The weirdest autostick issue ever encountered....

Started by sb001, 13 February 2019, 15:36

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68autobug


Hi,
well, a couple of things could have happened... the nylon bushing just under the rearwards bolt holding the gear shifter in place... these are usually very well worn by now, but I have never replaced mine as yet... very inexpensive part... and because of this, the shifter road has moved.. loosen the two bolts and move it slightly... the reverse lock out plate, maybe also worn or bent... getting a new one ?? but should be many used ones about...??  the worst thing You could have done is bent the gear selector inside the gearbox....    Hopefully You have just broken the nylon bush, so the rod drops down, and I guess everything would change....  the reverse lockout plate is slightly different to a manual car I believe, but I also believe they can be used in manual cars too ???  because when people change the chassis over to a manual they leave the plate there??? I believe...  I have seen pics of some pretty bent up and badly worn plates... by just loosening the two bolts You maybe able to get it to still work sort of OK... The ring that holds the nylon bushing shouldn't be damaged...  if You take the complete shifter base off, You can see if You can move the long rod up & down....  If the bush is Ok, it shouldn't go up & down...

Best of luck

Lee in Australia

-- Helping keep Autostick beetles on the road --
   -1968 Silver metallic 1600 single port Beetle - with BOSCH  SVDA and new BROSOL H30/31 carburetor with GENIE Extractor exhaust system with a quiet thunderbird muffler

http://photobucket.com/68autobug

sb001

Thank God it appears to have just been that the shifter plate mounting bolts came loose so the upper plate (red arrow below) was moving with the shifter and blocking it from going in gear:



I suppose it's possible this may actually have been causing my initial problem as well although it still doesn't explain why it only happens after driving for awhile.
I got it realigned and tightened back down and it seems to be going into all gears just fine again now (knock on wood.)

68autobug

Hi,
that was My last suggestion, but those bolts are usually done up tight using spring washers otherwise they can move....


Great news..


LEE
-- Helping keep Autostick beetles on the road --
   -1968 Silver metallic 1600 single port Beetle - with BOSCH  SVDA and new BROSOL H30/31 carburetor with GENIE Extractor exhaust system with a quiet thunderbird muffler

http://photobucket.com/68autobug

sb001

Hi Lee, technically it wasn't the reverse lockout plate (which is further down in the diagram above)-- it was the upper shift plate with the red arrow. Never even really paid attention to the fact that there is an upper plate, not even really sure what its purpose is-- I guess when bolted to the bottom lockput plate it forms the "gates" that the shifter slides through? Anyway I sure am glad it was as simple as re-tightening the bolts that hold it down.  I took the car for a test spin yesterday and is working fine again.
Now if only I could figure out what's causing that random initial problem of not being able to get the car out of gear back into neutral after having driven for awhile... still puzzling over that one. None of the typical autsotick solutions have fixed it...

68autobug

HI,
Yes, well that top plate really anchors everything, once those bolts come loose, and there are slots in both plates.... I always use a spring washer to keep them in place....

Great news ... I wonder how many times that has happened and the mechanic has said "I told You these cars are trouble...??"

LEE in Australia
-- Helping keep Autostick beetles on the road --
   -1968 Silver metallic 1600 single port Beetle - with BOSCH  SVDA and new BROSOL H30/31 carburetor with GENIE Extractor exhaust system with a quiet thunderbird muffler

http://photobucket.com/68autobug

sb001

Hey Lee and everyone else, help me come up with some outrageous ideas why my bug keeps locking me out of neutral after having driven for say 40 minutes or more, and then only after coming to a complete stop (like wanting to back into a parking spot at work.) Adjusting contacts does not fix the problem (nor would it seem to be the issue anyway since I have zero problem shifting while driving (with car in motion), it's only after coming to a complete stop and then trying to get out of gear back into neutral- ONLY that direction-- never have a problem going INTO gear FROM neutral while stopped.) Also, if I immediately turn the car off when this happens (which allows me to get it back into neutral) and then turn the car back on, I can IMMEDIATELY shift into and out of gear again!! WTF

This is really getting tiresome.

68autobug


I wonder if the reverse lock out plate is badly worn or bent???
which allows these strange things to happen....
Everything on My car is new or like new and adjusted correctly etc,,,, which did take many months....   Have You replaced the vacuum hoses?? a leak could cause similar problems... also the clutch servo bladder - is it in perfect condition... no leaks..?? control valves are usually bullet proof...




Best of Luck


LEE
-- Helping keep Autostick beetles on the road --
   -1968 Silver metallic 1600 single port Beetle - with BOSCH  SVDA and new BROSOL H30/31 carburetor with GENIE Extractor exhaust system with a quiet thunderbird muffler

http://photobucket.com/68autobug

sb001

Followup on this-
a couple days ago I went out to the car to check something on the carburetor. While I was back there I noticed the terminals on the control valve were a bit corroded and brownish so I sanded them down and applied a dab of dialectric grease on them. (I also disconnected the inline fuse holder and checked the fuse which seemed to be fine.)
This morning I drove it to work the first time since doing that and I did not have the issue at all. Pulled into the parking lot after the same (45 minute) drive and was immediately able to shift out of gear and into reverse back into my spot and shift back into neutral.
I find it amazing that it might (MIGHT) have been that simple, I'll keep checking it over the next few weeks and see how it goes.

68autobug


Yes, it can be as simple as cleaning contacts... I have resoldered Mine on the control valve...plus I do not use a fuse in the engine compartment..I use a fuse under the bonnet... it is much cleaner under there.... I used to clean all My fuses all the time in the fusebox along with the tabs in the fusebox until I installed circuit breakers...  I did install a new narva fusebox but just connected everything thru the circuit breakers....

LEE
-- Helping keep Autostick beetles on the road --
   -1968 Silver metallic 1600 single port Beetle - with BOSCH  SVDA and new BROSOL H30/31 carburetor with GENIE Extractor exhaust system with a quiet thunderbird muffler

http://photobucket.com/68autobug