Ya know that pesky 1st to 2nd shift?
How it's not as smooth as it should be with the shifter...

Well, when I installed the new boot and had everything apart I was admiring the plastic ball (what's the name of it?) at the base of the shifter.
Mainly because I had dropped a screw down there. Anyway it appears that the plastic ball (until I know the technical term for it bear with me) is covered in grease.
Very old and sorta dirty looking grease mind you. So I moved the shifter in each gear, and redistributed the grease with my finger.
I didn't think much of it, and continued with my hunt for the screw. Put everything back together, and my car sat up until last night.

On my way to work I noticed how much easier it was to shift.
I didn't have to put in half as much effort as before. Seemed to just glide into gear. Kinda sorta how it should be in the first place.
Anyway just figured I share my latest discovery with you lot.
It might not always be the syncros.




Moral of the story: Keep your plastic ball covered in lube!

 

haha "keep your ***** greasy"... wow, story of my life!

 

or maybe it was that lost screw lol

 

+1 haha

 

Stiffer shifter bushings also help. Will be doing those here when it warms up a bit

 

I always wondered if anyone made them for my car. I dont really need a sts but it looked like the only way to tighten up the shifting. In my tib i could wiggle it a little in the gears and it wasnt firm. after i did the shift plate bushings and linkage bushings the problems were gone. I have the same problem in my tt and its annoying but i couldnt find any shift bushings.

 

034 had made some, but some had failed and they will be rereleasing them probably soon. However they are severly overpriced. I plan on just filling in my stocks instead to make them stiffer.

 

Yep, Lexel, $5, search on the 1.8t forum, I just made a post actually...thanks for the ball tip

 

well speedsource makes brass ones but they are for a 5-speed. If there is no difference im going to drive over there and pick some up. They are like 28 bucks from them and they are 30 mins from my apt... These are the guys that built my brothers engine haha
http://www.speed-source.net/products/shifter_cable.htm

 

^ is this the bushing at the transmission or at the shifter end of the cable?