Gear change issues 2003 TDi 150K miles

Little Dog

A2OC Donor
European-Union
I know this is a regular topic but I've not been able to find reference to the problem I'm experiencing. Poor gear change to 3rd and 4th is common but in my case the problem appears to be temperature related.

I made adjustments as this video

The selector lever appeared loose in the gearbox and had to jiggled around quite a bit to get the locking pin engaged correctly. I also cleaned of all traces of shredded gator and greased everything.

vx8tGHv.jpg


The result is supper smooth changes in all gears on a cold start. As the gearbox warms up 2 to 3 and 3 to 4 become increasingly problematic. Other gears are fine.

2 to 3 starts to feel like 3rd gear is somehow blocked and the leaver has to be moved to the left and forward to engage gear once the resistance has been felt.

3 to 4 appears to work but the throw feels short. I have to take it back out of 4th and pull the lever fully home. Failure to do this results in the box jumping out of gear when the clutch is lifted.

Any suggestions? The only thing I have come up with is to carry a 5mm drill and set the cables when the box is hot and see if the issue shifts to when the box is cold?
 
I know this is a regular topic but I've not been able to find reference to the problem I'm experiencing. Poor gear change to 3rd and 4th is common but in my case the problem appears to be temperature related.

I made adjustments as this video

The selector lever appeared loose in the gearbox and had to jiggled around quite a bit to get the locking pin engaged correctly. I also cleaned of all traces of shredded gator and greased everything.

vx8tGHv.jpg


The result is supper smooth changes in all gears on a cold start. As the gearbox warms up 2 to 3 and 3 to 4 become increasingly problematic. Other gears are fine.

2 to 3 starts to feel like 3rd gear is somehow blocked and the leaver has to be moved to the left and forward to engage gear once the resistance has been felt.

3 to 4 appears to work but the throw feels short. I have to take it back out of 4th and pull the lever fully home. Failure to do this results in the box jumping out of gear when the clutch is lifted.

Any suggestions? The only thing I have come up with is to carry a 5mm drill and set the cables when the box is hot and see if the issue shifts to when the box is cold?

I’ve adjusted mine a few times and it feels decidedly notchy when cold but gets better as it warms up.

I found that I had to aim for the middle ground in the tension on the selector cables as too tight or too loose caused difficulty or a feeling of a block preventing getting into gears.

Maybe try pulling the tension on the selector cable with the pins in then backing it off a little?

Ps. I have to jiggle the selector tower down and left/right a bit from neutral for the plastic lever to move as well

I need to have a shot of someone else’s car to see what the shift should feel like but I lost reverse and couldn’t get into first about 50% before I reset the cables so it’s MUCH better. ?
 
Thanks Pinky but I think I have a much bigger problem than cable adjustment. The weather has got colder and the gear change has become very notchy from cold start, as the car warms up the change is good and when fully warmed up the unreliability of shifting to 3rd and 4th becomes dangerous. I noticed this:


Bought these parts and realised that that lateral movement is a serious fault.

BwZoopE.jpg


The seal and the bearing must be almost none existent. Any advice or how to threads on getting those cables off and the sifter tower off? Thank you.
 
Thanks ca2n Ive got to this stage:

Just as a note, to change the bearing in the selector tower I placed the whole shift tower casing into the oven at 240 degs for half an hour then gently tapped it out. nb - Remove the small bearings & plastic holder inside the casing first. Mine was pretty mashed anyway with few ball bearings left.
The old bearing casing has to be tapped down to remove it. There is a seal in the top of the casing. Remove this prior to the oven. Under this there is a lip to the casing that the bearing pushes up to. I gently tapped the bottom lip of the bearing case through this top hole. Took a few taps around the base but came out quite easily once it started to move. I had placed the new bearing in the freezer whilst I heated the rest in the oven so it contracted a little & pretty much pushed straight in, once the old one was out.
 
I'm not going with the above advice. There is too much plastic on the casting that I can't see how to remove. This is where I've got to:

itSgOZ2.jpg


Selector thing full of grit, small stones ball bearings and.......

bmLLjcp.jpg


More of the same inside the cover.

swQ9FQs.jpg


Encouraging, the new bearing fits nicely.

v31hlSX.jpg


Cleaned out and no way going to try to drift that; need an internal puller.

Ss9m8mw.jpg


As clean as I could get things today. Its still rough but getting there. I hope there is a magnet in that gear box as ball bearings from the shifter WILL have landed in there. Any tips?
 
