Different Shifter Linkages Thread

[Garciaem]

So I just bought a 66 Karmann Ghia with a scat drag fast shifter. But the issue is, I can shift into 1st and second just fine. But I have to lift the spring T handle to shift into 3rd and 4th. But it wants to slide off the tab (which I believe is the reverse lockout tab) back into the lower gears. Even when it's in 3rd I can move the lever to the right and it'll slide right into 1st without going into neutral. And on top of that, I can't get into reverse. I don't know if I'm just dumb and don't understand the shifter and I'm doing it wrong or if the guy before me welded some stuff onto it that is blocking the reverse slot. Any help is appreciated

[Ol'fogasaurus]

So I just bought a 66 Karmann Ghia with a scat drag fast shifter. But the issue is, I can shift into 1st and second just fine. But I have to lift the spring T handle to shift into 3rd and 4th. But it wants to slide off the tab (which I believe is the reverse lockout tab) back into the lower gears. Even when it's in 3rd I can move the lever to the right and it'll slide right into 1st without going into neutral. And on top of that, I can't get into reverse. I don't know if I'm just dumb and don't understand the shifter and I'm doing it wrong or if the guy before me welded some stuff onto it that is blocking the reverse slot. Any help is appreciated

First of all, check the bushing inside of the tunnel if you already haven't done it. It does wear and, if the locking clamp pops off it can slide out of the bracket.

IMG_1714 copy.jpg

Then check the shifter connection from the sift rod to the trans as they can wear out, especially the red ones. What you are seeing in the pix is a bus nose cone that sits higher than a stock bug nose cone and is found in the tunnel. The red connecters are the ones I was talking about.

IMG_2167 copy.jpg

I run a Scat shifter in my blue buggy it's been so long since I looked at it to see if there is a reverse lockout guide for it.

IMG_2168.JPG

The second pix is the reverse lockout guide sitting on a quick shift spacer sitting on the tunnel of a bug with the longer bent up piece on the guide on the driver's side of the tunnel. The guide has to be in this relationship to get the shifter to work correctly. I can't remember if the (AL) spacer with with the reverse lockout guide is for/comes with the shifter you have.

Not sure if this is your problem but is worth looking into.

Lee

[Garciaem]

Yeah I'll definitely check it out. I'll pull the shifter off tomorrow and post some pics of it for reference so anyone can let me know if anything is wrong with it. I appreciate the input. The only other things I can think of is if my trans is just worn out and allowing it to slip out of gear. But it's just weird to me that it slips out of gear from side to side (for instance, I'll be in 1st and have enough side to side play that it feels like I'm in neutral)

[Garciaem]

Here's some photos of my shift linkage and shifter. the engine of my car was raised so the body could be lowered which is why my linkage is exposed. But my scat drag fast does not have that reverse lockout guide. I have no idea if the guy before me made a custom mount for it or what but it's definitely wack

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Lee

I'm down at the dunes right now (working not playing) and not on my main computer which has all the pix of what I did. Not sure when I we get back as there is a lot to do but my black buggy pix or my blue buggy pix might give some ideas.

Lee

[Garciaem]

My face exactly... I think I've narrowed down the issue to either: the fact that there is no hanger/ bushing keeping the shift rod in place, or internal issues with the transaxle. However I have a slight hunch that the issue is not within the transaxle

[Ol'fogasaurus]

My face exactly... I think I've narrowed down the issue to either: the fact that there is no hanger/ bushing keeping the shift rod in place, or internal issues with the transaxle. However I have a slight hunch that the issue is not within the transaxle

If I remember correctly there is a commercial shifter mount made for the bus into bug which it looks like you may have have. I made my own so I could use the bus shifter to a bus trans (the shift.

The bus trans nose cone sits about 3" higher than a stock VW trans so it comes into the pan on top of the tunnel which would be a guess on what you might have.

Lee

[Ol'fogasaurus]

https://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=105659

https://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopi ... lack+buggy

The shifter crud I went through it towards the back pages.

FYI Lee

[Garciaem]

I'm not sure I mentioned it before, but the engine is raised so that the body could be lowered. I believe that is why the trans sits above the normal tunnel. I also have a question you may be able to answer. As for the bushing for the shift rod,does that bushing keep the shift rod from moving side to side? And if so, when shifting, does the shift rod rotate in order to go into 3rd / 4th? I was under the impression the shift rod moves sideways to go into higher gears but in hindsight it wouldn't make much sense if that were the case. (I'm very new to VW's, and this is my first personal manual vehicle aside from a motorcycle)

[Ol'fogasaurus]

The shift rod rotates with the lower ball of the shifter moving the angle piece of the shift rod rotating the shift rod which in turn rotates the innards of the trans (a basic description of the workings).

IMG_1618%20copy[1].jpg

This is a pix showing the shifter ball I was talking about but, in this case, the shifter is for a bus so the ball is longer/deeper than the stock bug shifter would be. This was a custom made shifter mount I was building.

I wish I was home so I could get some of the pix.

I think I understand now what you were talking about when you talked about lifting the engine.

Lee

[Garciaem]

I see how it works now. That makes a whole lot more sense as to why I can't get into higher gears. I think tomorrow I'll bring the shift lever into the shop at my workplace and try and clean it up a bit and maybe fabricate some kind of bracket for a bushing

[Ol'fogasaurus]

IMG_1709 copy.jpg

This is a pix of a shift rod I was making from a shortened shift rod from my green buggy. At the left end of the rod is the connector that the shifter ball sits in and rotates the shift rodl.

IMG_1709 copy.jpg

This shows the shift rod in place with the shifter ball sitting in the shift rod connector. You can see some of the action by the shifter and the shift rod here.

IMG_1704 copy.jpg

This shows the commercial shifter mount on the left and the shifter box/mount I was building. If you look closely on the commercial box there is a bushing (a black line) and it is sitting at the distance needed to match the depth of the shifter ball and the mating of it to the shift rod. The distance is kind of critical as if it sits too high the shifter ball and it's down rod can bind in the shift rod. Too low and it can fall out of the shift rod's pocket when shifting.

This about the best I can do for right now.

Lee

Here we go again with the multiple pix in line but what you need is there just one pix too low now

Lee

[Garciaem]

I get the idea. So the bushing needs to sit a certain distance from the shifter ball so that the rod has the proper space to move the way it needs to in order to cycle through the gears?

[Ol'fogasaurus]

viewtopic.php?f=28&t=113703&start=345

This is page 24 of my black buggy build showing, at the top, the the basic tunnel on my rotisserie. Earlier pages show the pan halves added then removed and replaces by thicker metal pan halves.

The front part of the tunnel is BJ (later that '65) and IRS (later than '68). The change over to the BJ (if you want it) or to K%L from BJ I have pix of how to do the change over at home as it is supposed to rain tomorrow (we are waiting for the pressure washing to dry) which means that Monday is probably the latest we can finish the staining job then home Tuesday... maybe.

Lee

[R2.0]

viewtopic.php?f=28&t=113703&start=345

This is page 24 of my black buggy build showing, at the top, the the basic tunnel on my rotisserie. Earlier pages show the pan halves added then removed and replaces by thicker metal pan halves.

The front part of the tunnel is BJ (later that '65) and IRS (later than '68). The change over to the BJ (if you want it) or to K%L from BJ I have pix of how to do the change over at home as it is supposed to rain tomorrow (we are waiting for the pressure washing to dry) which means that Monday is probably the latest we can finish the staining job then home Tuesday... maybe.

Lee

Sure this isn't supposed to go in my kit car thread?