stuck in first -- what do you think?

On Jul 19, 10:00*pm, griff > wrote:
> Downshifting on a hill yesterday my bug stalled. Clutch in, she
> started up no problem but its now stuck in first. Limped home at 8mph.

> No luck.
>
> I've heard of some mechanics using a coat hanger to do something in
> there? * or people "loosening the nose cone" to get the hockey stick
> back into the shift selector.
>

> thanks
> -griff

Jan Anderson might be able to help you. He frequents this group.

On Jul 19, 10:00*pm, griff > wrote:
> Downshifting on a hill yesterday my bug stalled. Clutch in, she
> started up no problem but its now stuck in first. Limped home at 8mph.
>

Changing the gear oil might help it shift easier.

Be sure to use GL-4 not GL-5 gear oil.

You can get it he

http://www.aircooled.net/new-bin/vie... 201047206395

http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/mtg.aspx

On Jul 23, 1:49*pm, Jim Ed > wrote:
> On Jul 19, 10:00*pm, griff > wrote:
>
> > Downshifting on a hill yesterday my bug stalled. Clutch in, she
> > started up no problem but its now stuck in first. Limped home at 8mph.
>
> *Changing the gear oil might help it shift easier.
>
> *Be sure to use GL-4 not GL-5 gear oil.
>
> You can get it he
>
> http://www.aircooled.net/new-bin/vie...keyword2=CAL00....
>
> http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/mtg.aspx

John S. is right. There is no sense in changing the gear oil unless
you can get it unstuck.

If you get it unstuck or buy another tranny, be sure to get the
GL-4 type of gear oil.
Quote from aircooled.net,
"...Does not include the corrosive additives that GL-5 oils have
(NEVER use these). We only carry the top of the line Synthetic gear
lube, and this IS compatible with Limited Slip differentials!"

On Fri, 23 Jul 2010 22:55:27 +0200, Jim Ed > wrote:

> On Jul 23, 1:49 pm, Jim Ed > wrote:
>> On Jul 19, 10:00 pm, griff > wrote:
>>
>> > Downshifting on a hill yesterday my bug stalled. Clutch in, she
>> > started up no problem but its now stuck in first. Limped home at 8mph.
>>
>> Changing the gear oil might help it shift easier.
>>
>> Be sure to use GL-4 not GL-5 gear oil.
>>
>> You can get it he
>>
>> http://www.aircooled.net/new-bin/vie...keyword2=CAL00...
>>
>> http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/mtg.aspx
>
> John S. is right. There is no sense in changing the gear oil unless
> you can get it unstuck.
>
> If you get it unstuck or buy another tranny, be sure to get the
> GL-4 type of gear oil.
> Quote from aircooled.net,
> "...Does not include the corrosive additives that GL-5 oils have
> (NEVER use these). We only carry the top of the line Synthetic gear
> lube, and this IS compatible with Limited Slip differentials!"

I cannot give you an exact referral now, going by memory only.
Todays GL5 oils are no longer corrosive to yellow metals, quite a few
years ago this was supposedly changed.

A bit like unleaded when it first came out, a no no for pre 67 VW's due to
valve seat material. No longer a problem as the lead has been replaced
with Calium, works wonders for lubrication.

J.
--
Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/

"Jan" > wrote in message
...
> Jim Ed wrote:
>> On Jul 19, 10:00 pm, griff > wrote:
>>> Downshifting on a hill yesterday my bug stalled. Clutch in, she
>>> started up no problem but its now stuck in first. Limped home at 8mph.
>>
>>> No luck.
>>>
>>> I've heard of some mechanics using a coat hanger to do something in
>>> there? or people "loosening the nose cone" to get the hockey stick
>>> back into the shift selector.
>>>
>>
>>> thanks
>>> -griff
>>
>> Jan Anderson might be able to help you. He frequents this group.
>
>
> Hi
>
> Well this happened to my friend's bug that had been sitting for several
> years. I rebuilt the engine and on the first test drive, coming down a
> moderate grade real slow, the rear tires locked up. I think he just put it
> in first or was in between gear changes. Nothing would make it move, the
> rear was truly locked. I can't remember how the shifter itself behaved, I
> wasn't driving.
>
> Anyways, after some head scratching, I grabbed the right side rear wheel
> in a big bear hug (I was 18 or so, so maybe a koala bear is more like it)
> and with all my might I started rocking it back and forth. You know how
> there's always a little play in the drivetrain? I just kept rocking it
> and told my friend to try and free up the gear selector, just by working
> the shifter back and forth while I rocked the rear wheel.
> And whaddaya know, it unlocked itself and worked fine again.
>
> Much like the folks in this group, the people present at that time thought
> I actually knew what I was doing.

a little more information, since it seems I didn't see the original thread,
might be in order... does it lock up solid(like putting an automatic in
"PARK") if you select third or forth gear?... had a 1-2 slider break inside
the transaxle once and all I had was first gear, but putting it in third or
forth would lock everything solid.... if this is the case, you are looking
at a teardown and rebuild, at minimum...

