Little problems with my Mk2... The clutch pedal gets about halfway and then the spring slams it into the bulkhead, the cable and arm on the gearbox seem to operate as they should. Has something broken? Also, the gearstick is porridge-tastic! With the engine off you can engage all the gears (albeit with the floppy stick) but with the engine running you can hardly select anything . How is it I can select gears with the engine off but not with it on? miffed. Are these two problems related?
Sounds like the clutch finger in the 5th gear end has cracked and is just rotating on the shaft. It'll give the impression your engaging the clutch hwne actually your not, thats why you can't get gears when the engines running.
that bit fine in the pic, the problem Martin refers to is inside the wheelarch end of the box and can be cured without removing the box fortunatly! There might be enough info in posts on here or in glorious technicolour on Broke's FAQ site on the box to be able to swap it your self I'd have thort.
I get you, you mean this 'finger' where the release bearing is? Is this related to the pedal problem... of it being glued to the bulkhead at present?
Yes, that finger is the one that splits. http://www.brokevw.com/releasearm.html and http://www.brokevw.com/TO.html The pedal is acting normally, it has an over-center spring. The over-center spring will cam over when it gets past the halfway point in each direction. This is what makes it flop the pedal to the floor, and then flop it back up again when you pull on it (you can lift the pedal up off the floor right now, and it'll flop back up, but be careful of getting the clutch cable unhooked). The spring is to assist in lifting the pedal up once the pressure plate pushes the pedal out past halfway, and it is also there to assist in pressing the pedal down when your foot pushes the pedal more than halfway. Broke
Not taken it all out as I was expecting this part to have broken off. Finger looks fine: Bearing sounds fine (bit of a rattle, normal?): Is the rod too far in? Has it punctured the thrust plate?
I wish you had said sooner Gary I've since put it back down on the floor after taking the wheel off to have a look. The splines must be intact as everything was moving 'as one', finger didn't feel loose either. I'd be interested to know if the amount of rod showing, means it's gone through the thrust plate. (Then I know what will be in store for me... 'box off job)
Finger looks OK to me, judging by the angle of the release arm and the finger...they join at a right angle (90 degrees). The pushrod indeed looks too far in, that looks to be the "clutch disengaged" spot.... and since you have nothing shoving the pushrod in to collapse the PP, I'd say the thrust plate has been punctured by the rod. I'm trying to visualize your TO bearing inside the bore, to compare to the pics on my Release Arm page... I know there is about 23mm of pushrod exposed when the arm is lifted by pressing the pedal, I know the input shaft is.....I'll just go out into the garage OK, back from garage....took input shaft, put 5th bolt in, slid a pushrod in, exposed about 23mm of rod out of the clutch end, it left me with about 7mm or so exposed out of the 5th gear end, looking much like your pic.... my guess is the pushrod has punched through the release plate. Broke
That`s mine! Your pushrod looked like mine did as well.. Notice the one in the pic looks cheap with no VAG markings on it? the new VAG one was much more substantial with a pressed in rivet to spread the load and help with wear. `Box out job I`m affraid, I took the engine out (again) but most seem top be able to get it out in situ, god knows how!
Just for the record - this is what happens to the shift finger - it splits allowing the lever shaft to turn and the finger not to. this happened to my car a few weeks back - 1st 2nd 3rd no clutch.. pull in... drive home without a clutch... and it was on the way to a rolling road day!
Bugger , I'll inspect the finger further when I've got the car jacked up again. It'll be interesting to see what markings are on my broken thrust plate. New VAG thrust plate: When removing the gearbox, I take it I need to remove both the front and rear mounts completely? both from the body and the gearbox itself? What is the easiest way to undo the rear gearbox bolt that goes through the mount bush? As I'm close to cracking my chin on the inlet manifold if/when it goes. Should there be a brace from the 5th gear end casing to the rear mount?
With an Engine support, where can I safely wrap the chain around the engine to support the weight, when the gearbox is removed? A quick reply if possible.
I've akways used the hooks, there is one cast as a part of the head, and then another bolted to the head with the acc. bracket. Broke
Where abouts are the hooks located on the head, which side/corner and how far down etc? Acc. braket? Do I not need to use the length of chain, or just use the hook on the support?
