gear change problem on n reg vw transporter 2.4l?

i have a 1974 automatic transmission transporter with the exact same problem. no reverse and it stays in first gear. sometimes when i put it in park it thinks its still in drive any help?? what should i do and how?

curty
May 2012

I read this as had the same problem. First take off the linkage at the right hand side as you look at it, this makes it much easier to take off the left side.
The nylon bush at the left end is the tricky one but use lots of WD40 and a good deal of patience. You wont be able to knock it in so I chamfered off the end slightly and then put it in the vice and then compressed it in. Make sure that it stays plumb and once it starts it will go in easy. At the end use a bit of wood and give it a good smack with a hammer and it should be job done. Repeat the process the other side and refit the LEFT hand end first, pack it out with grease, push the ball end in and you should be good. It's a bit fiddly but you'll be right. The parts cost me the princely sum of 10 euro.
Good luck.

Geoff
August 2009

I'm trying to replace the nylon ball joint in the transmission linkage so I can get my 1st and 2nd gears back. Any advice on how to do this? It seems like an impossible fit.

Tony Towell
August 2009

Mark - it sounds like a manual box, not an auto. I had a similar problem on mine a few years ago and it was the nylon bush on top of the gearbox, where the levers from the gear-shift actually operate the linkage into the gearbox. If they are not broken or dislodged, then spray lots of spray grease all over the top of them and wiggle the gear-stick to get the grease into the gaps. If they are broken or really worn out, then it's a bummer as the parts cost around £4, but it takes three hours to pull off all of the bits and replace them. Best if you can do it yourself - look down the gap between the battery and the coolant bottle with a torch and see if you can see what moves when someone else tries to select the gears and you should see the linkage parts down there.

Helpful Mark - not related
October 2008

Hello Finchy
I had the exact same problem and stripped the box down and found the wireing ribbon that joines all the solenoids together was cracked so 4 solenoids werent working these solenoids control the valve body for your gears it pays to strip the pan and valve body replace the filter screen and replace the fluid
all the best mate

Mark
October 2008