72 bug grinds first gear and first gear only

[WhiteJawz1]

My 1972 bug won't go in first gear till I slow right down to o most nothing
If I'm going any speed and I try to down shift it pushes really hard then will grind and jump in gear
It will not jump out of gear and when you get it in first it works good
Shifts fine when the car is not moving or the engine is off
All my other gears work fine

[ROCKOROD71]

Others will surely chime in and correct me here, but my advise is not to be downshifting into 1st. My car would do the same if i tried. Does it grind or give you trouble shifting to 1st from a standstill, or going from 1st to second?
When I'm coming up to a stoplight i will downshift the car all the way into 2nd before applying breaks. Once the RPMs in second start coming close to idle I drop it to neutral and use just brakes to come to a stop. At this point with a standard gearbox you'r going about 15 mph maybe in 2nd? Probably less? Easy job for the brakes.
I think if you are going faster than say, 10mph the trans isn't gonna wanna go into 1st, and will give that grinding response. Something to do with the synchros or something. Someone else probably has a much more technical answer than me....
_________________
1971 STD BEETLE- DD-1st car, 1st love. keepin' it stock! 1600DP, Solex 34-3 Mexi Bosch SVDA Dist NOW w/POINTS
1977 WESTY "KrustyKamper" 2L FI

[Tim Donahoe]

I see that you live in Canada. Cold Canada.

I live in Northern California, and when it's cold outside where I live, it may be--to you--a nice, warm winter day.

I bring this up because on colder days here--say 45 degrees Fahrenheit, I have to wait until the transmission warms up before I would attempt to downshift into first. I have no issues downshifting into first when it's a warm day, however.

I also have harder shifting into second when first taking off and the engine and transmission is cold on a cold day. Once warm, no issues. What I do is wait an extra second before placing into ger, under these cold conditions. But it still takes a good half mile before I would downshit into first gear on a cold day.

It seems like that's the way it has been with all my ACVW's.

Have you tried changing your gear oil to a lighter one for winter? It might help.

Tim

[Bruce]

Is there oil in your trans? Has it been changed any time this century?

What's your clutch pedal freeplay?
_________________

[Chochobeef]

[WhiteJawz1]

Normally I'm going really slow and I'm close to stopping before it goes in gear
My clutch freeplay is good
My tran oil could prob use to be changed soon
And I don't think it's the cold doing it because I use it as a summer car
I will need to check the speed at what I'm going but I'm sure I'm going like 10 mph when I try to downshift and it won't go I'm till I'm going like 5 mph

[dirtkeeper]

My car doesnt like to downshift to first either unless i'm really slow .

sounds normal

[ihatemayo]

I would not recommend downshifting to first at 10 mph in a vw

[luvtheeluvbug]

Most VW manual will say "DO NOT DOWN-SHIFT INTO 1st!" and some VW dealerships even installed a sticker above the ash tray that says "DO NOT DOWN-SHIFT INTO 1st!". Like others have said, most manual cars don't. First gear is for when you have stopped completely.
_________________
Fahrvergnugen/ far-fair-gnu-ghen/ Description of a pleasurable sensation experienced when a car and it's driver are in mutual harmony; A unique driving experience; Pleasure; Satisfaction; A feeling experienced by Volkswagen drivers.

[enjoyther1de]

If you have to downshift into first, and I know because I have taller tires and my car doesn't like to pull 2nd below 10 mph. If I have to downshift I rev the motor up pretty good to get it to slide into first smoothly. Kinda like a harley.
_________________
HBB took me to BBV.

[Joel]

[WhiteJawz1]

Thanks guys, I will try not to downshift as much and I will change my oil, could someone tell me what gearbox oil to use ?

[Brian]

[OldIronSpine]

I had this problem as well, and the two things that helped was the transmission fluid, and replacing the bushing linkage (The name escapes me for the moment, hopefully someone fills in the blank here) underneath the back seat, you just need to replace the bushing in it with an urethane bushing from bug pack, you'll have to buy the whole thing though, but I was told to take the bushing out of the metal piece, and insert it into the old metal casing because the older ones are built better.

I hope that helps,
Austin

[Bruce]

[Abscate]

[EVfun]

I've had good luck with Redline MT-90 GL4 gear oil making transaxles and transmissions shift a little better.
_________________

[modok]

With good syncro you CAN shift into first above 4 or 5 mph, but if you make a habit of it then after a few years you will wear it out prematurely...... and then you will learn not to do it because of the grinding

The after you've learned to shift at the right moment and fixed the trans it will last a long time.

[SOLiiD]

Mine will do this after sitting at a full stop, still playing with it to get the feel for reproducing it. It seems to do this when I try moving into first after pushing the clutch in. If I hold it in then shift slowly into first it doesnt grind. This is the 2nd day Ive driven the bug.
_________________
72 Super RIP
70 Baja

[Mos6502]