Lost 1st gear, NEED HELP!

[jay05]

While at a double drivers school at Nelsons Ledges on the 2nd of 3 days going into turn twelve at about 100 mph I went to downshift to 3rd and ground 1st. Everything was fine until they threw a red flag and once we got the yellow I shifted into 1st let the clutch out and nothing happened. All other gears work great. I finished the school with about 6 more sessions with no problems other than no 1st. It's an A1 Jetta. What could be wrong and can I get thruogh a double regional this comming weekend? I'm going to drain the fluid tommorow to see if there is any metal.

Also, suggestions on how to fix and wear to get parts would be great. I live in northeast Ohio.

Thanx

[Knestis]

Sounds like you may quite literally have knocked all of the teeth off of one or both of the first gear pair. I predict you will find chunks when you drain it and there's a pretty good chance one of them will find its way into a bearing. You might make it though the regionals but equally, you might not.

Get in touch with http://www.raceconover.com/ and see about a rebuild.

K

[Bill Miller]

Kirk's more than likely correct, in that you've probably broken some (all?) the teeth off of one of the 1st gear cogs. Although, I suppose that it's possible that you just spun it on the splines on the shaft. Regardless, you've probably got some loose metal running around in there, which is not a good thing.

[racer_tim]

It's a ticking time bomb. It's up to you to take your chances. What's the cost of a rebuild vs. the cost of an entry if you don't even make it through all of the sessions.

Be smart and do the safe thing. Swap out the box and put in a stock unit while you get the other box rebuilt, or just have it fail the float test.

A1 boxes are a dime a dozen. You might want to have the unit rebuilt with a different R&P and an LSD.

[jay05]

Driving the box down to Columbus tonight to start the rebuild. He seems to think it's the small cog on the fist gear group I believe. Also, is EMPI a good brand for complete drive axles? I found them online for $91. At the local stores they're rebuilds from Canada for around $65. Are those any good?

[Bill Miller]

Driving the box down to Columbus tonight to start the rebuild. He seems to think it's the small cog on the fist gear group I believe. Also, is EMPI a good brand for complete drive axles? I found them online for $91. At the local stores they're rebuilds from Canada for around $65. Are those any good?
[/b]

I used nothing but new Lobro joints on my car. Buy the joints and just swap them onto the axle shafts.

[Knestis]

I'd stay away from rebuilds. That price difference will seem pretty silly if you have to change one in mud some night at the track, after one goes kerblooie.

K

[rabbidmk1]

Or if you had my bad luck, break 6 of them in one weekend!!!

[Lael Cleland]

I sell "NEW" empi axles, but have only put them in honda street cars. i am leary of 52.00(my cost) "new" axles...I dont think they reheat treat the remans so the metal is softer after they remachine the ball race. the way lobro dose it is a local heat treat, only around the race. I think.....

Lobro has not failed me yet, i have spent 400bucks on new joints. As long as the Axle is short enough with tons of neg camber that it dosent bind the inner its all good. I have learned my lesson with cheep hubs FIBI/bilsitine only! Two cheep chineeze hubs broke on me last year....

good luck
Lael

[jay05]

Waiting on the trans right now. Here's a link of what went wrong.

brokevw.com

[Lael Cleland]

THANK GOD FOR MAGNETS!!!could of been worse..........

[Bill Miller]

That trans was probably one weekend away from going kaboom!

[Bildon]

>> is EMPI a good brand for complete drive axles?

In reading their website info it suggests in some places that they use rebuilders to furnish components... yet in other places it says "All New" <_< hmmm Anyone have any positive experience with EMPI shafts?

I&#39;ll agree with Bill in that I&#39;ve never had issues with Lobro that were related to Lobro, however I have had unexpected failures from others... And again stay away from anything suspected to be a reground CV joint... it will not last more than a race or two. And I&#39;ve seen them last only a few laps.