# Stiff gear (manual transmission)

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/stiff-gear-manual-transmission/39600>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** jetta, volkswagen\
**Created:** [November 16, 2009, 9:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stiff-gear-manual-transmission/39600 "2009-11-16T21:38:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![missjuddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b77776/32.png) [@missjuddy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missjuddy)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 9:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stiff-gear-manual-transmission/39600/1 "2009-11-16T21:38:08Z")

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My brother gave me his 2001 Jetta this summer but because of bad CAT converter I parked car until 2 weeks ago when i had it fixed. Since then, shifitng gears is a little stiff. Is it possible the gears are stiff because of the converter replacement or a it’s a sign of clutch wearing out?

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**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 9:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stiff-gear-manual-transmission/39600/2 "2009-11-16T21:47:06Z")

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It certainly isn’t a problem caused by the catalytic converter and I don’t think it is caused by the clutch wearing out. I would guess that the oil in the transmission may have too high a viscosity. I would have new oil put in the transmission that is of the correct type for your VW.

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**Author:** ![missjuddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b77776/32.png) [@missjuddy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missjuddy)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2009, 1:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stiff-gear-manual-transmission/39600/3 "2009-11-17T01:04:24Z")

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thanks for the info

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**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2009, 1:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stiff-gear-manual-transmission/39600/4 "2009-11-17T01:30:01Z")

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Does it shift any differently when the engine is not running?? If it shifts fine then, but gets stiff with the engine running, then it IS a clutch issue…

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**Author:** ![missjuddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b77776/32.png) [@missjuddy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missjuddy)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2009, 4:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stiff-gear-manual-transmission/39600/5 "2009-11-17T04:08:26Z")

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the stiffness is the same whether engine is running or not. I am thinking maybe it’s weather related. Temperature is in the 40s

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2009, 12:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stiff-gear-manual-transmission/39600/6 "2009-11-17T12:50:56Z")

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I would have the linkage checked.

Has anyone replaced the transmission fluid? If not then I doubt if that is the cause. It would have shown up years ago. In any case changing the eight year old fluid would not be a bad idea, even if there was no problem. Be sure to use what VW recommends if you chose to change it.