Six Speed / PTW TDI gearbox: Stiff fore-and-aft movement

dj_efk

A2OC Donor
United-Kingdom
As per this post, there's something sub-optimal in this aspect of Audrey's gearchange, what could be the causes? I'm unfamiliar with the gearchange mechanism, but I understand it could be the tower under the bonnet, the cables or perhaps the lever / linkage itself - can anyone advise which could be most likely based on experience (or easy ways to check? I guess I should start by popping off the cables at the gearbox end? Can these be lubricated while on the car / without major work?
 
My PTW gear change was also very tight directly after fitting. Fore-aft stick movement corresponds to rotation of the shaft in the selector, and is effected by the cable that acts on the selector tower by rotating it around its axis, not the one that acts on the bell crank through the white plastic slider to lift the selector up and down into the box. What I found worked with mine was releasing - and then almost immediately re-engaging - the spring-loaded plastic lock-ring without moving anything else (I was going to perform the cable reset manoeuvre but it started to rain as soon as I undid the cable-holders, so I abandoned the procedure without moving or setting anything (I had also not immobilised gearstick or the mechanism) and replaced the bonnet. Evidently the process resulted in that cable / cable grip relaxing by a fraction of a mm but that was sufficient to transform the gearbox from baulky into simply being quite mechanical - it has freed up considerably since with a year of use although I would say it is still a heavier but shorter shift than the 5-speed box (that is now in my other car, also full of new gear oil and a new slider). PTW was filled with new Comma gear oil before it was fitted. No other changes were made.
 
My PTW gear change was also very tight directly after fitting. Fore-aft stick movement corresponds to rotation of the shaft in the selector, and is effected by the cable that acts on the selector tower by rotating it around its axis, not the one that acts on the bell crank through the white plastic slider to lift the selector up and down into the box. What I found worked with mine was releasing - and then almost immediately re-engaging - the spring-loaded plastic lock-ring without moving anything else (I was going to perform the cable reset manoeuvre but it started to rain as soon as I undid the cable-holders, so I abandoned the procedure without moving or setting anything (I had also not immobilised gearstick or the mechanism) and replaced the bonnet. Evidently the process resulted in that cable / cable grip relaxing by a fraction of a mm but that was sufficient to transform the gearbox from baulky into simply being quite mechanical - it has freed up considerably since with a year of use although I would say it is still a heavier but shorter shift than the 5-speed box (that is now in my other car, also full of new gear oil and a new slider). PTW was filled with new Comma gear oil before it was fitted. No other changes were made.
Thanks Robin!

I love the driving experience that Audrey’s PTW gearbox gives, but it would be markedly improved if I can sort this issue so I will try that first to see if I can repeat your minor miracle fix, how does one release / reattach the cable?

I filled mine with Redline MT-LV 70W/75W from Opie Oils based on their recommendation a couple of months ago. The viscosity of it is ~30 CSt @ 40°C, whereas I understand the OE specification is ~41 CSt @ 40°C. Despite this, it’s an excellent oil and still offers the same or better wear protection, whilst improving the gear change (assuming no other faults!)
 
What I would suggest is having a look at youtube videos of people adjusting the cables - dieselgeek are pretty good but also liable to showing you their own alternative 'billet aluminum' components.

How the cable grip (part number 1J0 711 761 A) works is that there is a black lock ring with a knurled edge that you can push back along the cable, compressing the spring (towards the selector tower). Once it has retreated to a point where the spring is being compressed somewhat, you can then rotate the knurled ring either clockwise or anticlockwise (I can't remember which) and the stem of the black component within the spring has a slot that allows the component to now rotate in that direction. There is a spigot that locates in the slot so once it's gone about 90 degrees, it will then lock in that position with the grippy teeth released from the cable. To re-engage the teeth, you push the ring against the last bit of spring compression and rotate back to the original orientation, whereupon you can then allow the spring to push the entire assembly back to the starting position with the teeth locked onto the cable.

It takes much less time and effort to perform the move than it does to describe it!

see diagram https://audi.7zap.com/en/rdw/audi+a2/a2/2003-248/7/711-711030/
for part numbers

the image below is in the compressed position with the three strips of grippy teeth expanded. The cable goes into this, the black knurled lockring is visible at the end of the spring in its 'retained' position : you would push this harder against the spring and rotate it to release back against the cable, closing the three strips of teeth onto the cable in the engaged position.
1631876001455.png
 
I believe the gearbox must be filled through the hole for the reverse sensor in the tower. I think this is the case but need to double check. . Pretty sure you can’t fully fill it through the side. Maybe a top up through the hole for the reverse might improve things a bit.
edit: here's a link with detailed description on draining and filling the 6 speed MQ250 gearbox: https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/inde...250-5-speed-or-6-speed-manual-gearbox.348763/
 
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