74 Campmobile - Shifting Into Reverse Problem

[dr8track]

My transmission is in good shape, but shifting into reverse has always taken a few tries to get it in gear. With a good transmission with proper adjustment, how easy/hard should it be to depress the shifter and get it into reverse. I went out to take a little spin this afternoon and had no luck getting it into reverse at all. For the past year or so I've also had some issues getting it into 3rd. You shift from 2nd to 3rd and it won't go into 3rd. Have to shift back to neutral and backto 3rd and it goes into gear. This doesn't happen all the time. Just periodically. I'm assuming the reverse and 3rd gear issues are an adjustment problem? I'm just wondering it it would be dramatically easier to get into reverse if it was properly adjusted or if getting it into R was always a little tricky on these?
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1974 Westfalia Deluxe Campmobiles - Lake Stevens, WA

[virusdoc]

I’m new to busses, having just purchased a 76 westy. But given my experience with my 76 Beetle this does not sound normal, and sound like you need to adjust your shifter plate or linkage. I assume this is discussed at length in the Bentley manual.
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1976 Convertible Super Beetle, "June Bug".
Self-rebuilt 1904
1976 Campmobile 2.0L FI, "Kermit"

[rottenkid]

Check out this site
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=801731&highlight=shifter+adjustment

[wagen19]

[W1K1]

yes, this ^^^^^^^
and it doesn't help having a worn out 50 year old shifter in it either
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http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/jim_martin_engine_build.php

1973 super
1965 squareback 1500E
1971 bay window westy- subi swap

[SGKent]

the stop plates break, and the couplers at the back fail. Grub screws come loose. Those are the easy fixes. Read the page in Bentley on adjusting before starting. I would just plan on a new coupler and having the nose on it spot welded so it can't come loose and spin.

If those don't get it then the transmission comes out and the donut in the nose cone gets replaced, along with the seal and check for broken relay bracket. Install the steel plate to hold the mainshaft back where it should be. Start with the easy things first. Also the front of the pipe bowl rod has a bushing and if that is gone it makes things harder to shift.
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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

[andrewtf]

As previously noted - fix it all properly.

For a stop gap temporary 'just get it into reverse' method............. before trying to go directly into reverse - try putting it in 4th gear first and then go to reverse. It slips in easier - at least for me (and tip's from AirSchooled)
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'75 Riviera - 'BIG EMMA' - Travel Beast
'77 Riviera - 'Murphy' - Daily driver in nice weather
'78 Westy - New to the family
'63 Austin Healey - sitting alone in a museum

[dr8track]

I decided to take what sounded like the somewhat easier approach and chekc the position of the stop plate. I ran into a few surprises. Now, having gone back and read the posts and service manual again it makes sense.
I was under the impression that the stop plate was attached to the floor independant of the top bracket. I didn't realize until I remsoved the two bolts for the top bracket that those two bolts hold everything in place.
In retrospect, I now realize I only needed to loosen the two bolts, not remove them. After removing the bolts completely I had the entire shifter loose.
I checked the manual again and had a couple of questions.

In my manual it lists, 9 Stop Plate. It also lists 9a Stop Plate with Lugs.
There's not supposed to be two Stop Plates are there? The same thing is listed for the Bracket; 6. Bracket and 6a. Bracket with Guide. Once again, there's not supposed to be two Brackets, right?

It seems next to impossible to see what you're doing when you get the Bracket back on tight enough that it's held in place. I went ahead ant pushed the stop plate to the driver side using a screwdriver, but it's hardly a precise measurement.

I got everything tightened down and it seems to be working. I was able to get it into reverse. But I still don't trust the situation. I'll just have to see how it holds up with continuous driving.
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1974 Westfalia Deluxe Campmobiles - Lake Stevens, WA

[SGKent]

I don't understand your question. There are different type stop plates. The buses use the ones with the tabs if you can find one.

On a 1974 there should be an oval donut stuck in a metal plate that the pipebowl front passes thru. The grub screw at the front and back can come loose. The shift coupling can wear out and/or the crimps fail so it doesn't rotate properly.

The coupler fix for the video problem below. Weld.

Why


Link

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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