TOB? Clutch? Both?

[AlaskaWesty]

OK, this may have been covered in 1000 old posts, but since the new search functions were not giving me the info I wanted...

I think Choco-Chip has called it quits for the summer. Park me and let it snow.

Driving home last night on our "Highway" I could not down shift to slow down. I got off the highway and shifted to where I know second should be but she never "popped" into gear. I let off on the clutch and I was in gear. I got up the top of our ridge and stopped at the mail box. Upon returning to her, I could not get her into first to go the 20 feet to my steep driveway. ALL I NEEDED WAS 20 FEET!!! Then it was all down hill to the house.

Clutch to the floor, she would not hit ANY forward gear. The harder I pushed I could hear it grind. Double clutching, NO HELP. Reverse, ah reverse, that works. So I tried first and second again, no luck. By holding the stick hard up to where first should be I got forward momentum enough to go the 20 feet when releasing the clutch. I had to hold her up there though.

I got to the house and reverse into her parking spot. Home safe.

QUESTION: Is it the TOB and/or clutch? What steps can I take to diagnose before commiting myself to try and remove the whole thing in my yard. What about the cable? Would I still be able to get her into reverse?

Front shift bushing is new as is the coupler. Wing nut on clutch cable was adjusted this summer and was fine last I looked. (I did not yesterday cause it was raining.)

Can we say winter project? I wish I had a garage.
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'78 CEII Westy - RIP

[NuggJugg]

You might want to get under and check on the wing nut on the clutch cable. I have found that they stretch out. I put a new one on about 2 or 3 weeks ago, and I still have to get under every once in a great while and tighten it down one turn and it works like a charm.

When you got into reverse did it grind going into reverse? When I was having trouble, I couldnt get into 1st for the life of me, but I could get into reverse with some slight grinding. Hope this helps so you can cruise some more this summer.
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1971 Westfalia 1600 DP
1972 Campmobile 2.0 Liter
1975 Beetle
1990 Jetta GL 5 speed manual 190,000 miles and still smokes!

[AlaskaWesty]

No grinding in reverse. Sounded fine.

Funny, when I first got this bus I could not get her in reverse and now nothing but works!

What goes around I guess. Will check wing nut tonight, thanks.
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'78 CEII Westy - RIP

[crofty]

Sounds like a cable issue to me too.
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Your Vanagon sucks, Stop waving at me.

[NuggJugg]

Maybe check your cable up near the front were it goes into that beam. If that plastic sleeve isnt on there right the cable might be hanging up on that.
_________________
My Shows:
http://db.etree.org/nugg_jugg

1971 Westfalia 1600 DP
1972 Campmobile 2.0 Liter
1975 Beetle
1990 Jetta GL 5 speed manual 190,000 miles and still smokes!

[AlaskaWesty]

OK, New discovery: since my wife wants to take my son in her to Anchorage next week I dove into trying to fix her.

I CAN get her in 3rd and 4th. So the problem is limited to first and second. I adjusted the stop plate. No luck. I did notice the front bushing (which I just replaced a few months ago) had some more play in it. Clutch cable is tight. (Can it be too tight?)

Also, the underside of the transaxel is a mess. I did notice NO BOOT where the shaft goes into the tranny. Plus, since I replaced the coupler, that area is a mess with lubricant. The whole tranny is covered in some oily goo that is caked with dirt from our dirt road now. I assume that the seals are all leaking. Also noticed alot of oil leaking out of the front of the engine near the main seal, but that will be another post someday.

Could the oil leak be killing my tranny and preventing me from accessing first? I need to buy a 17mm wrench tomorrow to check the tranny oil. If it is low HOW DO YOU FILL IT? (Dang hard to tilt a bottle up in there.)

Or is it a shift linkage issue. Thanks to all.
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'78 CEII Westy - RIP

[jeremysmithatshawdotca]

Some people use a line with an inline pump in it, similar to a fuel line for a fishing boat I guess, to get the oil up into the fill hole. As Dana pointed out in a different thread, open the top hole first, to make sure it works alright, before you take out the bottom plug. Jeremy