Very stiff gearbox change :(

[Robin_Cox]

Afternoon,

I have access to a set on a TDI AMF which I can remove for you. That said I’ve never removed them before so if you (or anyone else) was able to provide any guidance on removal then I should be able to grab them for pennies. Happy to load the car uk with the necessary tools next week.

Kind regards,

Tom

Brilliant offer Tom - another example of what a great wee club this is. If you do manage to get them out, are you able to get some photos / measurements of the cables, outers, the bits attached to them, location of stops and so on - and thickess of the cable? Luckily the Tdi cables remained constant design throughout the production run, whereas the petrol engined ones changed at some point.

If we do get a set of measurements I will get a cheap set of mk1 A1 cables and do the same in the hope that they might be usable or adaptable.

 

[2work]

Brilliant offer Tom - another example of what a great wee club this is. If you do manage to get them out, are you able to get some photos / measurements of the cables, outers, the bits attached to them, location of stops and so on - and thickess of the cable? Luckily the Tdi cables remained constant design throughout the production run, whereas the petrol engined ones changed at some point.

If we do get a set of measurements I will get a cheap set of mk1 A1 cables and do the same in the hope that they might be usable or adaptable.

Evening Robin,

To simply answer you question, absolutely yes. I’ll PM you once I have them removed to share my findings Sir.

Kind regards,

Tom

 

[audifan]

We have previously tried on this thread to find alternatives with no luck.

Lots of information including my pictures of the selector cables...

Bit annoying there was not much interest nor help on that post.

Gear Box Selector Cables, Updated.

As some of us know, the gear selector cables are no longer available new. There may be a solution, as there is at least one company able to make similar cables to suit. The problem area will be, I think the cable ends, in particular the gearbox ends. The OEM termination is a plastic eyelet with...

www.a2oc.net

 

[Robin_Cox]

We have previously tried on this thread to find alternatives with no luck.

Lots of information including my pictures of the selector cables...

Bit annoying there was not much interest nor help on that post.

Gear Box Selector Cables, Updated.

As some of us know, the gear selector cables are no longer available new. There may be a solution, as there is at least one company able to make similar cables to suit. The problem area will be, I think the cable ends, in particular the gearbox ends. The OEM termination is a plastic eyelet with...

www.a2oc.net

Sorry - this is the first time I've seen those posts and trust me, I spend enough time reading A2oc! Don't know how I missed them. Thank you for all the effort put in on those cables.

 

[George Hogg]

Hello again all. Looks like you’ve been having fun without me . Ok so mystery over; it looks like its the gear cables that need changing according to my mechanic.

I’ve just spoken to WOM and they said the cables aren’t available at the moment and I’ll need to find a set off a breaker. Any ideas as to who might have a set available?

Hello again, can I have your old knackered set for the purpose of going thought the parts bins at some friendly dealers, Audi, Skoda, VW. Happy to pay postage or pick up in the next couple of weeks if that works.

 

[Chris Warren]

I removed the cables after disconnecting them from the bottom of the gearstick assembly. I then disconnected them from the gearbox selector tower. Working from inside the car you can see where the cables pass through the bulkhead via an oval rubber 'grommet'. I then used a long drift to pop the grommet from its aperture then simply pulled the cables out from underneath the car. Obviously the front seats and centre console need to be out of the way. A bit tricky but not impossible, need to have the car jacked up in the air at the front for access.

 

[MOI]

Hello again, can I have your old knackered set for the purpose of going thought the parts bins at some friendly dealers, Audi, Skoda, VW. Happy to pay postage or pick up in the next couple of weeks if that works.

I’ll let you know once i have them

 

[George Hogg]

Thank you, I’d love to get this sorted out. Getting a second source for the gear-change cables will keep us all on the road!

 

[audifan]

Remember there is one part number for the cables for the AMF diesels and 2 further part numbers depending on VIN for the others.

I think the part number is a paper label that is stuck on the cables and either falls off in service or gets removed when the cables are taken off the car.

Have not seen all three versions side by side to tell the differences.

 

[depronman]

My experience on the cable on the A2 and other VAG cars strongly suggest that the cables will NOT be at fault.
The far more likely culprit will be rubber particals in the white ball that sites at the bottom of the gear lever. The rubber comes from the gaitor that sits above the ball.
Its a b****r to clean as to do it properly involves moving the centre consol, does not need to be removed but unbolted so that it can be moved around to allow a clip on the pin to be removed and the pin pulled out.
It's a year or 3 since I did mine which had a very stiff gear change, clean all the rubber crud from the ball and housing, applied a little silicon grease and the gearchange was like new, all the stiffness had gone.
I too was told the cables would be the problem, but I doubted it and was proven right.
May not be the same in your case, but much easier to check it than start changing cables, especially as the centre consol needs to be unbolted / removed for both jobs.

Paul

 

[audifan]

I have checked on the net and the cable part number is clearly marked on the cable outer near where it locates into the base of the selector housing. It was found under the anti vibration foam...