VW Jetta MKII Manual Shift Repair

[@wporter4671]

Man- I just did the entire bushing job on the shifter linkage on my MK2 Golf. I am no mechanic, so it took some time. But I could not have done it without watching your video. Thanks for taking the time to do it.

[@drinkingineasterneurope6947]

before you replaced the bushing did your golf had problems with shifting into first gear instead of first goes in reverse and 2nd gear having problems to get in ?

[@gorrowler]

@@drinkingineasterneurope6947 mine actually has the same problem, have you found any fixes for it?

[@drinkingineasterneurope6947]

@@gorrowler well I took it to one mechanic in the area and he fixed it. He said it was easy job. I think that there is one plastic piece that stops you from going in reverse it just need to be replaced. you have to remove the cover on the shifter and check it on your own. But from what i understand its easy fix if u know how ofc

[@MichaelSurfer]

Doing this repair on the Jetta in my driveway. A few of those bushings have definitely seen better days.

[@notme8966]

Your video was excellent and it motivated me to do the linkage bushings on my 1985 Golf Diesel rather than paying someone to do the job. I just worked underneath the hood and did not need to drop the exhaust as there was no work necessary on the shifter itself. Two points - 1) I found an easy way to get the big orange or clear plastic bushing into the relay shift bracket in which you spent 10 minutes doing. I laid the bracket down between two stones. Greased one end of the bushing and put that end into the relay bracket hole. Then put a small piece of 2 X 4 on the top of the other end of the bushing and hit the board several times with a hammer and the bushing went right into place. Took about 30 seconds. 2) After everything was installed it seemed like the shifter would go into 3rd gear not first. Found a simple solution was to slide the selector lever and clamp back about 1/4" to 1/2" and that solved the problem. Now the more difficult job awaits - changing a bad head gasket.

[@entertaintech4374]

Just learned why my gti won’t go in reverse, thanks making vid on this!

[@MrBigsky13]

I found it very useful to down load and save these repair videos to a memory card then I take a small tablet or phone and I am able to watch if I have any questions. This one is defenetly one of the best DIY's produced. How could anyone give this a thumbs down? Must be Honda Drivers. Not even a Toyata wrench would do that. ps. when you guys who don't aslready own a Bentley Repair Manual buy the hard back addition you'll be glad you did. my soft cover is falling apart. Better watch a yourtube on rebuilding your Bentley Manual.

[@zarinaromanets7290]

"Yeah, you gotta remove that screw for the whole box to drop down. Ask me how I know." XD sums up life as a backyard mechanic!

[@Scab12979]

love the video, very helpful thank you. I too fought with putting shift lever with ball attached back in basket but the one thing I did different was leaving the hole open on bottom of basket slide shifter through long rod then put in the ball holder saves a lot of fighting and cussing plus you eliminate possibility of breaking or bending any new parts but very helpful thank you again for all the helpful advice. another thing I did different was I used vise grips to hold ball back while punching out pin on bottom of ball

[@matussvelan9347]

I am planing to replace main orange/translucent bushing on fathers in law '97 Seat Cordoba. This was what I needed to see to get waluable information and details. Thank you a lot. Regards, MS

[@davemckiernan]

This really helped me with my '89 Scirocco. It had exactly the same problems too! Thanks.

[@ekajesor7640]

just bought an 84 wolfsburg rocco, it wont go into 4th or 5th. the trans has shifted, which im getting fixed, you think it would fix the horrible sloppy shifts?

[@dogknott62]

nice job with the video ....I done this long before seeing your video and I have to say you did a fantastic job shooting video with one hand ......

[@TheDjAust]

thank you!!

[@patrik4357]

Hi, thanks for a great video! I am about to change the gear linkage bushings in my Golf -88 during the fall and this video is really informative, has everything you need to know. Greetings from Sweden

[@MistorPie]

you are a lifesaver mate!

[@fightrider187]

very good video thanks from germany !

[@RuneKBS]

Love your video, it really helped me😊

[@josiepierce9220]

thank you so much for this video I've been looking for a good walk through/video for weeks

[@TheDjAust]

Glad it helps!

[@ferfire9]

Thanks Austin, thats an amazing help right there, u explained almost everything. Cheers

[@davidguillenjackson7232]

Great video, too bad the previous owner, welded and remove the "cat", impossible to do the orange bushing, BUT by myself, i manage to do the shifter base, and it's amazing, gti 97, feeling better, thank you for your video, by the way, my experience with the PIN, i do it with a friend, i pressed against a desk to pull it down and he hammered with a little bit of grease. The desk have a few war marks. Sorry for my grammar, Greetings from Panama Central America

[@TheDjAust]

thank you!! definitely need a friend to help with that pin lol

[@_lacman_]

Hey there Austin! Just watched your video of renovating your gear shift system. You mentioned some parts are missing from the repair kit, one at 9:34, and the other at 25:57. Did you find eventually those separately sold? Or did you have to get another full kit? And where do the little metal pieces belong to in the bushing kit? I'm about to repair my gear shift system on my Golf MK2, and just collecting the parts and the knowledge :) I appreciate your reply.

