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Shifter alignment questions (Inconsistent shifts)

djoliverm

New member
Hey guys! I've searched the forums for a bit and was wondering if maybe you had some tips on how to remedy my inconsistent shifts.

Car is stock in terms of power, but I've installed an OEM Euro short shifter, OEM metal shifter bracket, metal shifter bracket bushings, ECS solid shifter bushings, ECS clutch bleeder block, and a clutch stop. 2017 SE GTI (PP).

I've done multiple shifter adjustments now, trying to get it just right (i've seen the dieselgeek videos countless times and also searched for tips on the forums) but no matter what, the best I can do is to have an amazing shifting experience some of the time. So for sure when the car is cold (live in San Francisco) it does take a bit for the transmission itself to warm up and start to feel just right, but the thing is that I can't seem to replicate a perfect shift into any gear consistently.

Like once the car is warmed up and driving around town, third gear for example will sometimes go in buttery smooth, and other times I feel like it's physically snagged on something and it doesn't want to go in all the way. Almost like I'm forcing it to go in fully. If I do the same shift again a few seconds later, sometimes it corrects itself and is buttery smooth again.

Also for example for second or first gear (or any side to side gear), it will sometimes go in perfectly, and other times I can feel that the gate "snags" on something, or feels like it does.

I do have a VW shifter alignment pin, but I will admit I stupidly broke off the plastic top alignment hole as I was fishing the pin through the hole indentation. There is enough of the hole left though to move it towards the pin (where it feels like you're actually putting the gear into second to get to the neutral alignment spot) and I can velcro the two together fairly tightly. I know the trick also is to get rid of the slack on the shifter cables by pulling up slightly (so it's not "drooping down" I guess).

At this point I'm kinda dumbfounded as to what may be causing this inconsistency. When it goes in buttery smooth it feels amazing and I just wish I could replicate that for good. This is my second manual car—first one being a 2006 Civic Si which I had for seven years and put 140,000 miles on, so it's not like I'm new to shifting manual cars.

Anybody with experience trying to fix something like this, was it really just trying to do the shifter adjustment again and again until it finally "clicked" so to speak?

I would greatly appreciate any help, and thank you in advance for your time!

Cheers
 

Reggie Enchilada

Autocross Newbie
Location
nowhere
Car(s)
yes
There is a set of bushings available from DieselGeek which replace the factory rubber bushings on the gearshift: https://www.dieselgeek.com/collections/vw-shifter-bushings/products/high-performance-vw-shifter-shaft-bushings-for-mk4-golf-jetta-new-beetle
They get rid of the slop that is present from the factory bushings. Another thing that you can look into is removing the extra clutch pedal spring.

A proper shifter alignment would definitely help though. Since you broke the alignment tab on the shifter, you may have some difficulty with aligning it properly. If you don't feel like spending a bunch of money on repairing that, you could probably use a couple of zip-ties linked together to simulate the OEM alignment tab. One around the shifter with another one fastened through it to get the same position as the OEM tab might work.
 

golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate
As above the diesel geek gearstick shaft bushes...I did these after the stuff you have done & still found it was a bit off..even though I was more careful & have not broken my arm/hole etc..

also did a gearbox drain & fill..factory had short filled by 0.2lt...idiots...& yes I have triple check the oil in & out & the amounts...I have the ERWIN books..
 

bdelaney4000

Ready to race!
Location
Chester, NH
Just an FYI the metal shifter bracket changes the geometry slightly. When I did my shifter alignment after installing my bracket I was having the same issue. I pulled all the slack out of the cables before releasing the locking clips on the end links. What I ended up having to do is go back and put a little slack back in the cables a couple clicks at a time and then go row through the gears until I had it just right. My shifter feels perfect now going through the gates. It was a bit of a PITA but this process worked for me... hopefully this helps. :)
 

MiamiBourne

Go Kart Champion
Location
South Florida
Car(s)
2016 6MT Golf R Oryx
Hey guys! I've searched the forums for a bit and was wondering if maybe you had some tips on how to remedy my inconsistent shifts.

Car is stock in terms of power, but I've installed an OEM Euro short shifter, OEM metal shifter bracket, metal shifter bracket bushings, ECS solid shifter bushings, ECS clutch bleeder block, and a clutch stop. 2017 SE GTI (PP).

I've done multiple shifter adjustments now, trying to get it just right (i've seen the dieselgeek videos countless times and also searched for tips on the forums) but no matter what, the best I can do is to have an amazing shifting experience some of the time. So for sure when the car is cold (live in San Francisco) it does take a bit for the transmission itself to warm up and start to feel just right, but the thing is that I can't seem to replicate a perfect shift into any gear consistently.

Like once the car is warmed up and driving around town, third gear for example will sometimes go in buttery smooth, and other times I feel like it's physically snagged on something and it doesn't want to go in all the way. Almost like I'm forcing it to go in fully. If I do the same shift again a few seconds later, sometimes it corrects itself and is buttery smooth again.

Also for example for second or first gear (or any side to side gear), it will sometimes go in perfectly, and other times I can feel that the gate "snags" on something, or feels like it does.

I do have a VW shifter alignment pin, but I will admit I stupidly broke off the plastic top alignment hole as I was fishing the pin through the hole indentation. There is enough of the hole left though to move it towards the pin (where it feels like you're actually putting the gear into second to get to the neutral alignment spot) and I can velcro the two together fairly tightly. I know the trick also is to get rid of the slack on the shifter cables by pulling up slightly (so it's not "drooping down" I guess).

