Help! Shifter bushing fell out while driving! 1995 EVC

[EVCSNOW]

Does anyone know what I can do to get moving again? Stuck in San Diego area.

Thank you

[SteveZ]

Mine did that in in Minnesota! Memorial Day 2019. Miserable rainy, cold day. I was about 100 miles from St. Paul, where VanGo replaced them for me.

But to get there I held the linkage together with cable ties and shifted very carefully and delicately.

Because everyone was abandoning their Memorial Day plans and heading home, the road was bumper to bumper and slow - it took us over 6 hours to get there. I write this to state that the cable ties held out with a lot - I mean a lot - of shifting as we started and stopped continuously.

Good luck.

Oh, and if one of your bushings has perished, hardened, or shrunk enough to fall out, have the rest replaced to avoid another incident.

I got our bushings from https://europarts-sd.com/default.asp. who are in San Diego. Got an oil change and new shocks installed while visiting my son in San Diego by Kotter's VW in Escondido. https://www.kottersvw.com

Eurovan Rescue is a good resource for finding shops while on the road. http://www.eurovanrescue.com

[Zeitgeist 13]

Yeah, a few zip ties should hold long enough to get home.
_________________
Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[Saturn]

Had this happen on my 95 EVC in July 2019, a friend had borrowed my van for the weekend as the bushing failed about 3 miles from getting home while going through the middle of San Francisco. What you can do is to manually put the transmission into a specific gear by reaching through the engine and moving the shifter rod as it reachable and not that hard to access from above. He got the transmission into 2nd gear and was able to get it back to his driveway where repairs commenced a couple days later.

Here is a diagram of the shifting mechanism/linkage/parts as well as part numbers if ordering from VW (P/N 701711066 is the bushing.) There are two bushings on either side lever, and there is a small washer needed at the base of the ball joints.
https://www.jimellisvwparts.com/showAssembly.aspx?ukey_assembly=739024&ukey_product=5299705

Was unable to insert the new bushing into the lever under the car so removed it the rod connecting the lever to the cabin shifter assembly. Did the same thing with the rod going to the transmission. Used a vice and a bit of lube to install the bushing as it is a tight fit. When then reconnecting it back together, utilized a C-clamp to mate the lever onto the ball joint. Also replaced bushing #37 in the diagram in the process as that was pretty worn/weathered as well.

[Zeitgeist 13]

For those of you who have rebuilt the shift linkage, what's your trick to separating the large rod running forward from the shift box? I don't have a lift, so my access is pretty limited to what I can do while lying on my back. The rod will rotate just fine, but it won't slide forward. There's got to be a trick I just haven't discovered yet.
_________________
Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[67rustavenger]

[Zeitgeist 13]

I opted to post in this thread because it pertains to the same year and model van--'95 EVC five speed manual with the ACU gas engine.
_________________
Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[gesoffen]

Assuming the "large rod" is #20 in the linked diagram, and assuming it is similar to the shift linkage I installed as part of my 2003 EV manual swap:
1) Mark the end of #20 with respect to the knurled insert it clamps onto on the bottom of the shifter. This helps realignment upon installation.
2) If replacing bushings, go ahead and remove the pivot and other ends of the shift rod from the trans and bottom of shifter.
3)Loosen the clamping fastener at the shifter side of #20 (13mm hex head and nut if i recall).
4) Use a large flat head screw driver or similar to spread the clamp slightly. Depending on level of corrosion, a squirt of penetrating oil or similar could help.
5) If necessary, use same flat head to pry or combine with hammer to tap off the shift rod (or really tap off the shifter from the rod).

Diagram: https://www.vanagain.com/product/shift-clevis-for-...gK7eR45QrI
_________________
1973 VW Superbeetle (1302) w/ RAT 2270 T4
2003 VW Eurovan Weekender w/ 2.8L VR6 AXK, DYA 5 Spd Manual Conversion

[1994Karuso]

It definitely took some hammering when I had to separate mine. Just in case you are timid

[Zeitgeist 13]

Thanks, I was a bit timid. Turns out I prematurely dropped the shifter box which made it difficult to hold everything while tapping the rod forward. Once I bolted it back up the rod began moving nicely.
_________________
Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[Abscate]

Old thread, but for getting home, stuff with heavy but soft paper towels to fab a temp bushing, then duct tape or zip tie to keep rods oriented.

