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'97 Jetta TDI - how/whether to adjust the clutch

Howdy,

MY '97 Jetta TDI is about to turn 140,000 (mostly highway) miles on its original clutch. It has no problems except that it sometimes balks at going into 1st gear from a stop. Here is what I know:

  1. It goes easier if you slide into 2nd then 1st, or occasionally into 2nd, then try 1st, then 2nd again then try 1st again kind of hard, then it goes right in.

  1. The floor mat has not slid behind the pedal.

  2. My manual (Haynes) only has instructions for installation and removal of the clutch, with a cryptic reference to a cable that is 'self adjusting'.

Can I fix this problem in my garage with civilian tools or is this a job for a mechanic? If so how? Or should I just go on really long roadtrips that keep me in 5th gear 8 hours a day from here on out?

regards, KL

Reply to
Keith E. Loyd
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We had a similar problem with our 1991 Golf maybe 1.5-2 years ago now... It was just the bushing, it was worn out and the cable/rod (not sure which it used - i'll go with "linkage component") was not guiding the transmission into the gear correctly. We got VW dealer to install a rebuild kit on the tranny, and the shifts were beautiful... No more feeling your way into first gear (Not as important to start with a diesel, the TDI's where I used to work could start readily from 3rd gear) and no more painful sounding noises when engaging reverse.

It wasn't too expensive either if I recall.

Reply to
Rob Guenther

I agree with Rob, its just a bushing/shaft replacement kit kinda thing. There is an alignment tool needed do it right.

Reply to
Biz

See if you can get it into reverse without grinding. If that's the case then the shifter linkage needs adjusted.

Reply to
Woodchuck

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