New VAG tower shifter : help required

O.K., It's good that members are benefiting from this thread. I wonder if anyone could help with this, please? This is what I said earlier :

Thank you for your input, Spike. This is what I need to understand : The new tower moves in a series of movements/"clicks" giving a total of 6 positions that should correspond to the 5 gears + reverse. Movement consists of a central "detente" position and then 4 of those locations are found by pulling/twisting to the right and 2 by pulling/twisting to the left. There are no other potential locations. So how would that further 6th gear, present in my modified box, be selected?

David
 
David,

Why not try to replicate what your current tower does when the gears are selected?
Simply remove bonnet, have someone select first, then you can match the position with the new tower whilst watching the existing arrangement. Them have your helper run through each of the gears in turn with you copying the position. If you can select all positions including 6th gear on the new unit, then this should confirm that it will work when fitted. If you come across a position that does not work, then make a note and dis-assemble the unit to see what is blocking that movement and see if you can adjust accordingly.

Steve
 
Catnip64 said:
Simply remove bonnet, have someone select first, then you can match the position with the new tower whilst watching the existing arrangement.
Steve
Click to expand...
That's helpful, Thanks!. This might sound laughable, but through my ignorance I was about to start removing the centre section around the gear-stick to access that tower! I feel a bit stupid to be admitting to that! Thanks for saving me that waste of time!
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
18:00 hrs Bonnet off and yes, there it is, clear as day! I'll have a look at how it moves tomorrow .... depending on the weather!
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David
 
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I've had a look at this .... 6th gear selection IS the problem! To select this gear on my existing tower, the selector rod is at its highest and has moved to the left. (5th gear is level with this but to the right) Holding the new tower and manipulating the centre-rod, it is not possible to reproduce that position. My findings are that it will be necessary to dismantle the new tower and to modify the centre core which has the gear pattern cut into it.
A worry here is that I could attempt my modifications and end up with a totally useless item! Heavens forbid! That's not like me to think like that!
It would seem to be pretty obvious that nobody's done anything like this before, so I'll be "trail-blazing", again.!

David
 
Catnip64 said:
David

There's some details in this post (you need to use the cached version of the first search result), it's just a shame that the photos have succumbed to the Photobucket issue....
02J 6th speed shift tower question - VWVortex.com

Steve
Click to expand...
That tower doesn't seem to have the same internals as mine.
Here's a few pictures of my new tower :

689 (Medium).JPG
692 (Medium).JPG
690 (Medium).JPG


Now in that last photo, above, you can see a slot starting on the left and then sloping to the right. Well, that's 5th gear and the next gear would be 4th via the slope and to the right. I've concluded that if I cut a slot to the lower right that mirrors that on the left, then that SHOULD allow the 6th gear to be selected. I'm pleased to see that this action should be able to be performed without the need to dismantle the tower. I'd need to be careful that no metal/swarf was left to enter the gearbox.
I feel that (in my usual pedantic manner) I should first get every component that is likely to contribute towards an improved gear-change action. So that's the lower cup, super-slider and all the bushes. Have I forgot anything? (Like the cables?) Knowing my luck, when I've done all this I'll probably not notice much improvement! :(

David
 
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Just a word of warning ... The "Demon Tweeks" super-shifter is about to be delivered. It's a small piece of plastic in the shape of a rectangle. It cost about £25, delivered, from the U.S.A. OR SO I THOUGHT! It's held back until I pay a Customs Charge of £13.61!
Ridiculous! It's so tiny it would have fitted into a small envelope! And THAT much to pay as a percentage of its initial price? I feel like just leaving it where it is? Oh well .... Just be warned ...

David
 
So I'm progressing with this project.

DSCN2087B.JPG


The existing tower removed .... seems very sloppy and worn

DSCN2089B.JPG


DSCN2043B.JPG

New design tower ready to go in. The cup shown VW part no. 02J301256) was stated to be the correct part to be used with the tower. (according to an Audi dealership) It's the same component which is used for the earlier selector column and is still in place on my gearbox. It has a clip which is now redundant with the operation of the new column. It is possible to insert the selector shaft into the cup and that could be done by insertion into the cup that's still mounted into the base of the gearbox.. Although that causes the clip to expand, it doesn't appear to be a problem with causing the clip to become detached and then dropping into the gearbox. There is, however, another cup .....

DSCN2090B.JPG



It's part no. OA4301256C and as you can see, there is no clip. Of further interest, there appears to be an internal sleeve which may be there to reduce wear or to offer some spring tension to the shaft? I COULD purchase this item and fit it. Although it would mean removing the lower guard/shield and draining the gearbox.)
This is what I'd like to know ..... Has anyone actually had this component to hand? Does it actually have an internal sleeve? (Or is that just an optical illusion?)
So what do you think? Should I just insert the new tower into the existing cup or should I go the further mile and fit the cup that doesn't have a clip? Decisions, decisions .... :(

David
 
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Just to answer my own question and for completeness to this thread .... Part no. OA4301256C DOES have a steel sleeve and IS the correct part to use in conjunction with the upgraded selector column. (02R 301 230M) It's arrived today from Italy and so I can move forward on this project.
N.B.
It's intriguing to realise that the method of gear selection is completely different between the original and revised selector towers. The original tower uses a series of slots at the BASE of the tower whereas the revised unit follows a slot pattern at the TOP of the tower ..... interesting!