Shift carefully. Get home. Fix it.
_________________
🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🍊 🍊 🍊

[1994Karuso]

My van had a bearlock installed by the PO, so there was a steel plate surrounding the gear shift linkage mounted with tamperproof bolts. It was difficult to even see that the bushing had failed and I couldn't manage to get a zip tie in there.

I managed to limp home by stuffing a crumpled up McDonalds paper bag between the dropped linkage and the plate to keep it elevated into the socket.

[Salem7]

I had the same thing happen on a trip from NY to PA. Stop and go traffic on I-84 when it happend, got over to the side and jury rigged with wire and tape to complete the journey. I have replaced the offending failed bushing on the ball joint. No problems shifting with jury rig but now that things are back together correctly(?) it doesn't shift in any discernable pattern. Wth much searching I can find reverse and 1st. 2nd 3rd and 4th are there but it is very vauge as to where they are it won't shift into 5th I have the Bently manual and have been studying how to adjust the linkages. I think that the shiter on the case is out of sync with the shifter handle. I do not know how I can be sure which gear I am in as the manual asks to put the transimission in various gears. I have no way of knowing what gear it is in at the transmission. Any help or pointers would be appreciated. 1995 EVC ACU 5 speed. Thanks
_________________
1982 Westfalia 1.6NA diesel. Converted to Turbo 1.6 and sold.

1995 Eurovan Camper Winnebago, early serial number 5 speed

[gesoffen]

[Salem7]

Thanks. I appreciate yoiur advice. The Bently shows a special clamping tool.

Is there and alternative to the VW tool?
_________________
1982 Westfalia 1.6NA diesel. Converted to Turbo 1.6 and sold.

1995 Eurovan Camper Winnebago, early serial number 5 speed

[Salem7]

I am still struggling with this. I do not have a VW 3258 alignment tool. I have looked to see if I could get a file to 3D print one. No luck there. I have tried following the Bently and put a 2mm shim while in what I think is first gear. 1-2 3-4 seem to work. No reverse of 5th so far. I can get it in reverse but it pops right back out unless the shifter is held down with a lot of pressure. The part #16 has a rubber coat on it that is pretty much worn away(previous post). I have tried realigning the location of the main shifter rod clamp relationship. Nothing really changes. Is the rubber coating essential to get the reverse to be held down by itiself? What am I missing on what appears to be a simple proceedure? Any help would b e greatly appreciated.

_________________
1982 Westfalia 1.6NA diesel. Converted to Turbo 1.6 and sold.

1995 Eurovan Camper Winnebago, early serial number 5 speed

[Saturn]

[Salem7]

Thanks for your reply.

Let me rephrase my issue. The transmission doesn't pop out of reverse. It doesn't stay in reverse unless I hold the shifter down. In the previous post I included a picture of the worn rubber on top of the shifter part that holds the lockout down. When I take pressure off the shifter the shifter rises and goes out of gear. Things act like there should be more to the rubber piece to hold it in reverse.

Part 2 of the question can the transmission be successully reoriented without the VW 3258 tool? I do not have the tool nor can I locate one. If it is possible to align the shifter without the tool? could some one tell me how they did it?

I have watched thie shifter from above and below while my helper gose through the shift pattern. Any worn bushing have been inspected and replaced as neccesary.
_________________
1982 Westfalia 1.6NA diesel. Converted to Turbo 1.6 and sold.

1995 Eurovan Camper Winnebago, early serial number 5 speed

[Salem7]

Issue solved.

After much trial and error I have the gear shifter working correctly. It sure would have helped to have a VW 3258 tool to do it. Minute adjustments on the clamp hold down yeilded results.

Thanks for the replies.
_________________
1982 Westfalia 1.6NA diesel. Converted to Turbo 1.6 and sold.

1995 Eurovan Camper Winnebago, early serial number 5 speed