Jim Ed wrote:
> On Jul 19, 10:00 pm, griff > wrote:
>> Downshifting on a hill yesterday my bug stalled. Clutch in, she
>> started up no problem but its now stuck in first. Limped home at 8mph.
>
>> No luck.
>>
>> I've heard of some mechanics using a coat hanger to do something in
>> there? or people "loosening the nose cone" to get the hockey stick
>> back into the shift selector.
>>
>
>> thanks
>> -griff
>
> Jan Anderson might be able to help you. He frequents this group.


Hi

Well this happened to my friend's bug that had been sitting for several
years. I rebuilt the engine and on the first test drive, coming down a
moderate grade real slow, the rear tires locked up. I think he just put
it in first or was in between gear changes. Nothing would make it move,
the rear was truly locked. I can't remember how the shifter itself
behaved, I wasn't driving.

Anyways, after some head scratching, I grabbed the right side rear wheel
in a big bear hug (I was 18 or so, so maybe a koala bear is more like
it) and with all my might I started rocking it back and forth. You know
how there's always a little play in the drivetrain? I just kept rocking
it and told my friend to try and free up the gear selector, just by
working the shifter back and forth while I rocked the rear wheel.
And whaddaya know, it unlocked itself and worked fine again.

Much like the folks in this group, the people present at that time
thought I actually knew what I was doing.

Jim Ed wrote:
> On Jul 19, 10:00 pm, griff > wrote:
>> Downshifting on a hill yesterday my bug stalled. Clutch in, she
>> started up no problem but its now stuck in first. Limped home at 8mph.
>
>> No luck.
>>
>> I've heard of some mechanics using a coat hanger to do something in
>> there? or people "loosening the nose cone" to get the hockey stick
>> back into the shift selector.
>>
>
>> thanks
>> -griff
>
> Jan Anderson might be able to help you. He frequents this group.


Oh and just remembered another thing... while you may be able to reach
one slider from the oil fill hole, the other one doesn't line up with
any existing hole. So for our race cars we drilled an access hole about
the same size in the appropriate location on the side of the trans.
Should have cut threads for a stock fill plug, but we used an oil barrel
breather plug instead. Anyways. Direct access to the forks. I used to
have a template for where to drill, but I lost it long ago. This wonät
help you now but I thought I'd mention it in case someone is building a
trans and has the opportunity to do this little mod.

That pretty much sounds like the problem Joey. First gear is all I
have, even though I can shift to positions 2-3-4-R when the car is at
a standstill. If I release the clutch, the car locks up.
Thanks everybody for the info. Very helpful in deciding what to do.

I'm pulling the motor/transmission tomorrow, crating up the
transmission and shipping it to Jim Kaforski at Der Transaxle Shop in
Anaheim. Jim's rep is outstanding and he was entirely helpful on the
phone.
It ships without oil so I'll be replacing it when it comes back in a
few weeks.


> a little more information, since it seems I didn't see the original thread,
> might be in order... does it lock up solid(like putting an automatic in
> "PARK") if you select third or forth gear?... had a 1-2 slider break inside
> the transaxle once and all I had was first gear, but putting it in third or
> forth would lock everything solid.... if this is the case, you are looking
> at a teardown and rebuild, at minimum...

Joey Tribiani wrote:
>
> "Jan" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Jim Ed wrote:
>>> On Jul 19, 10:00 pm, griff > wrote:
>>>> Downshifting on a hill yesterday my bug stalled. Clutch in, she
>>>> started up no problem but its now stuck in first. Limped home at 8mph.
>>>
>>>> No luck.
>>>>
>>>> I've heard of some mechanics using a coat hanger to do something in
>>>> there? or people "loosening the nose cone" to get the hockey stick
>>>> back into the shift selector.
>>>>
>>>
>>>> thanks
>>>> -griff
>>>
>>> Jan Anderson might be able to help you. He frequents this group.
>>
>>
>> Hi
>>
>> Well this happened to my friend's bug that had been sitting for
>> several years. I rebuilt the engine and on the first test drive,
>> coming down a moderate grade real slow, the rear tires locked up. I
>> think he just put it in first or was in between gear changes. Nothing
>> would make it move, the rear was truly locked. I can't remember how
>> the shifter itself behaved, I wasn't driving.
>>
>> Anyways, after some head scratching, I grabbed the right side rear
>> wheel in a big bear hug (I was 18 or so, so maybe a koala bear is more
>> like it) and with all my might I started rocking it back and forth.
>> You know how there's always a little play in the drivetrain? I just
>> kept rocking it and told my friend to try and free up the gear
>> selector, just by working the shifter back and forth while I rocked
>> the rear wheel.
>> And whaddaya know, it unlocked itself and worked fine again.
>>
>> Much like the folks in this group, the people present at that time
>> thought I actually knew what I was doing.
>
> a little more information, since it seems I didn't see the original
> thread, might be in order... does it lock up solid(like putting an
> automatic in "PARK") if you select third or forth gear?... had a 1-2
> slider break inside the transaxle once and all I had was first gear, but
> putting it in third or forth would lock everything solid.... if this is
> the case, you are looking at a teardown and rebuild, at minimum...


