manual transmission: can't shift when engine running

[urq]

... many of those failure would likely change the feel of the clutch, from
your description it sounds as though the "feel" of the clutch hasn't
changed.  I'm thinking the pilot bearing  myself, but I wouldn't imagine
that would give a sudden failure as you report.  In any event, it sounds
like you're going to need to crack open the clutch area and figure out what
the source of the problem is.  

Steve B
San Jose, CA (USA)

-----Original Message-----
From: quattro-bounces at audifans.com [mailto:quattro-bounces at audifans.com] On
Behalf Of Andrew
Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:24 PM
To: Fred Munro
Cc: quattro at audifans.com
Subject: Re: manual transmission: can't shift when engine running

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
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