Can't get into reverse!

[ballenuk]

Hi everyone,

Hopefully not a silly question: The company I work for has recently purchased a VW Camper van and I'm the one responsible for getting it working properly (long story!).

In short, I'm familiar with older/classic vehicles (I drive a '74 Mercedes) but I've never had any experience of VWs. The camper we have is a '72 Bus. It's in fairly decent shape, and will be even more so by the time it's had all the surgery it needs. However, I can't get the darn thing into reverse.

I'm hoping it's not a serious issue. Unless I'm very much mistaken, reverse is below 5th gear, and you need to push down on the gearknob before heading into that direction. Correct?

Every time I try to get reverse I end up getting (I assume) 4th gear instead. To be fair, the shifting is far from on-point on this van...

Any suggestions? Am I missing something really obvious? Thanks!

[sjbartnik]

There is no 5th gear in a VW Bus, it’s a 4-speed.

To engage reverse you push down on the top of the shifter, then, while holding it down, move the lever full left, then to the rear.

If you DO have five forward gears, then you have some non-stock transmission in there and you will need to find out what it is.
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1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650

[Wasted youth]

Greetings! You came to right place. The Samba Technical Archives has a wealth of free information. Look at the top right pull down menu of this webpage. See the Tab marked Technical? Hover over that. Now it opens up another menu with the words Owner's Manuals. Surf that, and you will find a scanned-in 1972 Type 2 Owner's Manual.

I clicked on the page within there that should help you right:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/72bus/72II-36.jpg

[danfromsyr]

[ballenuk]

You guys are amazing. Mystery solved!

Here is the problem:

Causing great confusion...! I just tested it and sure enough, reverse engages immediately

[alman72]

that pic is the only thing that could have redeemed you. When I read 5th gear I wondered what we were dealing with.

[Clementine79]

That is great! They must have just had a knob laying around, good way to confuse shops too when you have to get tires changed.

[ballenuk]

Haha yes, I think the photo was essential to dig myself out of a hole

Got to find a suitable replacement now to avoid any more confusion!

[alman72]

can someone get this guy the noob data dump? bears are optional. I worry about the oil strainer bolt snapping off and ruining the case
edit -if he has a US model with the flat 4 pancake

[oshima]

Hmm, I'm going to get one of these shifter knobs immediately. Excellent anti-theft device!
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1978 2.0L Fuel Injected

[Wasted youth]

[KentABQ]

Excellent advice from TCash...

[danfromsyr]

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[sjbartnik]

[airschooled]

Notice the "H" pattern of the forward gears. Shifting diagonally from 2-3 or 3-2 is a great way to shorten the lifespan of your expensive transaxle.

See you on the road,
Robbie
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Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
One-on-one tech help for your Volkswagen:
www.airschooled.com

[SGKent]

pay close attention to that 9 ft lbs on the oil strainer nut. Consequences of going higher can be a trashed engine block. Do not hand tighten. You don't even need to pull that strainer unless you want to inspect the screen.
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[alman72]

[Abscate]

They are not optional, and when the boss ask why you have a 45k req for car repair you can tell her/ him you researched it o;the internet


[youtube]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=snckhUVo8XU[/youtube]
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.ssS!

[Abscate]

[cmonSTART]

That is great! Funniest thing I've seen all day!
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'78 Bus 2.0FI
de K1IGS