Gear change issues 2003 TDi 150K miles

Thanks Phil,

I've enquired about part number 02J 301 231B, which is listed as selector housing and comes with a new bearing, new reverse switch, new locking pin etc. The shift tower itself is 02J 301 233 AG and is the bit you normally don't see that goes inside the gearbox. I have the latter part, and the former is what's coming in at £96+VAT
 
Thanks Phil,

I've enquired about part number 02J 301 231B, which is listed as selector housing and comes with a new bearing, new reverse switch, new locking pin etc. The shift tower itself is 02J 301 233 AG and is the bit you normally don't see that goes inside the gearbox. I have the latter part, and the former is what's coming in at £96+VAT

I have found my receipt. I was supplied Gear Shift A02R 301 230 M and also used Cover A0A4 301 256 C.
 
Thanks for finding that Phil - I am even more confused now because that part number is for the 1.6TDi engines!!
 
Thanks for finding that Phil - I am even more confused now because that part number is for the 1.6TDi engines!!

I recall it being very confusing at the time and I made the Audi dealer double check the items they wanted to selll me. I still wasn't convinced when I took the parts away and I made the dealer agree to take them back if they didn't work. Apart from a very minor clash with the starter motor when fitting my gear change has never been better.
If you get to the bottom of this one Skipton please post the outcome.
 
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I'll have a word with my parts supplier to see if it's a superseded part or something like that. I find it strange that there's no spring and cup on the new unit though.
 
Something doesn't quite stack up on the parts numbering for the updated towers. This thread:

https://www.a2oc.net/community/inde...last-year-but-now-a-member.35948/#post-314308

Goes through similar motions to that of @philward & @Skipton01 . Yet the tower on the JDD 'box I'm fitting has part number 02J 301 232B

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Even 7zap says that it should have 231B for the model year of Polo for my donor 'box. I have no reason to doubt the word of the person I bought it from as they were a private seller and had the car virtually from new; so I wonder if there's a bit of a typo in the VAG parts book?

As an aside, if you want to do this mod or repair, fitting something like the JDD or EXB 'box seems to make a lot of sense to me, financially at least. The cost of buying the tower parts new from Audi is virtually the same as you'd pay for the entire second hand 'box, and you also get the stronger synchro' on 3rd into the bargain, not to mention that it'll be a fair few years younger too.

@philward - is the only way to get into the gearstick housing that you show in the second photo of post #1 of this thread by stripping off all of the plastic centre tunnel panels and then unbolting the casting from the floor? I want to get inside it to swap out some of the bushes for the selector mech.
 
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@philward - is the only way to get into the gearstick housing that you show in the second photo of post #1 of this thread by stripping off all of the plastic centre tunnel panels and then unbolting the casting from the floor? I want to get inside it to swap out some of the bushes for the selector mech.

I believe that is the case TFG, I could have set the cables without removing the housing but anything more and I'm sure they hove to come out.

Do the job sooner rather than later while there is still some warm weather. Less likely to crack the plastic that way.
 
Do you know if it's bolted to the floorpan from below? No screw/bolt heads in evidence in your photo. 7zap shows some M8 bolts coming in from below, yet I couldn't see anything under the car?
 
Do you know if it's bolted to the floorpan from below? No screw/bolt heads in evidence in your photo. 7zap shows some M8 bolts coming in from below, yet I couldn't see anything under the car?
 

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Is it really the case that to get to this selector housing casting, I have to remove the entire plastic centre tunnel assembly (and so the footwell carpets etc), and to do that, I have to remove the SEATS? :eek: That's barmy. The A2 may be beautiful (and beautifully made) but from a construction design perspective, it is a nightmare.
 
Is it really the case that to get to this selector housing casting, I have to remove the entire plastic centre tunnel assembly (and so the footwell carpets etc), and to do that, I have to remove the SEATS? :eek: That's barmy. The A2 may be beautiful (and beautifully made) but from a construction design perspective, it is a nightmare.

