TheSamba.com :: View topic - Possible transaxle issues in Southern Utah

Thu Oct 02, 2025 6:48 pm

We’re on a road trip from Seattle. We’ve started to have shifting issues. This is an old Syncro transaxle from an 87. I run Swepco 202 if it matters. Shifting from 3rd to 4th or back is starting to become difficult. Shifting to 1st from stop is more difficult.

I’m thinking that it’s time to cut this trip short and attempt to get home.

Are there shops or experts in my area? I’m at Capital Reef NP tonight.

I’m planning to call German Transaxle in the morning.

My internet is spotty. I’ll check the thread again tomorrow.

Thanks

Patrick

Thu Oct 02, 2025 7:58 pm

Check that all your shift linkage bolts are tight. Just in case.

Thu Oct 02, 2025 9:08 pm

Another failure point in the linkage is the ball and cup arrangement. Assuming syncro trans are the same in this regard you might see how it shifts right at the side of the transaxle, manually selecting gears by grabbing the selector shaft and working it in and out and fore and aft.

Thu Oct 02, 2025 9:26 pm

Ahwahnee wrote: Another failure point in the linkage is the ball and cup arrangement. Assuming syncro trans are the same in this regard you might see how it shifts right at the side of the transaxle, manually selecting gears by grabbing the selector shaft and working it in and out and fore and aft.

Can these components be removed/replaced without full shift rod removal?

Thu Oct 02, 2025 9:27 pm

As vague as this sounds, if:
— It’s not screeching in 3rd, nor making any other horrid noises
— You don’t hear the Wails of Heck bouncing off buildings you drive by
— The transmission case can be held onto, meaning not really hot
— You know the oil is still good, and full up
— You hear no noise in Neutral whether clutch’s in or out
— The slave cylinder has reasonably fresh fluid, is full, and clutch is normal

Then it may well be that something’s come loose. First guess is the clamp holding the fore and aft shift rods together, second guess is at the rear where the assembly enters the transmission, third guess is the bushings themselves are so worn that accurate shifting is leaving the building.

Does the gear lever eagerly and naturally “spring” to the right between 3rd and 4th when it’s in Neutral?

A few weeks ago I struggled to shift, and was embarrassed to realize the two bushings had dried out. A little lithium grease and it was shifting like butter, before that it was very tight!

Sometimes such gradual degradations happen so slowly it’s easy to forget that it isn’t right until it again is!

Hope you get to find it and continue. Life’s too damned short to bail out of your trip just yet.

Yesterday 7:39 am

pbrown wrote: Shifting from 3rd to 4th or back is starting to become difficult. Shifting to 1st from stop is more difficult.

Based on those symptoms, it makes me wonder if the clutch master or slave are failing. If it is easy to shift into 1str when the engine is off, then it is even more likely. The failure mode of the slave is to leak. The master can fail internally without leaking.

Yesterday 7:48 am

Camper_Velourium wrote: Can these components be removed/replaced without full shift rod removal?

Yes. Just a nut and a set screw as I recall.

Yesterday 7:51 am

?Waldo? wrote: pbrown wrote: Shifting from 3rd to 4th or back is starting to become difficult. Shifting to 1st from stop is more difficult.

Based on those symptoms, it makes me wonder if the clutch master or slave are failing. If it is easy to shift into 1str when the engine is off, then it is even more likely. The failure mode of the slave is to leak. The master can fail internally without leaking.

Thats what I was thinking

I would start by bleeding the Clutch cylinder/line to ensure theres no air in the line

Yesterday 8:11 am

?Waldo? wrote: pbrown wrote: Shifting from 3rd to 4th or back is starting to become difficult. Shifting to 1st from stop is more difficult.

Based on those symptoms, it makes me wonder if the clutch master or slave are failing. If it is easy to shift into 1str when the engine is off, then it is even more likely. The failure mode of the slave is to leak. The master can fail internally without leaking.

Thats what it sounds like to me too... If it shifts fine when the engine is off I'd say clutch slave. Its a pretty common failure.

And having just been there a few days ago, Moab has a well stocked NAPA that just might have one, or could get it ordered to the store.

Yesterday 8:55 am

Forgetting the clutch, if you are running down the road in 4th, how easy is it to pull out of gear without using the clutch. Off power it should shift into neutral without effort.

Yesterday 9:18 am

Patrick,

I have been in your shoes many times. I live in SLC and there are several rockstar Vanagon repair shops here. The owners of these repair shops own Vanagon's as well. SLC is 3.5hrs with a tailwind away from Capital Reef, I'm confident either shop will get you in. Here is another suggestion. If you are confident the issues is with syncro gearbox, Mr. Gas in Canon City, CO is closer than German Transaxle:

http://www.mrgasrebuilds.com/location.html

If I can help you in anyway, please PM me and I will reply with my cellular number. You are not alone.

Yesterday 10:37 am

Quote:
— It’s not screeching in 3rd, nor making any other horrid noises
— You don’t hear the Wails of Heck bouncing off buildings you drive by

No unusual noises.

Quote:
— The transmission case can be held onto, meaning not really hot

Seems okay, but we've only driven about 10 miles today. I'll check again at todays destination.

Quote:
— You know the oil is still good, and full up

The oil is fresh less than 1000 miles. Swepco 202. We did discovery a leak at the shifter linkage that leaks only in reverse and when hot.