David
 
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The new tower was fitted today. Gearbox filled. Cables adjusted. I start the engine because I need to get the A2 out of the garage. I just can't select any gear! There is no shift/movement! Then I find that I CAN get reverse, so I'm able to at least get the car out of the garage and parked some distance away. It's left me feeling a little deflated and disappointed. Life goes on and it's not the end of the World! That's what can happen when expectations are high and assumptions of a vastly improved gear-change are made :( This very selector column HAS been successfully installed (but not in the 6-speed Eurotuning adapted box) Any thoughts?

David
 
I can’t help much with 6 speed but when I replaced my tower with a new VAG upgrade along with revised lower bush I could select gears by hand before connecting and adjusting the cables.
Could you do that? Get all 6?
 
Yes, I could do that. A bit on the stiff side, but movement was there. I must have done SOMETHING wrong, here. I'll have to back-track and see why I can't easily select the gears. Otherwise it will just be standing there "posing" :) for a few years!

David
 
Hi. Could you let me know where you got the part OA4301256C?
Re not being able to select: I have on occasion forgotten to unlock the tower with the little plastic catch after adjusting. Also, its not so obvious on this new tower where the shaft should be in order to engage that little lock. Is it possible you've done the cable adjustment with the tower in gear as opposed to in the locked position?
Ah. I found it. The locking pin can be engaged with the shaft in neutral and pushed down about 4mm.
 
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Hi, On another forum someone replacing the tower said the following, sounds like your symptoms, "
when i try to install it in the center, neutral, position, the holes don't line up. i just tried lining up the shaft key to the front and the holes to match. it definitely wasn't the correct position, but it did seat properly. i had reverse, although a bit clunky, and the middle position gate. it didn't pull up. I knew it was wrong, but that's the only way i can see it going in properly. going to take it back out now and regroup...again."

His next post says he got it working but not how. When removing a tower does anyone know whether it should be locked or in any particular position?
 
nick4tl said:
Hi. Could you let me know where you got the part OA4301256C?
The locking pin can be engaged with the shaft in neutral and pushed down about 4mm.
Click to expand...
I obtained that part from Ebay (Italy) Here https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185157644023?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649 I have a relative in Italy who sent it on for 10 Euros. The locking pin didn't seem to want to fully locate. It was, however, vertical and slightly inserted. The new tower is difficult to locate. It has to be manipulated with difficulty but then after that, it was possible to manually select the gear positions. I think that I'll have to disconnect the gear cables again (WHAT a chore!) and study the movement of the tower to show where all 6 gear positions are. Meanwhile, the A2 is S.O.R.N.'d and is just maturing like a bottle of fine wine. Maybe 2001 will be a vintage year? ;)

David
 
I have new tower here on my desk. With shaft at neutral and held in its sort of mid vertical by its springs push down about 5mm and then the lock pin will go in.
 
Struggling on with this. Manually (by holding the top of the tower) I can get all the gears. Slightly stiff but probably as it should be. Without the cables connected, the gear-change throws are light and easy.(using the gear knob in the car) Then when all connected, these are my findings :- There was a need to adjust the cables many times to ensure that all slack was taken out. Gear change action was somewhat stiff but tolerable. I finally seemed able to select the gears, but certain changes would "graunch" because the lever on the tower hadn't moved far enough. (For instance, when changing down from 3rd to 2nd gear) It's like the cable is "stretching" or that the distance that the the gear-lever moves isn't enough. I've decided to remove the gear-lever assembly so that I can inspect it, but I've forgotten how to strip out the centre consul? Can you help with that, please? Any more help/advice, please?

David
 
DJ 190 said:
Struggling on with this. Manually (by holding the top of the tower) I can get all the gears. Slightly stiff but probably as it should be. Without the cables connected, the gear-change throws are light and easy.(using the gear knob in the car) Then when all connected, these are my findings :- There was a need to adjust the cables many times to ensure that all slack was taken out. Gear change action was somewhat stiff but tolerable. I finally seemed able to select the gears, but certain changes would "graunch" because the lever on the tower hadn't moved far enough. (For instance, when changing down from 3rd to 2nd gear) It's like the cable is "stretching" or that the distance that the the gear-lever moves isn't enough. I've decided to remove the gear-lever assembly so that I can inspect it, but I've forgotten how to strip out the centre consul? Can you help with that, please? Any more help/advice, please?

David
Click to expand...
These links should help you David:
Side panel removal
Console side removal
Centre console removal
 
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