manual transmission: can't shift when engine running

[Andrew]

Fred, thanks a lot for the feedback. The reason why I did not
immediately think about the clutch was that the last time I had a
clutch problem (circa 8 years ago in a Golf) it was gradual rather
than sudden deterioration. At some point the engine started to slip a
little, then more, and it was obvious that it was worn.

Here, though, it was sudden from good shifting to a totally impossible
one. But perhaps the clutch can fail abruptly too. So, a clutch job
with dropping a trainee :(. Have not done this for eight years.
Ironically, when the clutch failed in my Golf it had about the same
mileage as my Passat now (~190K).

If doing a clutch, I will probably get Luk clutch kit (clutch disk,
pressure plate, release bearing). They seem reasonably priced. If
anyone had experience with Luk clutches, please share.

Thanks again,
Andrew

On 2/4/09, Fred Munro <munrof at sympatico.ca> wrote:
> Andrew;
>
> It sounds like your clutch may not be releasing fully, so the synchros can't
> match shaft speeds against the driven input shaft when you try to shift with
> the engine running. Could be failed pressure plate fingers or the disc
> dragging on the input shaft splines.
>
> Fred Munro
> '97 S6
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Andrew
> Sent: February 5, 2009 9:05 PM
> To: quattro at audifans.com
> Subject: manual transmission: can't shift when engine running
>
>
> Hi folks,
>
> I know this isn't exactly Audi but I used to getting an expert advise
> here when I had a 4KQ, so hopefully someone would give me an advise on
> my problem with a '96 Passat.
>
> The car in question is 1996 Passat GLS, 2 L engine (code ABA), manual
> transmission (code CRU).
>
> Yesterday on my way to work I found myself unable to get the
> transmission out of the 4th gear to neutral when slowing down to a
> traffic light. Luckily, I was only a mile from home, so I pulled over,
> shut of the engine, opened the hood, put the car in the 1st gear from
> under the hood, turned the engine on with the clutch pedal depressed,
> released the clutch and crawled back home in the first gear.
>
> I partially disassembled the shifting mechanism and found that the
> shifting link labeled 49 at this picture
> http://s1.ipicture.ru/uploads/090206/15611/ybSH1nx5mO.jpg (here is a
> photo from a different siteL
> http://s1.ipicture.ru/uploads/090206/15611/a9dlr3jEoB.jpg) was worn.
> The steel bolt originally molded into plastic was falling out freely
> and I thought that was the reason of the shifting failure.
>
> However, after having this part replaced (wondering why it was plastic
> rather than metal in the first place) I still have a shifting problem
> in the car.With the engine off I can easily switch between gears but
> with the engine on I can only shift with a considerable difficulty if
> at all.
>
> The clutch pedal is solid and goes all the way up as it should but I
> bled the clutch anyway, which did not help with my shifting problem.
>
> The only other thing I feel needs to be said, that the failure from
> normal smooth shifting to my current situation was sudden rather than
> gradual deterioration. It was not like shifting was becoming
> increasingly difficult lately until it became impossible today. It was
> all fine and smooth and suddenly failed today on the road and became
> completely impossible.
>
> Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
> TIA,
> Andrew