th gear and need to shell out the money for a rebuilt one, or something else is wrong. I looked at the shift coupler, I think it may be bad? The coupler will make the rod coming out of the transaxle go in and out, but if I move the shifter left and right while it's in neutral, the coupler does not transmit this movement to the transaxle. So there's no left-right movement going into the transaxle, only in and out. Is this right?

Is 4th gear the first to go outon these things and did I waste a bunch of time and money and still have to rebuild the transaxle? It just seems weird I have the exact same problem. At least I have a core to be rebuilt while I drive the car around now if I need another transaxle.

Any suggestions?

[DrDarby]

4th gear is normally the 1st to go. If the bushings are all new and in good order the trans is bad.
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Midwest Autosavers, Inc. Crystal Lake, IL

[KTPhil]

"The coupler will make the rod coming out of the transaxle go in and out, but if I move the shifter left and right while it's in neutral, the coupler does not transmit this movement to the transaxle. So there's no left-right movement going into the transaxle, only in and out. Is this right?"

This doesn't seem right. The rod has to rotate in order to grab the right shift forks for 1-2 and 3-4 shifting inside the nosecone. Check several things:
1) shifter ball and plate
2) rod bushing right behind shift lever inside tunnel
3) coupler under cover under back seat
Work the lever and find out where you are losing the motion. Fix this before diving into the tranny.

[xatex]

Well, while the coupler was worn out, it wasn't what was causing it. My dad test drove the car, and said it's possibly the clutch, and that it's too high a coincidence I get 2 back to back transaxle with the same problem, this is possible. He said he had an issue with a sandrail where the clutch wasn't aligned right to the pressure plate, and the pressure and resistance was causing it to pop out of first. He realigned the clutch, and the problem went away.

I didn't think a clutch could do this, but at this point, it's worth a shot. I'll take the motor out, check the clutch for alignment, and inspect the clutch. The guy I bought this thing from was full of it, said it had a new transaxle (nope), starter (nope), and he replaced the clutch (there's a chance he did do this, the car started chattering bad, not too long after I bought it, the new transaxle ended this...for now, but with what other work I see done to the car, I wouldn't be surprised some previous owner would put a new clutch on without using the align tool.) So now I'm not driving the car until I make sure the clutch is aligned right to prevent any damage.

[KPottorff]

Someone is full of it alright.

If the clutch plate was out of line when installed it would very difficult to get the engine into the car. And even if the engine did go in with the clutch plate slightly out of line, the first time you pushed the clutch pedal the plate would find its proper place immediately.

Having said that, it may be that the clutch is worn and giving problems. However your original statement about fourth gear popping out when under way would point to a worn transmission and nothing to do with the operation of the clutch. Any noise, whining, grinding or otherwise, should not be heard from a good transmission.

I would suggest doing what KTPhil pointed out with the addition of inspecting the trans mounts if you didn't already while replacing the transmission previously.

[Banzai KG]

Worn synchros/slider in the tranny will cause the popping out of gear under power.
Here is a quote from Long Enterprises...
One of the most common problems with VW transaxles is their tendency to jump out of gear for no apparent reason. Despite the best efforts of conscientious rebuilders to properly adjust shift forks, rebush gear carriers, tighten detent springs, etc. these gearboxes can still jump out of gear.
_________________
Jim Kikuchi
Sunnyvale (near San Jose), CA
1964 Karmann Ghia coupe
V.V.W.C.A. - Golden Gate Chapter: http://www.ggcvvwca.org/
B.L.T.N. (Better Late Than Never) late model VW Club (San Jose/Santa Clara, CA): https://www.facebook.com/groups/bltnvw/
NorCal Aircooled Group (NAG) Facebook Goup: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NAGVW/

[xatex]

I know very little about clutches other than they have to be aligned to go in, but don't you also bolt them after you align them? I could see how this would cause tension if it was bolted off a little.

I looked at the trans mounts when I pulled the trans. The two by the motor were still good, the one toward the front is new. Again I don't think this is something that would cause it to fall out of gear.

I wouldn't know how to check the shifter ball and plate to see if it is worn. I have nothing to compare it to.

I'm grasping at straws at this point. I can feel the car going into all 4 gears, there isn't any play in the shift linkage now. So any adjustments I make to the shift linkage I know are going to have minimal impact, but if this doesn't work, I'll replace the front bushing and clip, though there is VERY little play there if any. I already moved the shifter around a bunch and it has zero impact.

So I'll try this clutch thing though it doesn't make any sense to me, if that doesn't work, replace the front bushing, if that doesn't work, out goes the transaxle. This is what I get for buying a used transaxle in "good working condition."

The thing that gets me is it's 4th gear both times.

[oldvolksguy]

Either the shift fork is worn out or the clutch hub in the transmission is. When a transmission jumps out of gear, it is because the slider is not locking into the "dog" on the gear. (fork adjustment) But I'd bet on worn parts.
You will need to have the transmission repaired or replaced........lesson here is don't buy used stuff and think you are going to win....nine out of ten times you don't.
It has NOTHING to do with the clutch.
Sorry about that.

[KPottorff]

Forget the clutch. I bet even money the problem is a worn 4th gear section.

[xatex]

Yeah, I think I'm in denial because I spent $160 and a weekend putting a bad transaxle in, not to mention got lied to that it was good. The motor needs to come back out anyways. Another $400, and a weekend and the problem will be solved. I told myself I wasn't going to put any money in this thing, just drive it. I should have known that would be impossible.

What kills me is it's 4th gear both times.

[Bruce]

[KTPhil]

No balls? What do you call the little thing on the bottom end of these shifters?

Here's a stock shifter; harder to see the ba..., er, whatchacallit, inside the spring, but it's there:

[Bruce]

The spherical things on the bottoms of those shifters NEVER wear out, they don't need to be checked.
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[KTPhil]

I have seen some slop in them, probably due to wear on the socket rather than the ball, and even more funky shifting then the pin has fallen out. It's worth checking.

So they aren't "balls," they are "spherical things?" I see.