Seems like his trans works, and car is driveable, but it is stuck in 1st
gear. In my example, the whole trans was locked up and car would not
move forward or back. (Two gears selected at the same time maybe?)

Here is the original message:

Downshifting on a hill yesterday my bug stalled. Clutch in, she
started up no problem but its now stuck in first. Limped home at 8mph.

Did my due diligence in the Bentley manual as well as the other six
books I have. No joy.
The shifter moves into every position *except* first. I get solid
resistance in that position.
I've looked online and in the back pages of this group and everywhere
on the net I could think of and here's what I've tried so far.

Pulled the refill oil plug on the transmission case.
Tried to pry the ring -- internet posts vary -- forward and backward
trying to get it to "pop into neutral".
No luck.

I've heard of some mechanics using a coat hanger to do something in
there? or people "loosening the nose cone" to get the hockey stick
back into the shift selector.

If I'm wasting my time, let me know and I'll order a rebuilt
(recommendations appreciated) but want to make sure I've exhausted the
options I have in my garage.
( I've never swapped out a motor/transmission before but being laid
off I have the time and my neighbor has a lift and as mentioned I have
the manuals and can get a BugMe video.)

thanks
-griff

"Jan" > wrote in message
...
> Joey Tribiani wrote:
>>
>> "Jan" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> Jim Ed wrote:
>>>> On Jul 19, 10:00 pm, griff > wrote:
>>>>> Downshifting on a hill yesterday my bug stalled. Clutch in, she
>>>>> started up no problem but its now stuck in first. Limped home at 8mph.
>>>>
>>>>> No luck.
>>>>>
>>>>> I've heard of some mechanics using a coat hanger to do something in
>>>>> there? or people "loosening the nose cone" to get the hockey stick
>>>>> back into the shift selector.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> thanks
>>>>> -griff
>>>>
>>>> Jan Anderson might be able to help you. He frequents this group.
>>>
>>>
>>> Hi
>>>
>>> Well this happened to my friend's bug that had been sitting for several
>>> years. I rebuilt the engine and on the first test drive, coming down a
>>> moderate grade real slow, the rear tires locked up. I think he just put
>>> it in first or was in between gear changes. Nothing would make it move,
>>> the rear was truly locked. I can't remember how the shifter itself
>>> behaved, I wasn't driving.
>>>
>>> Anyways, after some head scratching, I grabbed the right side rear wheel
>>> in a big bear hug (I was 18 or so, so maybe a koala bear is more like
>>> it) and with all my might I started rocking it back and forth. You know
>>> how there's always a little play in the drivetrain? I just kept rocking
>>> it and told my friend to try and free up the gear selector, just by
>>> working the shifter back and forth while I rocked the rear wheel.
>>> And whaddaya know, it unlocked itself and worked fine again.
>>>
>>> Much like the folks in this group, the people present at that time
>>> thought I actually knew what I was doing.
>>
>> a little more information, since it seems I didn't see the original
>> thread, might be in order... does it lock up solid(like putting an
>> automatic in "PARK") if you select third or forth gear?... had a 1-2
>> slider break inside the transaxle once and all I had was first gear, but
>> putting it in third or forth would lock everything solid.... if this is
>> the case, you are looking at a teardown and rebuild, at minimum...
>
>
> Seems like his trans works, and car is driveable, but it is stuck in 1st
> gear. In my example, the whole trans was locked up and car would not move
> forward or back. (Two gears selected at the same time maybe?)
>

if two gears are selected at the same time, it will be locked up tight....
been there done, that.... mine (two times now) was from wheel hop breaking
stuff! it's a puckering moment when you grab second and when the clutch is
released you are still in first, so you jam it to third and when you let the
clutch out the rear locks up!