I was driving down the road this afternoon, when the gearchange became noticeably stiffer. All of a sudden, I put the clutch down and it didn't come back up again. No problem, I thought - snapped cable (easy job). However, when I checked the lever on the box attached to the cable, it was in slightly different positions with the clutch in it's up and down positions. I touched the lever, and it moves up and down a couple of inches quite freely. Anyway...had to tow it home Any ideas before I get the gearbox taken out tomorrow? Oh, I forgot to say - it's an 8v 1990 Mk2 Golf GTi. Edited by: Claire
There's a small arm inside the box('lever arm' in the haynes, page 156 of the old green manual). These usually crack and move on the splined shaft(release arm) that the cable attches to. Cheap enough to buy and won't take an age to do if you know someone willing to do it.
yep,this problem seems to be getting more and more common,have seen the arm that pushes the release bearing just snap
Or the pushrod has gone through the plate. Or the release bearing housing has cracked, or a few other things as well. The clutch arm quadrant is most likely tho, as said above. Take the green cover off the end of the box and have someone pull the clutch up, then push it down again. You'll be able to see it slip round if that's the problem.
Cheers guys. I started taking the gearbox out today, and decided to go the whole hog and whip the engine out as well so that I can do the piston rings and main bearings. Trouble is I cannot get the downpipe separated from the manifold, so I've had to separate it from the mid section, take the front panel, cross member, bonnet and bumper off and pull the lot straight out the front. Absolute nightmare! Do I need to replace the headbolts, or can I use the existing ones? The other thing is, I've been thinking about putting a different cam in, but how do I know it hasn't already had one i.e. it's a lot quicker than my sisters GTi. Thanks again
The cam will have a VAG part number on if it's standard. Those manifold/downpipe bolts can be a right bollox - if they get difficult I normally just shear them off, then use an oxy torch and a stud shifter to get them out. Good idea to renew all the head/manifold bolts, as well as the manifold/downpipe ones.
if you can get the heat sheild for the cold starting air warmer pipe to the air box thing off, then you should be able to get to all the intake manifold bolts, and remove, then get to the exhaust manifold bolts, and remove.... and hey presto! i am doing the same job myself right now, and have the same problem. does this make sense, even in theory of not practice?
