She rides again.. almost - battery killed something weird up with gearshift *UPDATE* - FIXED
I finished off the last of the little jobs from my summer body off project and the old girl is almost back on the road.
A new battery will be required tomorrow since I killed the Bosch unit with repetative deep discharging over the project (that battery was less than a year old, so it just goes to show). In two minds whether to try the dual Optima yellow top setup or just go for one of the OEM 1200 Vatas
The more troublesome problem is the gearshift, which (having removed it completey when I took the body off, cleaned etc) is now very notchy and difficult to get the selection right with. If I was to describe it, I would say that it no longer 'feels' like the gears are obvious in their selection. You can get each to go, but it requires some manipulation... Reverse is especially difficult and often, it feels like (in terms of position of the lever) it should be in neutral when in fact it is in 1st, 3rd etc.
The problem is definitely not the selector bushings as I replaced those a couple of months back... I can't think what else it can be though.. Logically, if you remove the shifter and linkages there isn't anything you need to be especially careful of when re-connecting them that I can think of (note: only linkages between stick and gear selector leveres were removed, no change to shifter levers position on gearbox or anything like that).
I suppose it is possible that I have got a linkage>lever linkage the wrong way around.. I'll check tomorrow in daylight. the only other thing is that I can't think I damaged anything during the project, but I guess its possible.. any suggestions?
I must admit, after 4 months off driving a golf TDI, I had forgotten what a different (shall we say..less connected!) experience driving my truck was.. had a smile on my face though :-)
I'll post pics soon.
Hi Ben
Your choice with the Battery, though i have heard good things about the Optima range.
As for the gear change, have you drained and refilled the clutch during the resto? It sounds very similar to a clutch system that has not been bleed properly?
I don't think you have the rods on incorrectly, they are different lengths and so should not hook up right and would leave you stuck in a gear, and i don't think you can cross them over as they would lock up. It sounds like you have driven it but it just does not feel right?
So i can only think of my original idea....
Gav
Presume we are an old fashioned gearshifted with 3 levers on the side arrangement? i.e. 4 or 5 speed manual box behind your 617?
Not sure how it has happened.. maybe something moved with body mount of gearshift relative to chassis.. but what you need to do is realign gear shift. You will find there is a 4mm hole hidden up in the grease.. so you take a just long enough drill/rod about 3-3.5 mm diameter; I think 4mm is perfect but a 4mm drill is too long to get into where you need to put it.
Anyway lie on back looking up at shifters rods that point down from the gearshift under the knob. Have a feel around under the grease.. there should be lots of grease... and you will find that there are bits fixed to the shift with a U slot in them on either side of the 3 levers.. and in the actually levers there is a hole to match these slots. So take shift rods off (either end but gearbox end is easier to get to) .. then fit a 3.5mm drill (or so) through the U slot.. each lever .. and finally out of other U slot. Now the gear knob is fixed in neutral position.. it can slide sideways but not forward/back. Now adjust each rod length until it just pops into the bushing on the lever (which is fixed forward/back by drill/rod). Finally take the drill/rod back out; I left rods off to give some wiggle room. Attached is a reworked Cosworth linkage for a 5 speed MB van box.. but you can see an M4 bolt slotted through the levers.. the one with no nut on it.
Now you have a properly adjusted gearshift linkage. May fine tune if you wish if you find it a little off from neutral plane as you shift. .. otherwise maybe your clutch travel/bleeding is wrong it is is not a "gear plane/shift" issue but a crunch with low bite point on your clutch pedal.
Battery wise... my old 66Ah Bosch Platinium (575 121 072) is 10 years old but sits on a mains battery optomiser and had 2-3 totally flat periods during my 3 year rebuild .. started up first crank after 9 months.. poor thing then had to use all diff locks on in Low, on rough dry concrete with wheelspin (and clutch burning) to pull my Unimog forward to get the cab off the 'mog.. progress but must fix 'mog brakes! So while a good battery is nice.. a boggo "096" shaped 66 Ah one is all the MB cars had for the same 617 engine.
That makes a lot of sense.. putting the body back on there could easily have been a few mm fore/aft adjustment on the bolt holes which would fit the symptoms I think.
I'll get underneath her early tomorrow and see what I can find.
Re. Battery - TBH I also had gave the Bosch a hammmering over the summer with multiple deep discharges and so have paid the price.
I took the plunge today and went with the Optima Yellow Top 4.2 which are not cheap, but will give around 1600CCA and 110Ah in parallel and as GMA Deep-Cycle design will tollerate any position, rough handling and can be repeatedly run flat without sulphating.
Based on photos I have seen I think a pair will fit in with no modification. We'll see!
I'll update tomorrow.
Well done mgrays, linkages were slightly short after remount of body - perhaps on 5mm but enough to cause the problem, thanks to everyuone for suggestions :-)
Now just to set the headlight level and we are done!
First class advice on linkage adjust 'from first principles ' !!
Optima yellow top one of worlds best...my 461 has one 10 ++ years old mabe O E so could be 16 years
Well done Ben
It looks like quite a job you took on and it is nice to hear of one that gets completed and does not end up on Ebay as a project!!
Cheers
Gav
Yes, though my wife would probably have prefered it did :D We have a baby due in about 2 weeks, there are a million things to do in the house and worst of all my G only has 2 seats and obviously no ISOFIX (shortly to be fixed with a little creative fabrication LOL).
Its been good fun.. I still have to finishe the interior (minor couple of rust spots on rear floor, respray, powdercoat and then recover seats).I also want to switch our the mirrors for the PUR versions and I have to get the bullbar stripped and recoated. In the spring I'll tackle the 606 transplant but for now its in my shed (I'm out of cash too!) .
Rather irresponsibly though, I've also been thinking that actually I also rather fancy now building a SWB to compete in a couple of Rally Raid - maybe 2014 www.tuareg-rallye.com/ ? 83 Texco livery I think :D
loosely, I'm thinking:
463 (perm 4wd) stripped out (460 dash and console), strengthened chassis (rebuild shock mounts, doubled dampers for example, ORC springs, GRP doors etc); another uprated and prepp'd 606 etc.
Excluding labour, I think it could be done for about 20-25K including an early 90s vehicle.
I'll wait a while until I suggest it to my wife :D
Hi Ben
You obviously have no idea how expensive that new arrival will be ;)
It may stay in the shed a little while longer lol
+1 on that!.
Spider1V
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Yes that's exactly right, it is driveable but the shift feels notchy and often it will be in 1st when it feels instinctively (by position) as if it should be in neutral etc. Even moving side to side when in neutral is not smooth especially. Cluth engage/ disengage is OK I think.
Other than removing the slave cylinder from the cluch housing , I didn't otherwise touch it... I did remove the stick itself and clean it up, but as you say I can't think that there is a wrong way to put it back together.