[@Vidarx2]

Did he answer have you ordered yet

[@mechanicalmanny494]

New to the vw world, had a 89 fox 20 years ago loved it . I now bought a 91 Jetta gl 1.8 8 valve wanted to know how to scan for codes

[@Dannotello1982]

Watching this for my Vw golf mk2 and so far it looks like ill be using your guide again. even after laughing at the brain fart a few times

[@racabon]

Saved my but Thank you for the video

[@tonyn9444]

amazing video, saved me so much time thanks :)

[@TheDjAust]

No problem!! Glad it helped!

[@tonyt4270]

not looking forward to doing mine,thanks for the info ,very informative

[@k13gabriel]

Thank you very much! Your Video helped me a lot !

[@TheDjAust]

welcome!!

[@silentcrow2003]

About to do this job on my car can't wait to get rid of the sloppy shifter

[@TheDjAust]

about a 2 hour job

[@silentcrow2003]

I didn't do all the inside stuff just the bushings under the hood being disabled not being able to use my right hand it took me about a half an hour that one bracket with the bolt that goes all the way through and the nut on the bottom side of it was the hardest for me to do after I got it off I just welded the nut to the bottom of the bracket so all I gotta do is tighten the bolt to it

[@thami031]

thanks so much Austan, just a disclaimer, the little ball thingy melts in like a year with those aftermarket white ones... smh

[@LucaTheSkunk]

This is very similar to the mk3 setup at least on my 2000 Cabrio

[@Дмитрийй-л7й]

Спасибо! Thanks!)

[@nazmiabuashour814]

There are many incomplete operations in the video, for example How the gear sticks were fitted to the rod in the box How was the box disassembled? We saw everything on the table ready

[@carlbarton772]

Thanks for the video.... Legend

[@carlbarton772]

Learning the spanners this is helping me so much. Thanks.

[@carlbarton772]

Here's how I damaged it.... kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6vEY4t_aamWr8k

[@carlbarton772]

Job done thanks for the advice.

[@besilahu5444]

Nice job bro respect can u show me where u buy all te sttuf about this job plz contact me

[@artestuninngbrasil728]

Tenk so match Gays, Brasil 🔧🚘

[@aktrol942]

Perfect repair

[@notoriousphd]

Austin, can you help with the bushing installation that you had to do off camera at 10:35? You say lube the bushing and you imply that it was a PITA. I've lubed the bushing, tried compressing it with a clamp, then a vice with no luck. I've tried prying it with compression, etc. I'm about to give up and rivet the dang thing. Any final suggestions or hints?

[@melellington4892]

Put the bushing in a pot of boiling water to soften it up. Also, use silicone lubricant on it to help slide it into place. FYI, there are many available bushing clamp tools and you can also fashion your own clamp out of a bolt, large washers, and nuts.

[@MrBigsky13]

@@melellington4892 Great info Mel thank you, now if i can only remember it when I come across a stubern bushing.

[@irishadventuresuk]

Hi There, got a 1997 m2 vw caddy. Can you recommend a kit from the stick to the box. Everything I see on ebay says not compatible, but looks very similar to your project. Any help would be a bonus. Thanks in advance.

[@viktor99047]

Well done. Thanks!

[@studio-bp1xi]

How did you take the peace off 7:32

[@nedelcuionut9802]

very useful, thanks man!

[@agntroboy1995]

how did you remove the shifter out of the main shift rod in the box? you skipped that part in the beginning and thats what i really needed to see.

[@TheDjAust]

with force and at an angle if I recall. hard with no camera man. I apologize

[@robinborg8574]

Merci pour cette vidéo. :)

[@frankmaggio4328]

Nice video. I purchased a 94 Gold GTI MK3 at an auction for $600. The prior owner ran it into the ground. I just replaced the complete brake system from master cylinder to E brake...I mean EVERYTHING dealing with the brakes. Anyhow, the shifter is completely sloppy. This video will come in handy when I redo the shifter. What sites did you get your kit from?? Thanks!

[@TheDjAust]

rockauto.com I believe

[@davidconde1521]

7:35 does that piece need a bushing in the center too?

[@MrBigsky13]

Not yet he cleaned it up and called it good.

[@kodydrums378]

I know next to nothing about cars, just wondering if this will be a good guide for my 83 Rabbit?

[@TheDjAust]

Kody Knebel very close as the mk1 and mk2 platform are extremely similar.

[@kodydrums378]

Thank you so much, hopefully it goes well lol

[@49teeth81]

Thank you Sir.

[@АндрейКульбакин-ж1ш]

thanks man !!!

[@bryce9100]

how did you remove the exhaust? droping the gear shifter box is the biggest pain without the exhaust

[@TheDjAust]

Mine was already off. but you take off the spring clips and rubber mounts. Look up how to take off exhaust spring clips if that's what you're stuck on.

