I've been lurking since August last year - but now a member.

[PaulGRhodes]

Hi all.

I bought my A2 last year as I needed a car for work and wanted something interesting.
After 7 months, I can report that I couldn't be happier with my decision!

About the Car:
Model - 1.4 tdi 75, S-line
Roof - Fully working Open Sky, which was fixed under warranty with the 3rd owner I believe.
Colour - Silver
130,000m when bought in August 2017. Now on 141,000.

"Mods":
Wheels - A3 PepperPots.
Gear Linkage - Brand New VAG tower shifter (Different to the old design)
Plus all new bushings from DieselGeek (from the states). Am I the first one to do this?

Recent work done:
Fuel/Oil/Air filters all changed (by me)
New rear drums and shoes
New drop links
New CV joints
Gearbox oil changed
Engine oil changed
Brake fluid changed

What's next?
It'll be of no surprise to anyone that I'm looking to improve the ride and handling.
I'm reading Blistein b4's are the way to go, but would like some advice on springs. (I don't want to go lower than standard s-line).
Also is there any advice on bump stops and polyurethane suspension bushes?

 

[ca2n]

Hi Paul,

Welcome to A2OC! Like yourself, I too bought my TDI 75 Sport (I don't think it was called the S-line here in the UK; not being pedantic! ) in August 2017. I, too, had the shift tower replaced, albeit with a used unit. How is the new style tower different from the 'standard' and do you have a part number for it? I also have the Dieselgeek SuperSlider installed and it has made shifts much more slick. How have the other bushes by them performed?

I have very little experience to suggest on improvements to ride and handling. Although, if you read through here, I'm sure you will find references to the use of Spidan springs and Monroe dampers as a good combination.

 

[PaulGRhodes]

Hi

Yes, you're right sorry. Sport not S-line.

I went to my local Audi Garage with the intention of looking at a brand new shift tower, so I could see how it works without taking mine apart, and then buying a used unit.
However, when I saw that it was very different to all the rest I'd seen on line I figured it must be an improvement so bought it.

The main difference is that instead of a coil spring (which totally failed in the original) there's a spring loaded ball baring pushing the tower into the neutral position. Also, there's an "H-Patterned" metal plate inside, which forces the tower to only move within the gate. (see image 2).
Kind of like a vintage car has a metal gate in which the gear lever moves.

Regarding the DieselGeek bushes.... The super slider made 90% of the improvement.
The other parts were marginal but noticeable.

The grearshift now feels as good as any new car I've driven.
Very precises and mechanical.

 

[ben tomlinson]

I've bought the diesel geek deluxe mk4 shifter bushing kit along with the super slider a couple of months ago feels very precise and zero play / movement

 

[Pinkythelabrat]

Is this a ‘bolt on’ replacement? Ie. Easy for a numpty like me.? Also, welcome buddy.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[PaulGRhodes]

The DieselGeek Super-Slider was, it took less than a minute to swap out. No tools required.

The New Style tower shifter is a little more difficult.
If your current tower doesn't have the groves at the bottom, then I think you can lift the old one out and drop the new one straight in its' place. Easy.
If your current tower does have the groves at the bottom (as mine did), then you need to remove the spring which fits around the tower, in the groves
.... which means taking out the cup in which the tower sits
.... which means transmission fluid is going pour out of the gear box.

See images below.

 

[DJ 190]

I've had a 6-speed conversion. So does that mean that I can't use this device?

David

 

[PaulGRhodes]

Hi David, it would need to be altered to accept the 6th gear.
There's a plate inside the outer section, with the 5 speed pattern cut into it. Then there's a solid pin coming out of the tower which moves through the plates pattern.

Here's a video I did before I installed.
In it I move the tower from Reverse to 2nd, then 1st to 4th, then 3rd to 5th.
(I didn't know I was going through the gears in the wrong order until at the time)
But you get the idea of how it moves...

 

[TFG]

The DieselGeek Super-Slider was, it took less than a minute to swap out. No tools required.

The New Style tower shifter is a little more difficult.
If your current tower doesn't have the groves at the bottom, then I think you can lift the old one out and drop the new one straight in its' place. Easy.
If your current tower does have the groves at the bottom (as mine did), then you need to remove the spring which fits around the tower, in the groves
.... which means taking out the cup in which the tower sits
.... which means transmission fluid is going pour out of the gear box.

See images below.

Hi Paul. Do you have the part numbers to hand for the tower parts you bought? Looks like a nice mod.

 

[PaulGRhodes]

Part Number is "A 20r 301 230m" ( but the images that come up on line, are slightly different to the one Audi supplied.)

When you talk to the VAG parts dept. it seems they now only sell this part as a replacement.
You simply can't buy the original style tower.
Their system tells you to buy the corresponding lower cup too, I can't find this part number. At the time I didn't think I needed it when they told me I did. I went back the next day to order a little red faced.

I think the change of design fixes two issues.
1) Transmission fluid can now easily splash around the moving parts of the tower. The original had a metal cup over it - I think you were supposed to add oil from the top of the tower as part of a service.
2) The coil spring corrodes (mine was in 2 pieces). A spring loaded ball-bearing (identical to the one already in use to provide assistance in the twist of the tower) has been replicated to assist in the up and down of the tower.

I'm also guessing that as there's less parts, there's less cost to manufacture - But either way, the end result is an engineering improvement.

 

[Pinkythelabrat]

The SuperSlider sounds pretty ace - it just clips on your selector tower to replace the original sliding part. Might help my gear changes which suffer if I don’t lubricate regularly.

Anyone fancy a group buy?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[TFG]

Hi @PaulGRhodes - I've been on google and in touch with Crewe Audi about the part number you gave. Should it read 02R 301 230M ? Is everything except for the bottom cap supplied under that part number, or did you have to order other bits as well to get the full tower?

Do you konw if the bottom cap part is 0A4 301 256 ?

 

[PaulGRhodes]

Hi @PaulGRhodes - I've been on google and in touch with Crewe Audi about the part number you gave. Should it read 02R 301 230M ? Is everything except for the bottom cap supplied under that part number, or did you have to order other bits as well to get the full tower?

Do you konw if the bottom cap part is 0A4 301 256 ?

The part number is printed on the attachment. - Number dyslexic sorry.
I didn't keep hold of the paperwork for the bottom cap. but it was something their system told me I needed to go with the tower.

I think original would have worked, but I would have needed to removed the spring that fits around it.
Putting the new tower (minus the groves) would have pushed the spring out and maybe even dislodge into the gearbox. To remove the spring, I'd have to remove the cap, which meant emptying the oil. - If I was doing all that, I might as well fit the proper cap.


To explain exactly what happened...

In the Audi garage - I pointed at all the parts of the tower I thought I needed (which I've circled in the image).
The system then said I need the cup too - But I said I didn't.
What turned up was....
a) 1x Complete top section (1)
b) 1x Rubber ring (7)
c) 1x the new part which doesn't match the image (8)

So, in the end I took the new part (+cup) and left the other parts.
Everything apart from the bolts and the bottom cap came under that one part number.


I think the Super-slider is a no brainer though. Simple to install and made an instant difference.