Instead of being lost in all of the other information provided in my last post I decided to restart from here and see what you guys think. ( Refresh: I got my buggy running very well, but I cannot find first gear most of the time. All of the other gears are easy to engage. Reverse is the easiest.) Here is the video of me manually shifting the trans axle with out the EMPI shifter (thought to be the problem by most of you b/c there is no bump stop or button action required for reverse). I was able to get the trans in what I think was 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. 4th was tough b/c there is no running engine, I assume, and I could not find reverse this way. So here is the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-xPy9a7Hb8



???? Also...I placed the trans in "neutral", as I had in the video in order to roll the buggy outside to pressure wash after I made this video. As I was starting to move the buggy i thought I had began to roll over something, so I pushed a but harder and heard a "pop" !!??? To my surprise I broke the passenger side CV joint at the trans by simply rolling the frame???? WTF??? So... anyone know where to go get a new CV joint?



I have also decided to totally strip the buggy, reinforce the frame, paint, and rewire. So that I'll have really reliable rig this spring/summer.... SO:

1.) Any new pointers with my shifting issues? I can easily find First manually, now I can't find reverse... haha??
2.) Why did I break a CV joint when the buggy should have been in neutral?

I'd love to help with the shifting problem but it kinda sounds like a shiftfork problem As far as the cv was it at all on a bind? the cage in the cv coulda been cracked thus causing the cv to break

_________________
#If the throttle isn't floored, Your NOT havin FUN!!!!#

i think your finding reverse where you think 3rd is, thats why you cant get into fourth. think about how the ball on the bottom of the shifter rotates the shift rod! when your looking at the trans reverse is all the way left and out! and the shift pattern is really close between1,3 and 2,4.. id check it a little closer you might have all gears. after watching your vid and thinking about it a few minutes, i think your just confused on the pattern of the shift. it all goes ass backwards! does this make any sense ? cv probably went from not having motor weight back there and your angle is to high or it was just its time

_________________
ANTI- antifreeze!!!!!!

Nose cone bushings whooped that's not helping anything.

I was just going to say that Hix. Spin your input shaft with the back tires off the ground. It will help figure out what gear your in.

_________________
I think I can, I think I can....

I think diamond dave is right. You looking at it wrong that is reverse where you. are thinking its third.

You are totally right... not only am I looking at the shift pattern backwards, but I also am not taking the movement of the ball on the shifter into consideration... duhhh. I'll try it again next week. Going out of town for work next week . So... what problems do you see? Wore out nose cone bushings?


1.) Where do I get nose cone bushings for a 3 rib?
2.) Where do I get another CV joint? Or does the whole axle need replaced?

Local vw shop. You can just change cv joint you can buy them new or maybe find a used one. You will want to get a couple cause they're nice to carry.

throw the empi shifter away ...use a stock one they work best JMO

I agree.

trash everything . Rockrocket asked a month ago about making a fwd car set up into a small chain drive setup. Well I took him up on it. He has wisdom in his words. Coming soon I am making a 3.0 Honda automatic with a short chain drive into a tiny lite weight dragster. Quit wasting your money until this rocket hits the sene.