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1971 VW Camper Bus Gear Shift Problem
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sixaranch
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 07, 2011 5:57 pm    Post subject: 1971 VW Camper Bus Gear Shift Problem Reply with quote

We just bought a 1971 VW Camper Bus that had been restored but had set for about a year with the keys being lost. We brought it home and a friend has been a great help in replacing brakes, fuel line, etc. and getting it running. He drove it over to the house and left it Saturday. Today we fired it up for a drive and needed to put it in reverse. My wife is the only one between us who has ever driven a manual transmission so she was in charge. The gear shift knob has no gear pattern so she had trouble finding reverse. We just drove forward through the yard and on into town. A very cool ride. When we arrived at our daughters house, we asked her fiance to help us find reverse. here's where the trouble started.

He jumped in and started "manhandling" the gear shift and before I knew it had the gear shift pushed all the way to the right. he asked where reverse was and i said, go to neutral and then pull straight back.

Now we can only get the thing in either 3rd or 4th gear and it won't go back to the left in either netural, 1st or 2nd.

What's happened? Anybody have any ideas.

Then we drive it home between 3rd and 4th gear and go up our driveway, which has a slight incline, and we get to the top of the driveway and it dies. We try to start it, put it in gear and it dies again. a few times of this and there is smoke coming up from the front end.

Has something happened to the gear shift box? has something happened to the transmission?

We are not mechanics so we don't know. The "fiance" said he'd come over and try to fix it but he's never worked on a VW bus before.

HELP!!!!!!
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EZ Gruv
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 07, 2011 6:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Step 1: Step away from the bus
Step 2: Read this: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/71bus.php
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sixaranch
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 07, 2011 6:17 pm    Post subject: gear shift problem Reply with quote

well, i don't see anything that addresses a gear shift that's been pushed over too far and that will only seem to work in 3rd or 4th gear.

has this been broken? has something under the bus been broken? those are the questions i need answers to without taking this to a $75 an hour mechanic.
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maximan1
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 07, 2011 6:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, your bus is obviously broken, and since you obviously don't know the first thing about working on cars, just let the $75 an hour mechanic figure it out.
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VDubTech
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 07, 2011 6:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For about $30 you can get yourself a Bentley Manual and see how the whole system works, then diagnose and fix it yourself. Pull the splash pan, start at the front of the Bus and work your way back until you find where the problem is. I would bet the shift coupler is toast.
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EZ Gruv
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 07, 2011 6:30 pm    Post subject: Re: gear shift problem Reply with quote

sixaranch wrote:
well, i don't see anything that addresses a gear shift that's been pushed over too far and that will only seem to work in 3rd or 4th gear..


It does tell you the shift pattern

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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bigbore
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 07, 2011 6:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

when things are worn like in a 40 year old vw it is easy to damage a thing like the shifter. there is a good possibly that it has been waged into 3/4 rail in the trany I have seen it before and the only way to fix it is pull the trany and take the nose cone off most likely you will need to put new bushing in the nose cone anyway they seem to be shot most of the time. first check over the shifter and coupler to see if something is amiss there before pulling out big things like the trany.
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sixaranch
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 07, 2011 6:40 pm    Post subject: gear shift Reply with quote

I didn't see that page. i know the pattern from other pictures. i'm just trying to figure out if someone unfamilar with a 40 year old bus can break something by pushing the gear shifter around?

or has something just "popped" out of place and needs to be put back into place.

I have a couple of books that probably talk about the gear shift, etc.

can this gear shift plate have been broken by careless dicking around of the gear shift thingy? is it expensive to replace?

we were going to drive this thing next weekend and it was working fine until the incident today.

is this really that sensitive?
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EZ Gruv
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 07, 2011 6:42 pm    Post subject: Re: gear shift Reply with quote

sixaranch wrote:
if someone unfamilar with a 40 year old bus can break something by pushing the gear shifter around?



Duh.
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busdaddy
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 07, 2011 6:50 pm    Post subject: Re: gear shift Reply with quote

EZ Gruv wrote:
sixaranch wrote:
if someone unfamilar with a 40 year old bus can break something by pushing the gear shifter around?



Duh.

Happens almost every time I take the bus for a smog test Twisted Evil
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 07, 2011 10:38 pm    Post subject: Re: gear shift Reply with quote

sixaranch wrote:
can this gear shift plate have been broken by careless dicking around of the gear shift thingy?


