I thought I'd ask this here as I don't seem to get much joy over on the VWT4 forum and their knowledge bank is nowhere near as wide as it is on here.
I bought a 2001 VW T4 the other week and I've noticed that 2nd and 4th gear both tend to slide out when I let the revs right down, like just coming off the clutch and wanting the van to pull under its own steam. I say slide as they don't pop, the first indication you get is a revving when you want to move and I have to pull the gearstick a few millimeters back and we're away again.
I've heard that it could be worn synchro's and also that it could be a worn selector. The gears themselves go in fine and 2nd seems to be the worst, it doesn't happen all the time and if I keep my hand on the gearstick then it doesn't come out.
Any ideas? If synchro's are suspected does anyone have a rough cost to have them replaced? I'm thinking it may be cheaper to buy a new box if not.

you bought it from a dealer didn't you, go straight back from work without changing and explain your problem, worked with a mate and he's only a fireman, nudge nudge wink wink

tony

sounds like syncro but my personal experiece these poped back out rather than slid back out b0t that was on a 1.9 derv shitreon bx with 200k on the clock.

A long shot and free to try.

My Audi A6 the day before a 2 day trip across europe for summer hols with familly. I pulled out of a junction and snatched for second and completely fluffed it afterwards I could not engage 2nd and 4th really though I had bent a selector oh bu66er. so limped home and calmed down with a cup of tea and thought about it logically.

it seems the shaft for fore and back selection has a slider on ( to stop you bending the sectors i suspect ) so what I had done is rather than going over the H pattern in a strait line I had come across and engaged the slider further into the housing ( so there was not enough throw to engage the gear fully ) so gently reversed the process and while in neutral gave the gearstick a push the other way (basically centralised the gearstick int in the gearstick gater so it was strait up while in neutral rather than an angle ) and all was ok. So possibly yours has only moved a little and is not throwing it far enough to get the 'Detent' on the gear selector shaft.

So try in netral in between 1 and 3rd and pushing the gearstick towars the screen.

Regards

Agriv8

It wasn't a VW dealer I bought it from, more a van sales place. He knows the gearbox is like this (only after I pointed it out to him to use it as a bargaining point!) and has written on the receipt 3000 mile warranty excluding gearbox!

I'll try the pushy thing when I get the van back thanks. It's in having the timig belt done and should have been back today but for the fact that he can't get a camshaft seal till Thursday and we both thought it was the crankshaft seal before it went in. Glad I'm not doing the job myself now as I nipped in to see how he was doing and he was swearing and had snapped a water pump bolt
I may try to replace the selector rod bushes too and these are known to wear and the selection is very sloppy, like a stick in an empty box.

Thanks for the suggestions so far. If anyone has any others or can comment on the price of a repair I'll be grateful. Thanks.

hi chap,
we had a 2004 t4 van at work with a similar problem, then going down the motorway about 85 the bearings let go on 5th then took 2nd and 4th with it.
we tried to find a replacement but they are like rocking horse poop,and the ones you do find are nearly as much as the van.
i would reccomend a strip down and inspection before it goes too far

You have a real way of cheering a man up there Bob but seriously, thanks for the advice mate, it all helps.

yes i always like to look on the bright side.
hope its nothing serious, might just end up needed a oil change.
good luck

Thanks mate

I'd still appreciate anything else on this. Anyone got experience of gearbox repairs and the sort of money we're talking please? Anyone?

Just to put finish to this thread. After cleaning and loosening the gear linkages and and arm on top of the box I now have 2nd gear back so I'm hoping that with a bit more of a clean, grease and maybe replacing of a few sloppy bushes I'll get 4th back too.
Thanks for the suggestions and help.