Shifter gone bad

So I am pretty sure I got this one covered...

but I figured why not throw it out there and see what you all think.

So I have an EMPI Hurst replica shifter that I replaced the original with when I bought the car.

Shifting was much improved and I was happy as it wasn't a huge investment.

However! Today I was driving down Sunrise and started having problems getting into first and second gear. After my mini panic attack in traffic and thinking that my tranny had finally given up the ghost I came back to my senses, calmed down, and figured out that my shifter wasn't quite right.

It is not stopping at the 'gate' when you bring it over to the left, so when you try to go up into first, you can't becasue it is not there and if you bring it back into second, you are actually at reverse so it grinds.

The EMPI shifter has that finger ring in the front that you pull up to get over into reverse and I think something has gone bad with that mechanism. The shifter is allowing you to move over all the way to the left instead of stopping where first and second should line up.

I don't know if it is something that is fixable, or if I really want to, as it wasn't alot of money..

I doubt it could be anything else, but you never know.

Some of those shifters have a cable for the trigger. Might have broke?

Sometimes it can just be the two bolts got loose and let the shifter slide over.
There was an article in Hot VW's on how to rebuild those.

Take it off.. look at the metal plate.. you will see it worn out if it is.. or cable broke.. or metal rod/tab bent.

Fix what you can and grease it up.. take your time with the placement before tight down.

It sounds to me like the shifter is just out of adjustment. If the base is over to far to one side (right I think), it would cause the 1-2-R to be way out of alignment and try to go into Reverse without lifting the trigger.

The way those Hurst style shifters work is when the trigger is lifted, it allows the shifter to drop down into the level where it will go into reverse, like on a stock shifter where you push the entire shifter down. But on the Hurst shifters, its all cable/spring operated, so if something broke, it is possible that it would be out of alignment.

The best thing would be to take the shifter off and inspect it carefully, and as said above, fix it if possible, and reinstall it.

On a side note, I agree with what you said about those shifters. My 74 Super had one when I got it, and I will never use a different kind of shifter in any VW. The original Hurst from my Super is now in my 70 Street Bug, I have another original Hurst to be used in my brother's Karmann Ghia, My Drag Bug has a knockoff version (already in when I got it), and my old 74 Standard had a stock shifter which I replaced with an EMPI knockoff that I scored at Bug-O for $15. Unfortunatly it went with the car when I sold it.

Super easy to fix and common problem is also the shift coupler, located under the back seat. These can become lose or worn and cause this exact problem. Easy to check, easy to replace, and they're cheap, probably under $10.
Worth taking the 5 minutes needed to check it.

Just is case anyone was wondering and for closure it turns out that my actual shifter had broken.

There was a small plate in the 'reverse gate' mechinism of the shifter that had broken loose from its weld.

Eric figured that out, although Cliff was nice enough to point out that the bushing in the tunnel was shot too.

A BIG THANK YOU to Eric and Cliff for getting her welded back up and working right again. Much happier camper this week with the shifting back to normal.

Tech days are great for getting together and figuring this stuff out. I have learned alot for the pros.

Thanks again...

HEY MATT WHOS AWESOME LITTLE BAJA RAT IS THAT IN THE BACKGROUND

I am not sure, but it sure does make May(hem) look good!

I hate that bushing in the tunnel!

The cable is for reverse.

Make shure shine the hole shift rod, or going together you will cut the new bushing.
And it will go away long before its time.