1. Get the service manual.

2. Take the shifter apart and see what's wrong. See if it is broken.

3. Replace the worn out problem causing parts.

4. Adjust it per the book.

5. Done
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Volksdraggin
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 5:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome to the wonderful world of VW
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shiningstar76
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 7:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

bigbore wrote:
when things are worn like in a 40 year old vw it is easy to damage a thing like the shifter. there is a good possibly that it has been waged into 3/4 rail in the trany I have seen it before and the only way to fix it is pull the trany and take the nose cone off most likely you will need to put new bushing in the nose cone anyway they seem to be shot most of the time. first check over the shifter and coupler to see if something is amiss there before pulling out big things like the trany.

Not necessarily. There is a ball and pin/spring system at the bottom of the shifter. The pin most likely popped out of the socket. Mine did this off and on for years. It is a PITA to get it lined up right and get it to stay while you torque down the cover plate. I eventually got a new shifter and it cured the problem. It usually took me about 5-10 tries before it was locked down in the proper position. I wouldn't mess with the trans linkage just yet.
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Emeritusx
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 11:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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Take off the shifter and see - only two bolts...
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bigbore
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 12:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

shiningstar76 wrote:
bigbore wrote:
when things are worn like in a 40 year old vw it is easy to damage a thing like the shifter. there is a good possibly that it has been waged into 3/4 rail in the trany I have seen it before and the only way to fix it is pull the trany and take the nose cone off most likely you will need to put new bushing in the nose cone anyway they seem to be shot most of the time. first check over the shifter and coupler to see if something is amiss there before pulling out big things like the trany.

Not necessarily. There is a ball and pin/spring system at the bottom of the shifter. The pin most likely popped out of the socket. Mine did this off and on for years. It is a PITA to get it lined up right and get it to stay while you torque down the cover plate. I eventually got a new shifter and it cured the problem. It usually took me about 5-10 tries before it was locked down in the proper position. I wouldn't mess with the trans linkage just yet.

Thats why I said look at the shifter first.
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shiningstar76
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 1:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

bigbore wrote:
shiningstar76 wrote:
bigbore wrote:
when things are worn like in a 40 year old vw it is easy to damage a thing like the shifter. there is a good possibly that it has been waged into 3/4 rail in the trany I have seen it before and the only way to fix it is pull the trany and take the nose cone off most likely you will need to put new bushing in the nose cone anyway they seem to be shot most of the time. first check over the shifter and coupler to see if something is amiss there before pulling out big things like the trany.

Not necessarily. There is a ball and pin/spring system at the bottom of the shifter. The pin most likely popped out of the socket. Mine did this off and on for years. It is a PITA to get it lined up right and get it to stay while you torque down the cover plate. I eventually got a new shifter and it cured the problem. It usually took me about 5-10 tries before it was locked down in the proper position. I wouldn't mess with the trans linkage just yet.

Thats why I said look at the shifter first.

Sorry buddy. I missed that. My mistake.
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chabanais
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 5:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tough crowd.

I once had to valet park my Bus because I went to a meeting at a big hotel downtown. Upon its return I found the gearshift lever lying, attached, to the floor. Not happy.

It was a pain but fixed easily.

A ham-fisted idiot can wreck havoc in short order. Now, I'd never have my Bus valet parked again.

And I got an ashtray with the shift pattern on it... just in case.
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bigbore
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 5:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

you were someplace with your bus that required valet parking Shocked swanky Cool
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 6:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

bigbore wrote:
you were someplace with your bus that required valet parking Shocked swanky Cool


I once pulled into the Chateau Lake Louise in my 1986 TD Jetta rustbucket... kinda went like this:

http://www.myspace.com/video/lartens-jimnuts/axel-foley-car-valet-parking/3976367
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 8:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Large hotel with valet underground parking. I was working for a car company (not VW) and they were launching a new vehicle so all the Western Region execs were there. A few of their cars showed up then nothing for like 10 minutes... then all this honking and hotel employees running around. One of the top execs wondered what the hold up was.

I felt a sinking in the pit of my stomach.

Then the PA said:

Would the owner of a VW Bus please come to the valet office.

Then I drove my Bus up after I fixed the gearshift. The valet had tried to get it into reverse and jammed the shifter up.

Man did I catch shit for that for many years! Laughing

bigbore wrote:
you were someplace with your bus that required valet parking Shocked swanky Cool

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