I tried to check level and could not get the plug loose. I have a hammer now and will try again soon.

I have some 75W90 weight oil picked up from the local Napa.

Quote:
— You hear no noise in Neutral whether clutch’s in or out

No noises. All smooth.

Quote:
— The slave cylinder has reasonably fresh fluid, is full, and clutch is normal

Not fresh. I'm looking for a source for replacement master and slave. Napa was one week out. Van Cafe have some in stock is I can find a ship to address somewhere forward of me.

Quote:
Does the gear lever eagerly and naturally “spring” to the right between 3rd and 4th when it’s in Neutral?

Yes is does.

Yesterday 10:38 am

Ahwahnee wrote: Another failure point in the linkage is the ball and cup arrangement. Assuming syncro trans are the same in this regard you might see how it shifts right at the side of the transaxle, manually selecting gears by grabbing the selector shaft and working it in and out and fore and aft.

These seem okay. I have the GoWesty parts there.

Yesterday 10:51 am

Okay, Thanks for the details.

Unless the slave is visibly blowing fluid out, next you might check reservoir level, top off if necessary, and bleed thoroughly. My coolant pressure pump has a fitting for the reservoir, it’s very easy to fill the reservoir a little high, pump just a pound or two (not more!) of pressure onto the reservoir, tap open slave nipple, watch fluid level drop to Max, and close nipple.

This works well, but pumping the clutch pedal at first, or if you have no pump — similarly to a brake bleed method — might be the first step. Brake fluid’s cheap, waste a little for a good bleed. Takes two people though, one to pedal and the other to close nipple when the pedal’s down, and open it when up.

Now that it seems the gearbox isn’t blowing up, and presuming the linkages and bushings are correct — and the resting Neutral position sounds perfect — that leads me to my last posted idea of a slave issue.

If indeed you need a rebuild, I cannot recommend Arizona Transaxle enough (!!!).

Convenience or saving a few bucks in shipping is no excuse for using any lesser shop, though heard good about German Transaxle over the years as well.

Yesterday 10:57 am

Sounds like it could be the dreaded 3-4 slider has cracked. If you're lucky it may hold together long enough to get to civilization. Exercise very smooth and gentle shifts!

https://gowesty.com/blogs/article-library/transaxle-sudden-death-syndrome-in-vanagons

Yesterday 10:58 am

I just checked the slave. It's dry. No leaking.

The reservoir is full and I've never had to add fluid.

One more data point -- my Wife stated that the clutch felt heavier than normal when she drove.

Yesterday 11:11 am

Okay, still hoping for the best here — there’s no need for you to assume worst-case scenarios just yet, though it’s indeed wise to realize this could be one.

Several people here assume the worst straight off. Perhaps they’ve never been in the shoes you’re wearing right now, or don’t realize that premature stress is absolutely counter-productive, if not horrifying, until facts are confirmed.

We’ve had two vans lose the 3rd gear slider, both times likely from unknown prior owner abuse or lack of care. Both times it made noise, somewhat easy to miss unless sounds are bouncing off buildings or a highway divider.

First time was a worsening, grindy shriek (on a box with over 300,000 miles on it).

The second time was barely audible, and perhaps regrettably did a preemptive rebuild and focused on convenience rather than use the wonderful Arizona Transaxle.

I recall no issues getting into 1st, in both cases. We DID have an issue getting into 1st last year when the bushing or bearing behind the input shaft failed — despite a rebuild less than three years prior. In that case, in Neutral and idling, pushing the clutch in changed engine sound noticeably — I think the sound showed up with clutch pushed IN.

If in that position with windows down, work clutch in and out a couple times and see if any noise quiets down when clutch is down.

Not recommended, but for what it’s worth we once *had to* drive thousands of miles on a bad slider (we travel full-time). It indeed did do some damage that was likely already there, but can get you home if really careful. Just make sure the case never gets super hot. And our noise was LOUD.

I would still get under there and check for bushing slop for and aft, they should be snug with little slop. Put into 1st or 3rd and lube shafts, then 2nd or 4th to lube from the other side of the bushing(s). Pretty much anything will work but Lithium grease doesn’t suck up grit as bad as other greases but lasts way longer than say silicone spray.

I was dead serious when describing the enormous shifting difference we just had last week when lubing unattended, dry bushings and shafts.

Yesterday 11:47 am

The issue of getting into 1st can typically be resolved by cycling the clutch pedal and trying again. I was thinking that this is worn synchros.

I'm shifting this thing like it's make of glass. I'm not forcing a shift. I'm also keeping the engine RPMs high.

I also try not to ride in 4th for long stretches. I drop to 3rd often because of the known 4th gear oiling issue.

We're traveling with friends in a second van. If we have a total failure, they can get help.

We're going to get lunch and make a go/no-go decision.

Yesterday 11:54 am

Excellent, Good Luck!

Yesterday 11:57 am

Didn’t see where you tried the test I recommended. I had a 3/4 slider fail in such a way you didn’t know it happened. It was apart for another reason.

The 3/4 shifts by default take the least effort and alignment. Interesting your wife thinks the clutch is heavier. Not sure what would cause that and be the source of your problems. Cross shaft for the clutch bearing could be seizing or the bearing could be tight on the input shaft sleeve. I have pictures of my failed 3/4 hub posted, but was unable to search due to a traffic error.