Gearbox issues 1st gear

Hello guys,

i have lost  first gear ! It's like it's not there anymore ?
I have the box out so it's not a worn linkage.

i have recently swapped the speedo cable as it had gone. On removing the cable I found that the drive had gone on holiday to costa del gearbox !
i was told there was no way of getting it out once it was in unless you spilt the box and tbh this is beyond my skills. I was also told that they were made of plastic for a reason and that it would just chew it up and there would be no problems. Ahem ! I have problems.
my question is this.

should I just put it back on and hope that it just chews what's left and first gear may become free ? Or take it and get it opened.
im thinking that part of it is blocking the route to first gear as everything else works as it should.

thanks in advance

basically its pot luck, you might find chunks of it wedge somewhere and stick it in gear, or in a bearing and cause damage, or you might get lucky and it gets eaten up small nad can be cleaned out of 5th housing and/or drained out the bottom with a couple oil changes.

if you split the box without changign any of the internals you're fine to rebuild it with a new gasket:
Welcome to BrokeVW.com

Right, had the box split and debris taken out. Everything seems fine apart from a little twist in a long bar that has a little noggin sticking out of it which selects the gears. The guy said that he could straighten it but that it would weaken it and it may snap off in the future. I decided to chance it and hey presto ! No first gear at all.
I now need another gearbox !
My question, can I use a mk2 gearbox
It's a 1989 convertable with an AX engine code.
If not where is the best place to get a reconditioned box ?

Right, had the box split and debris taken out. Everything seems fine apart from a little twist in a long bar that has a little noggin sticking out of it which selects the gears. The guy said that he could straighten it but that it would weaken it and it may snap off in the future. I decided to chance it and hey presto ! No first gear at all.
I now need another gearbox !
My question, can I use a mk2 gearbox
It's a 1989 convertable with an AX engine code.
If not where is the best place to get a reconditioned box ?

DX engine code you mean? if so any mk2 gti 8v box will fit straight on, mk2 16v or mk3 2.0 8v mk3 box will need a new clutch kit as input shaft bigger.

Sorry,
Engine code is EXO55578
Chassis is WVWZZZ15ZKKO33862

ok its a 1989 car (made in early-mid july in case you care), it should have 100mm flanges according to ETKA but you might want to measure first to be sure!

if 100mm then as above, plus piost-84 cabrio/scirocco gti. if 90mm then mk1 gti up to 1983, mk2 carb 1.6 or 1.8, 1.5-1.8 mk1 & cabrio/scirocco carb except for 1988 onwards 1.8 (accordign to etka anyway, some have said their post-88 1.8 carb still had 90mm flanges)

Thanks for the help rubjonny it's much appreciated.
I had wondered after replacing a few parts  and finding the date of 14,07,1989 on things like the seat foam which happens to be my birth day only in 1975.

Thanks again