Old Library

You might have them check your motor mounts.  The "popping" you describe
sounds a lot like one of the symptoms of my bad front mount.  The VW
dealer also informed me that the stock VW tranny oil is synthetic, btw.

There is a splash guard for the main drive belt.  Go under the car,
right at the bottom of the drive belt, check the inside of the plastic
splash guard for any scoring, cuts, etc.  If there are any (made by the
drive belt coming into contact with the guard), your motor mount is well
on its way to being broken.  My splash guard had been competely cut
through by the drive belt coming into contact with it.

Another thing you can check yourself is the bolt on the top of the front
mount.  Just reach down from the top and wiggle it a little bit.  Mine
was completely loose.  I think this basically means that whatever it
attaches to (i.e. the mount) is in pieces inside the housing.

I have had the tranny oil replaced (twice, don't ask why), and the
cables adjusted twice.  None of this helped with the shifting problems
that I was having, which sound identical to yours.  We'll see if the new
motor mount solves the problems.

Yes, I am spending $280 on a mount.  I question the safety of the method
of installing it that is in the library, however.  Basically this is
saying to support the weight of the engine from the oil pan with a floor
jack and a piece of wood while you replace the mount.  The dealer quoted
2 hours of labour to do this, so I am think that they're going to raise
the motor.  Please let me know if the floor jack method is safe, b/c
this is costing enough as it is.

Anyone feel free to flame me if anything I have just said sounds wrong.
Mark L.


Jedinak, Nathan D. wrote:
>
> >Yup, move the seat up a click and get in the habit of pushing that
> >clutch pedal all the way to the stop.
>
> I wish it were this easy.  I've paid quite a bit of attention to my clutch
> foot, and I'm already what I would consider "too close" because of the
> arms-out position of our steering wheel..  My foot is definately taking the
> clutch to the stop...  Ahwell.  So much for an easy fix.
>
> I'm going to try the cable adjustment this weekend (thanks for the
> instructions, Greg!), and I was planning on putting in a Whipple mount
> anyway, so maybe I'll order one this week to see if it helps.
>
> Does anybody think synthetic transmission oil could help?  Maybe allow the
> syncros to move faster?  I guess it's worth a shot..  Man, I need to order
> that Bentley!
>
> I'm wondering, too, if it could be my clutch.  Every once and awhile (VERY
> infrequent) when I am engaging the clutch, I hear a little pop, the first
> time I thought it was a very muffled backfire or something.  Perhaps my
> clutch isn't disengaging properly all the time?  But, man, I'd think I would
> be having all kinds of shifting problems if this were the case, but 95% of
> the time the tranny is smooth as butter...  Just that 1-2 shift sucks.
>
> Hmmn.  Thanks, all, for the suggestions.  Now I gotta get the car back from
> my GF to work on it!
>
> Later,
> Nate
> '98 GTI VR6