You can remove the entire tunnel with seats in and carpets I’m sure. You pull on the handbrake and unbolt it from the frame and that should give enough space to lift the tunnel up and out. Best if it’s nice and warm and flexible too.

I hope that’s right. I certainly had it out and it went back in the same way.


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Hi , I think I have the same issues on my A2. I have done everything from the cables back to the gear shifter by adding a diesel geek kit to all the cable bushings, done countless cable re-set's and still its notchy. on inspection the gear tower is moving in the gearbox so likely to be the bearing and also the spring in it as it does not 'rebound' back into position. I called Dundee Audi and bearings are not expensive but they don't do the spring at all, so it looks like a new tower at £168 and the end cap at base of gearbox for it is £31. This seems way more expensive than the figures provided above. Would anyone know if the spring can be bought anywhere as an after markets item?

I am getting into the realm of just getting a new gearbox considering money spent so far and I do have a desire to do a 6 speed conversion, if cant get a simple spring I might save the money to put towards a 6 speed fund.

And thanks for posting all these pictures as it makes this seemingly complicated task a hell of a lot more manageable.
 
I should add, I did a gearbox oil change a year ago and it improved for a short while before the bad shifts came back.
 
Just by way of an update, I've got my car back on the road now, complete with JDD conversion (and so the newer style of gear change tower too, as a result) and the full Dieselgeek bushing kit along with their super slider block, or whatever it's called. I also fitted new Audi cable ends to the cables at the gearbox end.

The result is a very positive though heavy quality of gear change (at least compared to our Citigo, but that is a feather light delight) but there is absolutely no slop in the movement of the gear lever whatsoever, even in neutral.
 
I should add, I did a gearbox oil change a year ago and it improved for a short while before the bad shifts came back.

That was my experience too. There was nothing obviously wrong with the oil that came out, gear change improved straight away but everything went down hill quickly. The oil became contaminated with dirt and water as above.

The new tower and cap did not cost me £200, send @CreweAudi a PM and see what Tom can do.
 
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Thanks Philward, I went ahead and searched through eBay and found a used tower for a 5 speed MK3 Ibiza/Cupra Mk1 MK2 and it looks to be compatible when I gave it a side to side comparison to one of your prior pictures, its on the left in the picture I attached. Hopefully OK and I can salvage bits from each, but the seller says the bearing is good so it could be a straight swap and just the top swing arm part to change over. But may have to get a new bearing depending upon how honest the 'bearing is good' information is.
I will soon find out if this is leap of faith to far.
 

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Thanks Philward, I went ahead and searched through eBay and found a used tower for a 5 speed MK3 Ibiza/Cupra Mk1 MK2 and it looks to be compatible when I gave it a side to side comparison to one of your prior pictures, its on the left in the picture I attached. Hopefully OK and I can salvage bits from each, but the seller says the bearing is good so it could be a straight swap and just the top swing arm part to change over. But may have to get a new bearing depending upon how honest the 'bearing is good' information is.
I will soon find out if this is leap of faith to far.

Even if the bearing is good I would suggest a new seal. A2s have an ability to dump water on the tower.
 
Cheers, good point, I will need that. Mine does not seem to have the issue with bonnet water chute missing the catch cup under it, I ensure its lined up, past owners may have had it as a direct hit to the tower.
 
One question, the seal is as in your picture of the bearing beside the part number bags. Just to check with you if you don't mind, what is the washer 02A-301-320-B for? Critical to replace as new?
(rubber seal - 02A-301-227-M, Bearing - 02A-311-648-C)
 
One question, the seal is as in your picture of the bearing beside the part number bags. Just to check with you if you don't mind, what is the washer 02A-301-320-B for? Critical to replace as new?
(rubber seal - 02A-301-227-M, Bearing - 02A-311-648-C)

Sorry @Doug S I can’t remember but it was not expensive. I returned it for credit against the tower.
I think the problem with the water chute has more to do with taking the bonnet off and putting it down on a flat surface. The chutes are old stiff and get distorted. Then they miss the catcher and wet the tower.
 
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