Trouble selecting first gear

[Jerry Atric]

Recently fitted a replacement engine in my '86 Mk 2 Scirocco GTX and now having a problem selecting first gear.

In fact 98% of the time its impossible to select, just baulks.

Have tried selecting without engine running, also selecting 2nd gear and then pushing up for first and all to no avail. My first thoughts are adjustment on the linkage, but my local technician tells me that won't help.......

Any ideas from you knowledgeable chaps out there please ?

Thanks, Frank.

[james butler]

can be an issue especialy if the gearbox has been out.
can you get reverse ok?
if your carefull push the gearstick down as if selecting reverse then try go for 1st again.
if it goes in ok then its an allignment issue which you can either get under the car and adjust on the linkage or cheat and buy an adjustable linkage kit so you can play with it to your hearts content
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=repla ... -3p3pr_EKM:

[james butler]

forgot to say if above doesn't work
check you have enough and the right oil in the gearbox, then check the adjustment of the clutch (ive had it where getting into first was impossible unless stopped that was due to incorrect clutch cable adjustment)
lastly if all else fails then there`s a good chance there`s something up with the gearbox

[mark1gls]

Check alignment of the gearlinkage and bushes as they would of been undone and refitted when the engine and gearbox came out.

[Jerry Atric]

Many thanks chaps for the posts above. Certainly gives me something to discuss with the chap who re-fitted the engine and gearbox for me. From MANY years back when a friend ( VW mechanic ) and I fitted a 5 speed box into an Audi 80GT, there was a heck of a lot of fiddling done by him underneath the car whilst I sat in trying to select the gears. Took about 20 minutes of adjusting . So I doubt my friendly old chap who does all the hard work for me could have achieved a perfect setting on his own. Car is booked in with him in early August so hopefully we'll find a suitable solution ( Not a new gearbox!!! )

[Jerry Atric]

Furter to the above, tried James's idea of pushing down on lever as if going for reverse and then moving fractionally left and forward and it works so guess it must be adjustment. Will confirm when the job is hopefully done! Thanks James.

[steve bain]

lift the gearstick gaitor boot up and make sure the clip hasn't slipped and still under spring pressure. (will make sense when you look) this happened to me not too long ago and felt normalish, but wasn't

[mark1gls]

It does sound like it's just not lined up, I found either the linkage goes together no problems or you spend time adjusting it a mm here and there till it's right.