Last edited:
That looks like it has had a lot of water in it.

That often happens because the "catcher cup" for the bonnet drain is directly above the tower (or at least it should be)

It is so easily knocked out of place and then the water just runs into the tower and does this kind of damage.

Steve B
 
That looks like it has had a lot of water in it.

That often happens because the "catcher cup" for the bonnet drain is directly above the tower (or at least it should be)

It is so easily knocked out of place and then the water just runs into the tower and does this kind of damage.

Steve B

Thanks Steve, catcher in good order:

bdR2Lxd.jpg


But you set me thinking so checked the underside of the bonnet, I don't know where the water has been coming out but I suspect not there:

5K73ibl.jpg


Retrieved more oily mud, grit, bearings this morning:

uzmjbt5.jpg


Started snowing so covered things over:

0OhdNLP.jpg


Waiting now on an internal bearing puller I have on order so Ill probably drop the oil out and see if there is any water in there.
 
The selector mechanism can be removed from the gearbox, just lift it up and rotate to disengage from the internals. This will make it easier to clean it out and you can then assemble the housing off the car and grease etc before refitting.

Steve
 
Thanks Steve, catcher in good order:

bdR2Lxd.jpg


.

That picture highlights my point exactly, thanks.

It looks like the cup has (at some point in the past) been twisted to the wrong position. Good to see it is now spot on!

You can see that if it was twisted out of position all of the water that runs out of the bonnet vent would be a direct hit on the tower.

Cheers
Steve B
 
The selector mechanism can be removed from the gearbox, just lift it up and rotate to disengage from the internals. This will make it easier to clean it out and you can then assemble the housing off the car and grease etc before refitting.

Steve

The thing I have under the plastic bag just lifts and twists out? Does the selector shaft come out with it? If so I can clean it all and replace anything that looks too far gone. Thank you.

0OhdNLP.jpg
 
Thanks Steve got it. It's shot, one broken spring and wear to the shaft that will cause bearing and seal wear. Need a replacement :(.

41RbyuI.jpg


Also there is a lot of water on the gearbox this morning. All the drains are in place so need to check where it is leaking from.
 
I'm looking at options and the dealer is telling me item 8 should be supplied with item 25?

zyPahbB.jpg


Anybody able to comment. The car is on the drive at the moment and its cold and wet so Ill stay dry if somebody can advise if 25 is accessed from under the gearbox on the outside. Thank you.
 
I'm looking at options and the dealer is telling me item 8 should be supplied with item 25?

zyPahbB.jpg


Anybody able to comment. The car is on the drive at the moment and its cold and wet so Ill stay dry if somebody can advise if 25 is accessed from under the gearbox on the outside. Thank you.

Looks like item 25 is on the outside. do I actually need one (8 in this exploded view)?

wIbP6cg.jpg
 
The water might have been from long ago at a time when that cup was not aligned properly. There is no other realistic source for water in the gearbox.
Steve B
 
The water might have been from long ago at a time when that cup was not aligned properly. There is no other realistic source for water in the gearbox.
Steve B

I need to get a camera in there and hose the car. As far as I know that cup has never been misaligned. I’ve had the car from new. A couple of years ago I broke the original. The replacement I think was an alternative part number. I need to check everything is lined up and working.
 
Yes, but at service time it is so easy for the mechanic to just move it slightly without spotting that it has happened. I have seen / bought lots of A2s where the cup has been rotated to a completely different position. It does move quite easily. And you can get a LOT of water pouring all over the gearchange in even a few days with it off or misaligned.
So you should be fine once you have refreshed the oil and double checked the cup alignment. (Since you have not mentioned any gearbox problems (other than the gear selector ) your gearbox msy well have survived ok.

Steve B
 
Yes, but at service time it is so easy for the mechanic to just move it slightly without spotting that it has happened. I have seen / bought lots of A2s where the cup has been rotated to a completely different position. It does move quite easily. And you can get a LOT of water pouring all over the gearchange in even a few days with it off or misaligned.
So you should be fine once you have refreshed the oil and double checked the cup alignment. (Since you have not mentioned any gearbox problems (other than the gear selector ) your gearbox msy well have survived ok.

Steve B

I've got the bottom of this one. The valve was badly distorted and blocked with dirt yesterday. Couldn't understand why so taped an endoscope in there and put the bonnet on. This would probably work just but it was far worse yesterday:

nvDd9F3.jpg


The cup is out of position. Thanks for sticking with it Steve if you hadn't I would have repaired the gearbox and ruined it again.
 
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