Problem; lost 1st and 2nd gear

**rsmaku** · 22 June 2009, 11:20

i belive that problem is inside the gearbox, maybe the shifter fork is stuck, or syncronisator is in wrong position. try to slap to the first or second gear, sometimes it helps.

**Rusty** · 22 June 2009, 11:26

Check that the linkage isn't fouling the casing and that the plate under the centre console trim hasn't come loose.

**A80Avant** · 22 June 2009, 12:11

actually it may also be the gear shifter it self and the stop it has to prevent engaging the reverse gear

try with the engine off and foot on clutch, to put first 3d gear,then forth and then see if you can get into 1st or second.

**Bram** · 22 June 2009, 13:18

Originally posted by Rusty

Check that the linkage isn't fouling the casing and that the plate under the centre console trim hasn't come loose.

ok, I will check that. Is this the plate underneath the ball joint?

**Bram** · 22 June 2009, 13:20

Originally posted by A80Avant

actually it may also be the gear shifter it self and the stop it has to prevent engaging the reverse gear

try with the engine off and foot on clutch, to put first 3d gear,then forth and then see if you can get into 1st or second.

How can I check the stop for reverse engage?

With engine off and foot on the clutch I can get in all gears, except 1st and 2nd.

**Henkjan** · 23 June 2009, 12:36

have you opened the "bag" up near the stick, so you can see the linkage? when I had similar probs with my typ85, installing a short shifter kit from 034 solved it... I would investigate linkage etc first before undertaking a gearbox replacement that might not solve anything....

**Bram** · 23 June 2009, 18:44

Thanks for all the tips guys. I managed to solve the issue....somehow

I loosend up the 2 screws on top of the metal plate that holds the knob and ball joint inside the car. After that I lifted up the whole metal plate and the rest on top of it. I have shaken everything a bit and put it back where it should sit. Then I tried to shift gears without putting the bolts back on the 2 pins. I re-alligned the metal plate and fixated everything back to normal.
All of a sudden I could engage all gears again with engine off!!!! Yihaaaa!

And the 1st gear also goes easier now as before! So I am a happy man again.

**Henkjan** · 23 June 2009, 19:10

that's good news... see, not all repairs on an S2 last a whole weekend and result in no meat for a month

**Ross** · 26 June 2009, 11:40

Bram is it still working OK? Think I have a similar problem... it takes a couple of attempts to get into 1st sometimes and 2nd is a bit of a biatch. Also seem to be getting a bit more rattling from underneath, so perhaps I need to have a fiddle as well. It's gotten worse the last few times I've driven the car, and seems alot better once up to temp as well!

**~~Barber~~** · 26 June 2009, 15:12

thank god hahaha, I was worried for you there!

**Bram** · 27 June 2009, 21:13

Originally posted by Ross

Bram is it still working OK? Think I have a similar problem... it takes a couple of attempts to get into 1st sometimes and 2nd is a bit of a biatch. Also seem to be getting a bit more rattling from underneath, so perhaps I need to have a fiddle as well. It's gotten worse the last few times I've driven the car, and seems alot better once up to temp as well!

My car still shifts great! I find it a bit strange that your gears go easier when the box gets warmer. Synchro's or old oil?

I would advise to open up your gear stick compartment and get everything loose. After this just put it back en try a few settings of the calibration plate (iron). Let me know if this helps

**Nuvo** · 21 July 2009, 08:06

I'm seeing similar problems to that of Bram and Ross. I'm having trouble selecting first,second and reverse gears.
I previously thought this was my clutch or master cylinder but that would not appear to be the case.

I removed the gear selector mechanism and replaced with a spare one to try, although the original ball assemby looked to be in good working order.

After a few adjustments I was able to select all gears with the engine off. Although 1,2 and reverse can occasionally need a couple of attempts to get the home.

I can't seem to be able to select any gears with the engine running from initial startup.

I need to switch off the igniton, select a gear and turn the key with the clutch depressed. I find that I need to select 3rd gear as my starting gear just to get things started, afterwhich I can then select all the gears although each change is a little "notchy" but this seems to settle down once the box warms up.

Everything at this point runs as it should until I am faced with a steep hill. I can't change gear when climbing a hill!

This has happened on the two occasions I have tried this. At the end of a run I still find I can't select reverse gear unless I resort to turning off and selecting as before.

What do you think the problem(s) could be? Changing the transmission fluid should help with the notchiness on startup I would hope.

As for the hill climbs I'm thinking that maybe the engine and or gearbox is moving on its mounts although nothing can bee seen or heard of this in the cabin.

As for the for its plain refusal to change gear upon starting I am not sure, I had hoped that adjusting/replacing the selector ball mechanism would have fixed this as suggested above.

What else could it be? I'm praying that my gearbox isn't on its way out.
Any ideas or suggestions to help me solve this annoying fault please?

Thanks chaps.

**Nuvo** · 22 July 2009, 06:56

Anyone?

**Henkjan** · 22 July 2009, 07:29

nothing new to add... I'd give this a try first

Originally posted by me

when I had similar probs with my typ85, installing a short shifter kit from 034 solved it...

Problem; lost 1st and 2nd gear

Problem; lost 1st and 2nd gear

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