At this point I'm kinda dumbfounded as to what may be causing this inconsistency. When it goes in buttery smooth it feels amazing and I just wish I could replicate that for good. This is my second manual car—first one being a 2006 Civic Si which I had for seven years and put 140,000 miles on, so it's not like I'm new to shifting manual cars.

Anybody with experience trying to fix something like this, was it really just trying to do the shifter adjustment again and again until it finally "clicked" so to speak?

I would greatly appreciate any help, and thank you in advance for your time!

Cheers

I've done all of the same except for the OEM short shifter, I have the Boomba Short Shift adapter.

Also...I broke the plastic shifter alignment hole in the car as well...why is this now plastic! The inside part of this piece is still there and I used a zip tie to keep it in place which seems to work the same.

But...for me I'm having problems where on occasion...if I shift into 3rd gear it can pop out. Also reverse can get stuck.

These problems started after installing the metal oem bracket w/bushings, bleeder block and stainless steel clutch line.

Just an FYI the metal shifter bracket changes the geometry slightly. When I did my shifter alignment after installing my bracket I was having the same issue. I pulled all the slack out of the cables before releasing the locking clips on the end links. What I ended up having to do is go back and put a little slack back in the cables a couple clicks at a time and then go row through the gears until I had it just right. My shifter feels perfect now going through the gates. It was a bit of a PITA but this process worked for me... hopefully this helps. :)

Interesting about the metal shifter bracket...you may be on to something. Adjusting this is pain since everything for me seems to go into gear so I have to put back the intake drive a round for a while and then see if I have an issue.

When you say pull the slack out you mean pull the cable towards the back of the car...away from the end link?

Thanks!
 

bdelaney4000

Ready to race!
Location
Chester, NH
Yes, you're correct pull the slack out towards the back of the car. Check how it feels and then incrementally put slack back into the cables as needed.

Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk
 

MiamiBourne

Go Kart Champion
Location
South Florida
Car(s)
2016 6MT Golf R Oryx
Yes, you're correct pull the slack out towards the back of the car. Check how it feels and then incrementally put slack back into the cables as needed.

Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk

Thanks, when the feel like temp goes above 20 degrees I'll go back for some minor adjustments. The last 100 miles I have not had an issue with 3rd gear so maybe I'm okay with my last adjustment.
 

sportwagen3

Passed Driver's Ed
Anyone have any tips as to how to remove the original shift lever? I'm having trouble removing mine. I've had a couple of friends help out too and now of them can get it to come off. It moves a little bit, but almost seems as if it's stuck to the rod.

Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk
 

djoliverm

New member
Hey dude! OP here and I just noticed all the replies, I'm guessing the email notifications were sent to my spam or something.

So the way I got it off was to use an extended socket on top of the shifter (it's 13mm?), attached to an extension, and used a rubber mallet to tap it a little. Don't go crazy, and some places online will advise you NOT to do this, but it was the only way to get it loose enough to get out.

After a few taps, you'll rock the shifter up and down as you pull up. The Shop Dap YouTube video shows this. It will come off eventually. Good luck!
 

sportwagen3

Passed Driver's Ed
Hey dude! OP here and I just noticed all the replies, I'm guessing the email notifications were sent to my spam or something.

So the way I got it off was to use an extended socket on top of the shifter (it's 13mm?), attached to an extension, and used a rubber mallet to tap it a little. Don't go crazy, and some places online will advise you NOT to do this, but it was the only way to get it loose enough to get out.

After a few taps, you'll rock the shifter up and down as you pull up. The Shop Dap YouTube video shows this. It will come off eventually. Good luck!
Did you have the nut on or off the shift lever when hitting the extension with the mallet?

Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk
 

Oldschoolmk7

Go Kart Champion
Location
Yonder
@ 17000 miles the ONLY thing I did is pull the return spring 2nd day I owned the car. Seems like (from what I’m seeing) the more people mess with delay valves/bushings etc the worse the shifting gets. Lol...
 

djoliverm

New member
Haha yeah, I've gone back to the oem links but still have the metal bracket and bushings in there. Thinking of maybe just swapping back the plastic bracket eventually since it seems the metal one slightly changes the angles.

With the alignment hole broken i've kinda figured out how to dial in the alignment by pushing the front to back cable in towards the firewall a little bit (it's a goldilocks thing where too little is bad and too much is bad). It still seems to have a mind of its own so maybe the only change that anyone should honestly do would be the OEM Euro short shifter, since it really hits a sweet spot I think. The OEM NA one has really long throws for my taste.
 

dub_guy

Ready to race!
Location
GTA
Anyone have any tips as to how to remove the original shift lever? I'm having trouble removing mine. I've had a couple of friends help out too and now of them can get it to come off. It moves a little bit, but almost seems as if it's stuck to the rod.

Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk


You've got to make sure you're pulling 100% straight up. Any angle and it binds.



The OEM was a breeze compared to trying to get the DieselGeek off.
 

sportwagen3

Passed Driver's Ed
You've got to make sure you're pulling 100% straight up. Any angle and it binds.



The OEM was a breeze compared to trying to get the DieselGeek off.
Yea I tried this for a couple of days... Still can't get it out. I can see it move about a couple of millimeters, but it just won't come off completely. It almost seems as something is making it stuck. I have no idea because I watched so many videos of people removing it to install the short shifter and followed all their methods...

Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk
 
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