Sloppy Shifting into Reverse

[tmckinn]

warning: long post

I'm just about at wits end. I recently performed a sex change operation on my '70 autostick Ghia to a manual. I had to install a clutch cable tube and everything - quite a chore. I swapped out the shift rod and shifter assembly from a used manual.

Anyway, the thing has never shifted into reverse properly. In other words, I've never had to press down to get it into reverse (all the other gears are fine). People have told me, it's your shift plate. Put in a new genuine VW one - same problem. Then someone said, it's the shifter bushing. Put in a new one (what a pain in the ass). Same problem. I thought maybe the shifter itself was worn out. I bought a new stock aftermarket one from CIP1.com. Didn't cure it.

The new shifter looks nearly identical to the one in my car except the little ball bearing that is on the side of the shift ball end. The ball bearing on new shifter from CIP1.com is quite a bit bigger. Not sure if that makes a difference. As it turns out, I wasn't able to get this shifter to work in my car. Whenever I tightened the shifter down, it would stay down (spring compressed) and I couldn't move it side to side in neutral.

The Orange Bentley says the little ball bearing at the end of the shifter ball needs to fit into the notch on the shift rod. I can't discern a notch anywhere. Where is the notch? 3 o'clock?, 6 o'clock? etc.

Is it possible that the casting area where the shift ball fits into the shift rod wears out? I bought a new shift rod, again, from CIP1.com. The shift rod is for early Type 1s, but they say with a special adjuster thing, it will work. Well, the shift rod came, but it has a real funky bend to it. The tech department assures me it will fit. I'm a little worrried that the bend may hit up against my clutch cable tube.

I just wanted to check with all of you, before I spend 3 hours messing around (and cursing) with the shift rods.

Thanks, Tom

P.S. Yes, it's a Ghia and I'm on the Beetle forum. I noticed the Beetle forum get's far more traffic so I thought the odds of someone having a similar issue would be better.

[Alan Willis]

Did you put the shift plate in properly?Does your shifter have a dowel on the left side of the ball?
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die schwarzen Schafe #666

[Stevie Fierce]

maybe a dumb question, but what did you take this shift rod out of? and you say this new one is different than what you have.
and the shift plate....it's installed correctly? i believe off the top of my head that the sloped part goes towards the 3rd gear position so when it is pulled toward reverse the pushing down of the shifter comes into play?

[Alan Willis]

that is correct,witing for an answer from the host to see if he fixed the problem
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die schwarzen Schafe #666

[tmckinn]

Hi guys. Actually, I'm not certain what the shift rod came out of. I took the car to an air cooled shop to have the clutch cable tube welded in place. They didn't have a used shift rod available, but called a local yard. I (presume) it was for a Type 1. It is very similar in shape to the autostick shift rod that came it out of the car.

Come to think of it, my Ghia is an early '70. I believe it was built Oct '69 and it came with the early autostick transmission if that means anything.

Regarding the shift plate. I'm 99.99% certain it is installed correctly. The tabs up, the short tab on the left, the longer tab on the right.

Dowel on the left side of the ball? I'm not certain what you mean. The shift ball has a like a ball bearing. This ball bearing can be pushed in. But it's definitely not a dowel. The new shifter also has a ball bearing (much bigger) than the OEM one in the car now.

[Alan Willis]

there should be a dowel or "pin"in the ball that lines up with a slot in the carrier.
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die schwarzen Schafe #666

[Stevie Fierce]

sounds like your plate is in correctly so this shop.......they welded in the tube and installed the shift rod? and they stopped there? did you install the trans or did they? im just saying.......if they left you just to put the shifter in you shouldnt have a problem. maybe its just the wrong shift rod? keep us posted.

[RareAir]

[tmckinn]

Yep - about the shop. I just towed the Ghia there for them to do the welding. Since I had to cut access holes in the tunnel, I thought it would be most efficient for them to the install the used shift rod before welding up the access flaps. The shop is quite reputable. However, I wasn't overly impressed with the welding. In fact, after that I bought a $150 MIG welder on eBay and taught myself how to weld. I'm happy to report I can now lay down a pretty good bead.

At any rate, I installed the transmission, shift coupler, shifter etc. Well, I see if I can mess around with the new shift rod this weekend.

Thanks.

[RareAir]

[bill may]

1968 and newer shift rod is shorter than 67 and older.. 111 711 155A chassis # 1-397 023 - 1-929 745 111 711 155D used 1-929 746-6 502 399 111 711 155E used 115 000 001 (1965 model year) - 117 999 000(1967 model year) 113 711 155 used 118 000 001(1968 model year - 112 3200 000(1972 model year) 1117 711 155F used 1973 model year onwards( 113 2000 001 chassis number onwards) he needs gear shift rod part number 113 711 155 1968 thru 1972 model years...

[Alan Willis]

I'm sorry,I thought this WAS '58-'67 BEETLE! If his is a later model,he should be in BEETLE '68 and later!
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die schwarzen Schafe #666

[Stevie Fierce]

[Cobey]

I don't think your components are bad, just the alignment. If the shift plate is not aligned correctly, you can shift into reverse without pushing down. I've had to fool with that this week after putting in a new tranny as the whole shifter set up was funky. After aligning the plate correctly, reverse lock out came into play.

Try this adjustment proceedure and see how it goes.
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(0)(=|=)(0) 68 Ghia Vert - Gina
N.A.G

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[george4888]

I am surprised nobody figured this out. If you used the aftermarket shifter, what ever year, I have lots of problems with them. They do not have the correct fulcum point ( look the work up) and the length of most of them is wrong. Compare the "new" one length from the bottom of the stamped plate to the bottom of the old stock shifter. Also, you need to use the rod and shifter from the correct year car or one that is the same length
as what came originally with your year car. The auto stick shift rod is one inch different from that used on the manual cars. But, the length of the shifter can make a big difference. Also, the stock shifter had a nylon rubbing piece on them between the stamped metal rod holder and the shift rod fulcum ball. That is missing on all the aftermarket stock shifters I have seen, which also affect the position of the shifter and how it works. ---George4888 and the spring under the new shifter are wrong. You would think they would be able to copy the old stock ones, but they do not seem to come very close. The springs are too large and get in the way of the stock shift plate under the shfter. Hopefully, you used a original shift plate, as the aftermarket ones are also lousy. Taiwan make them cheap, not good.