TDi Quattro Gearbox Problem

[Geoff-R]

Hi guys, I have a slightly odd query. I did a disk and pad change last night on my 03 A3 Quattro TDi, all seemed great, I finished up the job and thought I'd take the car round the block for a quick test to make sure the brakes were performing okay. I got it back to my house and went to reverse in to the space and struggled to find reverse. I eventually got it in to reverse, I thought at the time it was due to the fact that I was wearing rigger boots, but I couldn't get the car in to first gear. At that point I thought something was up, I tried second gear and nothing. I brought the clutch up and the car just wouldn't move. I finally figured I could get it in to 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and eventually reverse engaged no problem.

The gear linkage seems fine, there is no clutch slip and I would have thought any clutch problem would mean selecting any gear would be a problem. I bled the clutch to check that wasn't the problem and sure enough no problem there. I'm starting to think the only possible resolution is a gearbox re-build or a second hand box.

Has anyone come across this problem? Any possible solutions or pointers as to the exact problem? It just seems so odd that the car was perfectly fine one minute and without any notice became un-usable. Hopefully the weather holds up as my only mode of transport now is an R6

 

[murran]

do you mean you cant select 1st/2nd with/without it running? or that you can but the car has no drive when you lift the clutch? or does it feel like your putting the gear lever where first/second should be but its simply not there and no drive.

 

[murran]

from your fault decription it sounds the the 1st/2nd gear selector fork has fallen off the selector shaft.
can you put the gear lever where first/second should be with the engine running without putting the clutch down?

 

[Geoff-R]

With the car off the gear stick will go to where 1st and 2nd would be but you don't hear the 'clunk' of the gear engaging, where as with the other gears you can hear that positive 'clunk'.

With the car on it's the same, the gear stick will go where 1st and 2nd would be but when you lift the clutch there is no drive and it doesn't make the positive engage that it does with the other gears. Hope the explanation is a bit clearer. It's the oddest thing I've come across, you usually expect problems to be there for a while.

 

[Geoff-R]

from your fault decription it sounds the the 1st/2nd gear selector fork has fallen off the selector shaft.
can you put the gear lever where first/second should be with the engine running without putting the clutch down?

Let me have a check and report back now.

 

[Geoff-R]

Spot on I can select first and second with the engine on without pushing the clutch in.

 

[Kave]

Spot on I can select first and second with the engine on without pushing the clutch in.

Geoff this happened to me 6months ago, It is the 1st/2nd and reverse selector fork, the rivet breaks on the brass selector fork. Its a £75 part from Audi, if you do it yourself you need a special long hex socket to take off the inner flange from the gearbox, otherwise, its pretty straight forward, you can drop the gearbox, after releasing the VERY fiddly transfer box, and then splitting the box is piece of cake, need to remove all the gears in one, need an extra pair of hands, no gear pullers required. Swap in the new fork, and put it all back in one.

Otherwise, pay someone 6odd hours labour for a garage to sort it. Took me about 18hours in total as a first timer, in my drive on axle stands, with no help.

Good luck.

 

[murran]

Geoff this happened to me 6months ago, It is the 1st/2nd and reverse selector fork, the rivet breaks on the brass selector fork. Its a £75 part from Audi, if you do it yourself you need a special long hex socket to take off the inner flange from the gearbox, otherwise, its pretty straight forward, you can drop the gearbox, after releasing the VERY fiddly transfer box, and then splitting the box is piece of cake, need to remove all the gears in one, need an extra pair of hands, no gear pullers required. Swap in the new fork, and put it all back in one.

Otherwise, pay someone 6odd hours labour for a garage to sort it. Took me about 18hours in total as a first timer, in my drive on axle stands, with no help.

Good luck.

^^^^ this.

 

[Geoff-R]

Cheers for the replies guys. Kave, do you happen to know the part number? I think I'll give this a go next week as I've got a ramp and the tools. What does the special long hex socket look like?

 

[Kave]

Cheers for the replies guys. Kave, do you happen to know the part number? I think I'll give this a go next week as I've got a ramp and the tools. What does the special long hex socket look like?

Dont have piccy to hand, its basically an 8" long 6 or 7 or 8mm hex allen on a socket, think its vag tool 1559, sorry cant remember off top of me head, should get yourself a copy of elsawin, its all listed in there.

Check out these articles:
Loss of gears (1st and 2nd) - TDI 150 [Archive] - VW AUDI Forum - VWAF

VWVortex.com - O2M-Anyone successfully strengthened shift forks?

VW 02M Transmission Shift Fork Issues | Blue Water Performance

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/a3-s3-...86-help-s3-gearbox-refitting.html#post1107077

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/a3-s3-forum-8l-chassis/117285-splitting-gearbox-block.html

Ever wondered what was in your 02M 6 speed? - BRISKODA.net - The Skoda Forum and Community

 

[Geoff-R]

Cheers mate :icon_thumright: I think those links will come in handy. I wasn't too sure what elsawin was but just did a quick google and looks like it's service manuals of some sorts so I'll have a read up on them. Hopefully I can get the new part next week and get it all back together, I miss my little soot chucker!