Just swapped out manual granny on 95 2.0 Jetta HELP Please!

[Marcellussier]

So here is my story. I just replaced my transmission and clutch on my 2.0 manual 95 Jetta. It all seemed to go fine until I tried to run it on the jack stands. The tires do not move when I put it in all gears. When I push in the clutch it seems to grind with no tire moment. I've adjusted the linkage and the shifter seems to move the gear selecting arm on the transmission properly. Any idea on what my issue is? Any help would be much appreciated.

[Scrubbs]

It grinds just by pushing the pedal, or pedal and pushing into gear? Either way, you probably need to pull it apart to inspect the installation. check the thrust plate. Does it shift into gear with the key off and start up and grind?

[germancarnut51]

Did you rebuild the shift linkage as necessary before you tried to adjust it? Trying to adjust the shift linkage when you have wornout bushing or broken/worn-out golf balls at the shift lever or the front relay rod is a waste of time.

Did you use a shift linkage alignment tool, or did you adjust the shift linkage by guess? That could be your problem as well.

Did you install a MKIII 020 transmission? Are you sure that you got the right clutch set? Seems like people order the wrong clutch set, or get a different transmission, and don't get the clutch set that works with the transmission a lot lately. And incompatible combination would be a MKIII clutch set (large spline hole on the clutch disc), and a MKII transmission (small spines on the mainshaft).

[Broke]

When I push in the clutch it seems to grind with no tire moment.

That means this:

Did you install a MKIII 020 transmission? Are you sure that you got the right clutch set?

I'll bet money it is a 22mm input shaft trans with a 24mm hub clutch.
Grinding when the pedal is depressed is almost always a 24mm clutch on a 22mm input shaft.

If the trans code on the bottom of the box isn't AMC, CHE, DFQ, or DGD, then it is not a MK3 2.0L trans with the 24mm input shaft.
If the code is AGB or 2Y, that would be a 16V MK2 trans (also a larger 24mm input shaft).

Any other code 020 will be a 22mm input shaft, so if you bought a MK3 2.0L clutch kit, it would only fit those codes I listed above... any other and you need the correct clutch friction disc to fit the trans input shaft splines.