Just a chick needing some advice. Fourth gear keeps popping out on my 62 kombi when i accelerate, so i have to hold my hand on the stick as i drive. very hard when trying to eat, drive, put on blinkers and widow washers at the same time. do i need a new gear box soon or what?????

[Edited on 15-5-2003 by rachael brown]

mine too, If you are lucky you may be able to adjust the gear lever..( two bolts at base of gear lever - loosen and move the housing and tighten again )
and you may find that it stays in gear.
Another possibility may be engine mount problems but that would show up in other disorders as well.
Oh check out Tech Forum..

Also try searching the following sites:

http://www.type2.com

http://www.shoptalkforums.com

If it goes in OK with no grunching and then pops out you can almost bet that the ring gear and pinion alignment has exceeded tolerance due to wear.

Its a pull down job to reshim and since you pay a fortune in labour to pull it down and set these tolerances (requires three test assemblies really) you'd be mad not to do the rest of the box while you are at it. THEN you just CAN'T get new pinion bearings for the older splitty boxes in Oz - anyone rebuilding em isn't putting new bearings in either - ask em!

THEN you think why do all that labour (or pay someone to do all that labour) it if you end up with used bearings back in etc etc...

Its largely the reason I put a 1500 beetle box in my bus - at least you can still source the parts (and it is a stronger box too)..

RobK

p.s. Busses will go for a long time like this (dropping out of 4th - there is the bungee solution which means hold it in 4th with an octopus strap). But yes sooner or later it will need a rebuild or replacement...).

[Edited on 16-5-2003 by splitbusaustralia]

thanks for that advice, i think i will just keep cruising along as she is, and wait til it packs up. i was thinking of the occy option............ thats what boyfriends are for!!

Rachael,

Please note. Do not have excessive force on the octopus strap ie very tight! Just have enough to catch the stick when goes to jumps out.

More technical explanation – excessive force will override the detent on the selector rod, this will put the selector yoke into constant thrust against the sliding gear, which will prematurely wear out the yoke and in some cases snap it off.

Agree with Robk's opinion above, but it can also be the drive teeth on 4th gear and the sliding gear have worn. These can be "background" in most cases to extend the life of the box, if everything else is OK! But still requires a complete tear down and rebuild of the box, again remembering what Robk has already said!

Buy yourself one of those elastic roof-rack straps. Hook one end to the rear seat and the other to the gear stick once you slip it in 4th . Worked for me for 2 years. You mentioned eating, blinkers, steering, etc but what about putting makeup too
Raf

im naturally beautiful ...................... i drive a kombi!!!

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