Can't select reverse... after fixing same issue recently

[SyncroButter]

Hi All,

First off just as background and to avoid confusion my Doka has a 5 speed, so shift pattern is a dog leg like this:

A few weeks ago I had my first mechanical issue with the Doka after daily driving for a year... shifting to where reverse should be put me in 2nd (where 1st would be in a normal 4 speed Vanagon). So, I went under the van, found the slip joint adjustment point, marked the existing orientation really well, then adjusted it by two "clicks" before tightening it down again and that resolved the issue.

This morning I backed out of my driveway in reverse, drove to work, and found at the work parking lot that I could no longer select reverse... it was once again 2nd no matter how I tried. I got it into a pull-through parking spot and took a look at the slip joint, thinking I must have not tightened it enough and it had moved... but the marks show me that my previous "two clicks" adjustment is holding tight.

Any ideas on what to do or investigate now? I can adjust at the slip joint again but it seems like something must be giving up the ghost elsewhere in the system. I will do more looking around when I get the Doka into my shop tonight to see if anything jumps out at me, but figured someone might have insight or experienced this before.

Thanks in advance!
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Grant
In the stable: 1986 Syncro Westfalia/Bostig, 1989 Doka Tristar, 1974 Vespa Rally 200, 1973 Vespa Primavera 125, 1963 Solex 2200, 1938 Buick Special
Gone but not forgotten: 1989 Porsche 944, 1973 Standard Beetle

[Ahwahnee]

I don't know 5-speeds... but does yours have this part?

https://www.vancafe.com/251711221F-p/251711221f-aft.htm

[SyncroButter]

[Jake de Villiers]

Is the shifter mounting plate a little loose? Or something else in the chain?
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'84 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX
'86 Westy Weekender Poptop/2.5 Subaru/5 Speed Posi/Audi Front Brakes/16 x 7 Mercedes Wheels - answers to 'Dixie'
@jakedevilliersmusic1
http://sites.google.com/site/subyjake/mydixiedarlin%27
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
www.thebassspa.com

[Ahwahnee]

[SyncroButter]

OK, checking shifter mounting plate and the "ball" are now on the agenda for my quality shop time this evening... i will report back. Thanks all!
_________________
Grant
In the stable: 1986 Syncro Westfalia/Bostig, 1989 Doka Tristar, 1974 Vespa Rally 200, 1973 Vespa Primavera 125, 1963 Solex 2200, 1938 Buick Special
Gone but not forgotten: 1989 Porsche 944, 1973 Standard Beetle

[IdahoDoug]

Another common issue is the shifter box directly below the shifter. In it, a metal shape with two tabs and plastic on each tab lives. The plastic tabs fall off and change the shift feel, and sometimes the ear itself cracks off. That happened to my Syncro and it was an easy fix.

You are brave to mess with the splined center linkage, but keenly intelligent to have carefully marked it. Odds are good when you find what changed/wore/broke and repair that, you will want to put that splined connection right back where you found it. So be sure the marks remain legible!!

Doug
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[SyncroButter]

[Wildthings]

[SyncroButter]

On the drive home the shifter let go completely, leaving me with only 3rd gear about 1.5 miles from home. It was clear that something had let go in the stick shift itself, the whole mechanism was just flopping around without resistance... kind of narrows things down a bit!

I still had three somewhat busy intersections between me and home and considered going under the van to manually put the transmission into 2nd but ultimately was able to feather the clutch enough in 3rd to make my way home and into my shop.

I'll let the pictures tell the tale from here.

Shifter after removal

Nut is nowhere to be found

_________________
Grant
In the stable: 1986 Syncro Westfalia/Bostig, 1989 Doka Tristar, 1974 Vespa Rally 200, 1973 Vespa Primavera 125, 1963 Solex 2200, 1938 Buick Special
Gone but not forgotten: 1989 Porsche 944, 1973 Standard Beetle

[Wildthings]

For now, you can probably put it all together, coat the threads with JB Weld and screw the nut on the best you can. Should hold for quite a while until you can get the parts to do it right.

[dhaavers]

If it were me, I'd just drill that bolt for a cotter pin, add a washer and never think about it again.

(But I'm cheap...)

- Dave
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86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS>

[danfromsyr]

don't forget to add a little foam washer or coiled spring to take the rattle out..

[Wildthings]

[SyncroButter]

There was enough "meat" on the bolt that I was able to get a nylock nut with a little loctite onto there so I just reassembled everything until I can get the new part and fix it more permanently. Took about 45 minutes from when I limped into the shop to when I was test driving the fix, kind of nice to have such a definitive failure vs doing a bunch of diagnostics

One rookie mistake: it was obvious that the linkage in the "box" had let go, if I was thinking things through more clearly I would have just started disassembling from under the van to see what was up but instead I pulled the shifter and looked down into the "box", this was unnecessary and if I had not scribed the position of the side to side adjustment of the shifter itself would have meant more trial and error at reassembly.
_________________
Grant
In the stable: 1986 Syncro Westfalia/Bostig, 1989 Doka Tristar, 1974 Vespa Rally 200, 1973 Vespa Primavera 125, 1963 Solex 2200, 1938 Buick Special
Gone but not forgotten: 1989 Porsche 944, 1973 Standard Beetle

[0to60in6min]

Coincidentally, I am on the same job of replacing the front linkage. I replaced it 10 years ago when I bought my tintop and I lube it frequently... recently there's a symptom of feeling at the front linkage that the 2nd is IN but NO 2nd gear at gear box and I have to reengage the 2nd twice before it get in... adjusting the the base doesn't help... so something is worn down there...

[ALIKA T3]

[SyncroButter]

[ALIKA T3]

You have a flat floor.

I never seen a DJ with the raised floor but I`ve seen it mentioned twice recently through various vendors. For sure the Turbo diesel had it, for increased air flow for the radiator.

The pictures are pretty clear in my link though.

The 4 speed shifter can work in lieu of the 5 speed, it`s basically like a syncro in this case.
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Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget

[SyncroButter]