[@nahuelbobadilla7102]

Hi, i have a SEAT INCA 1.9 year 1998, and it has almost every part you showed, except the first thing (it has some change i think) Can that be posible?

[@crazyeyes2583]

How did you get the short plastic arm on?? Please sir

[@jesusa.4847]

Did you have to remove the muffler to get the assembly out?

[@fernando69flores1]

your the best

[@TheDjAust]

thank you!

[@bymarcatholictinkering]

Where did you buy this kit ?

[@christeneswanepoel]

Will this work for a jetta mk3 2004 model as well? The flat plate that comes on before the white ball, is completely loose on mine. No first gear. Parts look the same.

[@TheDjAust]

should be a very similar process.

[@stevenjackson7054]

My buddys replacing some similar parts for the shifting linkage. Would u mind telling me where u could order the parts u have in the video, He's having trouble finding them.

[@TheDjAust]

links are in the description for all the parts I used

[@zxrzxrful]

for the last two bushings i went to loosen the long bolt and now its just spinning... did i just fuck up lol

[@totte1015]

Did this yesterday, everything works except 5th gear, why?

[@alansmilealot]

how did u get the new spring pin in, tapping it?. also how do u get the orange bushing out the shifter. I'm struggling.

[@TheDjAust]

that spring was a bitch. I pressed down as hard as I could and tapered the pin some on one end so I slide it in just a tad. then used a punch to tap the rest of it in. then that bushing was just a hard in general. use Vaseline to help lube it in.

[@alansmilealot]

+Austin Clarke OK, I'm will try again when I get some time and beer

[@alansmilealot]

+Austin Clarke OK, I'm will try again when I get some time and beer

[@crossetix]

thanks man

[@АндрейАндреев-б9к9з]

СПАСИБО ,единственное подробное видео

[@russellpearcy7748]

will this stop it from popping out of reverse

[@TheDjAust]

maybe? might have another problem then the shift linkage.

[@BuyTheBookLotto]

Just like Austin said! It’s definitely worth the try as this is the cheaper route

[@antonely93]

Thanks Sir

[@oliverperez3296]

como sincroniza las velocidades? no me entra la reversa.

[@magalyortiz2171]

Oliver Perez

[@TheDjAust]

Magaly Ortiz yo no hablo español

[@zarinaromanets7290]

Eso suena como un tema diferente

[@davidconde1521]

@@TheDjAust he was asking how do you synchronize the gears , hes won't go into reverse

[@elmenosinmiedo2899]

Hablo español este amigo .se ve q explica bien las cosas paso por paso pero no entiendo

[@TheDjAust]

Lamento decir esto, pero hay mucho aquí para traducir. La mejor apuesta es encontrar un amigo y que traduzca para usted.

[@nurlangulnur377myrzahanov9]

👍👍👍👍

[@narancs5]

This linkage is extremely overcomplicated. As a return you get shitty switching response and a lot of wobble. Dont have a clue why VW had to do it like this. The cars I had before only had 2 rods from the lever to the gearbox, one of which was only a support to hold the lever in an exact place.

[@dennisdc1000]

1993 jetta no reverse; easy fix or what?

[@TheDjAust]

shoot me an email. I have pics I'll show you what you can try to fix this. I am not an all a transmission expert but what I got to show is worth a shot and I think will fix it. [e-mail]

[@TheDjAust]

you're gonna be doing what I said at 7:38

[@TheDjAust]

along with what I said at 12:45

[@melissaphillips7014]

Hi my name Melissa in n Tennessee I have Jetta that I'm trying to fix myself it quit shifting period gear shift just came lose n floated so I got the replacement bushing kit your vid is helpful but I not sure I can do it myself If u c this please reply and I will send u my email address if u have time and think u can help me please and thank you

[@bymarcatholictinkering]

First thanks for taking slow enough for people to understand what you’re saying . Second the whole design is terrible and really a pathetic excuse for engineering. American cars and trucks from the forties to current models have never had these totally unnecessary issues. Everything looks like it was an afterthought and not seriously designed. Front wheel drive cars pretty much became common for American made vehicles since 1980, I don’t know anyone or worked on any American made or Asian made vehicles that has ever had silly issues like these mid eighties VW have. I owned a bettle in High School great little car but the Jetta is not at all in the same category. I have an 01 Cavalier 5 speed manual almost 300K and it still is running great no issues like your having at all. I replaced the Alternator and the Radiator and earlier this year the ECM other than that everything is original. I had Datsuns and Toyota again no issues with shifting at all. The only reason I own the 85 Jetta was to run it on WVO and I had a nice system I built to do that. The Jetta was very cheap as compared to small diesel powered pickup trucks which is what I wanted but didn’t want to spend that much money 💴, bad decision without a doubt. All the small truck diesel don’t self destruct if the timing belt was to break, again a bad design in my opinion.

[@vw4x4]

Rockauto sucks..... try to return something. They will give you a very hard time no mater if its there own fault!