Gear change difficulty

Discussion in 'Mech Tech' started by seanlithman, Feb 21, 2021.

  1. 77 Westy

    77 Westy Supporter

    I should have read this thread before answering your other one. It’s really not a good idea to rev an engine in gear on axle stands but I guess you know that now – if it had come off the stands and you were lucky the diff would have broken, unlucky and the bus would have gone through the garage wall and anyone standing in the way. This might explain how a diff works
     
    Last edited: Feb 27, 2021
    snotty and Lasty like this.
  2. 77 Westy

    77 Westy Supporter

    ½” to ¾” free play is okay. http://www.vw-resource.com/clch-adj.html
    Do you have a maintenance manual for the bus?
     
    Lasty likes this.
  3. Thank you 77 westy that does explain it well although with the wheels in the air and not under load you’d think both wheels would turn at the same rate as the diff wouldn’t need to favour one wheel as on a turn
     
  4. 77 Westy likes this.
  5. You can’t guarentee that. Difficult to predict what the diff will do with no load.

    Tweak your clutch a bit more to get 1/2” before you feel it tighten up. It’ll make sure the clutch is fully disengaged when you press the pedal down. A dragging clutch confuses gearboxes.
     
  6. 77 Westy

    77 Westy Supporter

    Only if oil drag and wheel bearing friction were identical on both sides and it only needs one brake shoe to be just slightly touching the drum to make the diff transfer the power to the other wheel.
     
    snotty likes this.
  7. Thanks Guys I will tighten the wing nut a turn or 2 it’s a bit of a bugger to get your hand in there and turn it especially moving it out from the locking dimples takes a bit of force as it gets tighter
     
  8. Take the left rear wheel off. Much easier ;)
     
  9. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    1) grease the threads.
    2) Clamp grips on square part of cable or it will turn with the wingnut.
    3) Man up. :)

    If you think your pedal is now a bit high (I doubt it is) and you can get the gears now, you would want to loosen it a bit. Use your hand to judge the pedal free play if you weren't already.
     
    Lasty, 77 Westy and matty like this.
  10. I think it’s sorted
    it was hard to tell the free play as the pedal seems to have the same sort of feel all the way down to the floor
    I got my wife to push on the pedal whilst I looked at the leaver under the van, I put tape the pedal shaft 3\4 inch from the floor and told her to push it until the tape touched the floor
    No real movement from the leaver at that point, a few turns of the wing nut later and the leaver starts moving. I figure that’s about right for free play
    Test run and the van seems to be changing gear ok sometimes a little bit stubborn going into first but defo better than it was
    the clutch seems to engage quite high in the travel about 3/4 of the way up from the floor I think it’s unlikely it’s worn i haven’t done more than 15K as it was a new engine a few years ago and I’m careful not to ride the clutch but the engine has about 85 hp so might be harder on the clutch
    I have noticed when I was checking the linkages a bit of oil on the rod where it enters the nose cone of the gear box and there is evidence of oil seeping probably from the nose cone but oil levels in the box seem ok.
    I don’t really want to pull the engine and gear box unless absolutely necessary
     
  11. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    Where the clutch engages is purely cable adjustment. It will change a little with wear so you can adjust again if you feel the need.
    From the sound of it your pedal adjustment is on the tight side now, I'd take literally one or two turns back off so it bites more like half way up or two thirds. The free play is to stop the clutch release bearing riding against the clutch springs once it's let out. At the same time you want enough clutch action to change gear but you have plenty so if gears are still hard it's the box. Try selecting 2nd before first if it doesn't want to go straight into 1st.
     
    snotty likes this.
  12. Thanks Zed I will keep an eye 0n it I have found going into 2nd then back to 1st does help 9n those tricky moments when inpatient motorists are honking meat the lights because I can’t get into gear
     
  13. Honking me not meat
     
    snotty and Zed like this.
  14. All that and i usually pop mine into 3rd and then 1st when i`m waiting at lights etc ..
    There`s no need to engage first whilst moving to be honest , except maybe running out of gears going uphill ...

    :hattip:
     
  15. Yes I only use 1st from a stand still
     
    Lasty likes this.
  16. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    I do as I come into our car park, it's a steep decent, first is just right and I'm not going to stop to select it. :)
     
  17. The 2nd then 1st think is reasonably normal, I think. I do it. Can be baulky straight into 1st.

    Slight oil leaks from the nosecone are normal. Fixable by changing the selector shaft seal, but that's a pain without the box out. Best to just leave it. You won't lose much oil, just a weep.
     
    Zed likes this.

Share This Page