1st gear baulking

[sidewaze samm]

Does anyone experience baulking when selecting 1st gear?
Mine's a 1.9 130, 05 reg, and sometimes takes 2 or even 3 attempts to select 1st gear. There doesn't seem to be any consistency around whether the box is hot or cold, or the previous gear selected. All other gears are fine.
Sometimes declutching again while in neutral allows easy selection, and sometimes makes no difference. I'm not sure if selection has worsened or not, and I'm fully used to it so don't notice it too much - probably happens 10-30% of the time. Is this common, standard or cause for concern?
Warranty is up in a month or so, so comments gratefully received.

On a seperate note - I never have liked the 'wooden' gear lever of the Elegance and prefer the leather lever from the Comfort. Easy to swap? Worthwhile economically?

Cheers

[rotodiesel]

First gear baulking is only a very occasional problem on my 130 PD, certainly no worse than most other cars. A more irritating fault (uncorrected by VAG for years on the Passat) is poor synchromesh action on a 1 - 2 change with a cold gearbox.

Luckily, I live in a rural area and generally only have to make one change out of first gear; the next time I need it the gearbox is warm and the problem has gone.

It's worth bearing in mind that the B5.5 gearbox has synchromesh on reverse (try it). This means that you can't do the standard "crunch" test to see if the clutch is dragging. It's probably reasonable to assume that the clutch is OK if the take-up point is normal and reverse does not baulk.

rotodiesel.

[ChrisBP]

I sometimes have trouble getting it in to first gear. 1st and 2nd are always a bit tighter than the rest. I guess its problematic about once or twice a month - but always tighter than the rest.

The issue I find is that it sometimes wont go in to 1st at all. I have to stick it in reverse or 2nd and engage the clutch a bit to get the cogs to shift a tiny bit, thsn it goes in to 1st okay.

Do you have the same prob?

[numskull]

I don't have a problem with selecting 1st. I do have a problem with a terrible clatter when fully hot and changing down from 3rd to 2nd as the clutch is re-engaged - sounds like a old bag of nails! Still trying to find time to go to the dealer to warranty it (and fix the clutch judder pulling away in 1st when cold!)

[Baker21]

Originally Posted by sidewaze samm

On a seperate note - I never have liked the 'wooden' gear lever of the Elegance and prefer the leather lever from the Comfort. Easy to swap? Worthwhile economically?

Cheers

I replaced my wooden gear lever with a leather unit but you have to replace the gear lever, gaitor and plastic surround which comes as a one piece item from your friendly local stealer for around £65......

[Bluefox]

Originally Posted by sidewaze samm

Does anyone experience baulking when selecting 1st gear?
Mine's a 1.9 130, 05 reg, and sometimes takes 2 or even 3 attempts to select 1st gear. There doesn't seem to be any consistency around whether the box is hot or cold, or the previous gear selected. All other gears are fine.
Sometimes declutching again while in neutral allows easy selection, and sometimes makes no difference. I'm not sure if selection has worsened or not, and I'm fully used to it so don't notice it too much - probably happens 10-30% of the time. Is this common, standard or cause for concern?
Warranty is up in a month or so, so comments gratefully received.

This is exactly the problem I have. My solution will be to change the oil for something to combat this, although I've not had time or chance to do so as yet.

Glad to know I'm not the only one though...