I've got to set up my gear linkage on my mk2 and its annoying me, i cant get my head around how it works

I can only get certain gears, (got my dad sitting in the car holding it in neutral)

any suggestions on what i could maybe doing wrong? or any methods youve found have worked?

has the coupling got to be vertical, or at an angle?

thanks

Have you changed the box from 4 to 5 speed? A minute change at the connection between shifter and rod will cause a large change to the movement in the box. When i did this, i moved it a tiny amount and did the bolt back up. I found there was no sure way of doing it, just trial and error.

Which gears can you get?

Nah its still the 4 speed, but its a new gear linkage as the old one was fubard!

I can only get 3rd and 4th atm

Can you get reverse?

I dont know if reverse is 1st or reverse

I dont know if reverse is 1st or reverse

Start the car after each change and see which gears you can get, best way of finding whether its reverse or first, or second or fourth etc.

This really is trial and error but can be done easily on your own. You just nip it in the middle,see how far its out,and adjust closer accordingly.

Having only 3rd and 4th yet no 1st/2nd/rev suggests the bar/rod is probably about right lengthways (although this can be adjusted to cater for your preferred reach),but needs twisting just a degree or two in the link because the three gears to the left of 3rd and 4th are too far over to the left and thus unreachable.

If you hold the lever whilst someone unfastens the nut,then move the lever to the right,then they tighten it,you should be closer and have more idea where it needs to be.

Even when you can get all gears,it may not be right. Reverse is on a safety latch and has to be quite accurate for twist,and some gears wont engage properly if you need to push the lever to its boundary whether that be twist or reach.

Any idea how to get all the gear back on a 5 speed mk2 polo saloon 1991? Had to get new linkage as the other one broke and put it in and can't get second without losing 4th and sometime 5 as well any suggestion