MK2 1.6 - No gears and I am stumped for solutions!

[RowanF]

Hi all,
Need to ask the experts what my problem is;
-Had my Scirocco delivered, it drove off the back of the wagon and up my driveway fine (its the 1.6 manual clutch, carb engine) done around 80k miles
-Once stopped, the next day it has been impossible for me to get it into gear with the engine on, feel physical resistance and if I turn the engine on with it in gear it bumps forward (even with clutch depressed)

-Will go into gear when engine is off nice and smoothly (so don't suspect gearbox or linkage)
-Suspected clutch, so gearbox has been off and a new clutch and flywheel has been fitted
-Checked the actuator rod that runs through the centre of the box to make sure it hasn't collapsed, broken.
-It also easy to see when box is off that pulling the lever actuates the rod (it does)
-No horrible whining noise so release bearing is suspected to be fine
-With the new clutch and gearbox replaced, problem is still present
-Have adjusted the pedal to the max/ min and what feels like everything in between to see if that could change it



Not so familiar with Scirocco's, but what else can I be missing?

Oh yeah, I checked for the bulkhead issue, not a problem with this one...

Might be obvious to someone but I'm stuck so would love to get some advice or things to try!

Thanks,

Rowan.

[the edmundator]

-With the new clutch and gearbox replaced, problem is still present

Do you mean a different gearbox, or just the same one put back into place after the clutch was changed?

Someone more knowledgeable may come up with another suggestion, but I have had to have a gearbox refurbished in the past due to internal failure(s) (don't ask exactly what, I leave this sort of thing to the garage). In that instance, the car would sometimes drive a small distance but would stop selecting any gears and grind to a halt - there were also some nasty clanking noises whilst it was driving.

[RowanF]

Sorry yeah, just the way I wrote it, just meant the same gearbox was put back on afterwards... I kind of get the feeling the gearbox is alright, but that I can't get into gear because the clutch won't disengage the flywheel from the engine, so I am effectively trying to change gear without dropping the clutch! I'm not sure though, maybe if a few other people mention it I can look at getting a new box...

Thanks for the reply!

[james butler]

The extra plate that sits on the pressure plate fingers wasn't pierced was it?
This has happend before to someone on here.
Have you also dialed out all of the slack in the cable?

[MikeH]

If the box will select gears with the engine off, it should be ok in itself.

Are you sure it hasn't just seized or nearly snapped the clutch cable? can you adjust it up tight so there's no play in the cable at the gearbox level. Can you feel a change in the resistance with the cable connected/disconnected at the gearbox - you should, obviously.

When I started reading I thought it was either the release plate punctured or the cable gone through the bulkhead.

[bensspares]

if all ok, it sounds like the release bearing.

[Nate]

Is the mount on the rear of the gearbox fitted correctly?

can we see a pic of the bulkhead where the cable passes thru it

[RowanF]

Hi yeah, sorry for late reply! Also thanks for all the advice, seems like a great forum - I've just moved house and have only got the internet...

The plate that sits on the clutch fingers seems ok; that is the one with the indent for the release bar isn't it?

Yeah, definitely got all the slack out of the cable, felt really taut and I adjusted it all the way up and all the way down and many different in between - I put a bar on the clutch pedal so I could get round to the engine bay and check and the lever was all the way up!

No difference no matter how much playing I do, hence the frustration! I can grab a photo of the bulkhead next weekend - the car is back in Stoke at the moment, stranded I can grab a photo of the gearbox mounts as well, would that greatly affect it?

Release bearing might be worth doing, seems like a quickish job? But if it was gone wouldn't it make a horrible noise?

Thanks!

[Nate]

I've seen 2 vws with one bolt missing from the mount at the back, which makes the enginne and box tilt forwards slightly. I don't think that is the problem, but only take 3 seconds to check

[RowanF]

Oh right, no that's not the problem, I did a full visual check with torch after I put it back together and had no bolts left over but thanks for the advice, really want to get on the road before the Sun is gone!

[Nate]

Re read your description of the fault. Sounds like the clutch is dragging slightly - I.e. you would need to push the pedal down a bit further and it would be fine. If all the oushrod and related gubbins are ok, its either the cable is needing adjustment (screw the nut on the end further on to effectiively shorten the cable) or the bulkhead is starting to go where the cable comes thru.

[Nate]

Where abouts are you? If you're near me I'll come have a squint at it

[RowanF]

Hi, car is in Stoke-on-trent! I thought that to be honest, but the even with the physical lever (on the gearbox) all the way at the end of its travel (or so it seems) It doesn't want to disengage the clutch, real strange problem I know, I hope I'm not missing something obvious!

[Nate]

what have you got between the clutch lever and the nut on the cable by way of spacers, washers, packing peices etc?

edit: just found this while looking for something else. this is what should be on the end of the cable: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171010789498

[RowanF]

Hi, yeah I do have that on the end of mine, I don't think its that, because I can get to the end of the physical lever travel and it still will not disengage.

Very strange!