OCTAVIA MKII GEARBOX/CLUTCH

[graham_salisbury]

I have a skoda octavia 6 speed manual & recently had my dual mass and clutch palte replaced to solve a problem. the problem is :- when cold it is difficult to engage 1st or reverse and additionallly when coming to a stop in 1st or reverse the gear wont release, as if no clutch available.

I've had numerous bleedings both wallet and fluid

a new slave

a new master (x2)

a new accumulator

And the problem still persists

I've recently visited a gearbox specialist who tells me that the main gearbox shaft bearing is moving due to a worn casing 150,000 miles and probably needs shimming. also that my wallet is too full, hadn't noticed, & requires emptying to the probable tune of £720

anyone had the same mechanical problem i'm describing?

any help?

[Vrs06]

Similar problems on my vRS 6 speed(2006),when cold 1st tight to engage and reverse the same on first time its used then ok after rest of gears are perfect apart from 1st to second i think is notchy, still under warranty so first the dealer checked linkages and said had made slight adjustment but still exactly same, goin change gearbox oil next with genuine oil as some members suggested been busy so not had time yet, dealer said could be a clutch problem but if stripped down and found to be wear n tear its a £700 job which i aint paying for whilst under warranty so i do sympathise with you but mine is still

ongoing , reading your post makes me think its not the clutch at all

[graham_salisbury]

Similar problems on my vRS 6 speed(2006),when cold 1st tight to engage and reverse the same on first time its used then ok after rest of gears are perfect apart from 1st to second i think is notchy, still under warranty so first the dealer checked linkages and said had made slight adjustment but still exactly same, goin change gearbox oil next with genuine oil as some members suggested been busy so not had time yet, dealer said could be a clutch problem but if stripped down and found to be wear n tear its a £700 job which i aint paying for whilst under warranty so i do sympathise with you but mine is still

ongoing , reading your post makes me think its not the clutch at all

[graham_salisbury]

will post any developments as they come upp but as mine is not under any warranty i'm a bit concerned about cost yu could try running this one past your warranty garage though and let-me-know reply, if you don't mind

[Vrs06]

Will do going be Jan 3rd when give them a new year earbashing can see it being a long winded process the Skoda dealer i bought it from is miles away so going use our local Skoda dealer after all thats what a warranty is for a few members here did say the change of gearbox oil is well worth doing but only use genuine oil maybe worth a go as its a cheap job to try first

[nick74]

I have a skoda octavia 6 speed manual & recently had my dual mass and clutch palte replaced to solve a problem. the problem is :- when cold it is difficult to engage 1st or reverse and additionallly when coming to a stop in 1st or reverse the gear wont release, as if no clutch available.

I've had numerous bleedings both wallet and fluid

a new slave

a new master (x2)

a new accumulator

And the problem still persists

I've recently visited a gearbox specialist who tells me that the main gearbox shaft bearing is moving due to a worn casing 150,000 miles and probably needs shimming. also that my wallet is too full, hadn't noticed, & requires emptying to the probable tune of £720

anyone had the same mechanical problem i'm describing?

any help?

Someone posted on here with these same symptoms on a 2.0 TDi a few months back and had been told it was caused by excessive crankshaft endfloat affecting the clutch and he needed a complete replacement engine :( I was sceptical at the time but since then I have heard of the same issue on a VW Touran TDi.

Hopefully yours is just a gearbox problem, but if so a secondhand replacement 'box may be more cost effective than what your specialist is suggesting?

[graham_salisbury]

oh yeah I was tried with the floating crankshaft theory too, sounded like the biggest load of BULLS**T ever and what's more they managed to keep a straight face quote from garage " your crankshaft is floating 15cms in either direction, we will have to test it" Well thoought I if it's moving so much laterally you'll only need a torch to check and no wonder it's using a gallon of oil everytime I start the engine lol. no definately BS funny smell round here lol

New info time

the gearbox is going to a gearbox man who can solve the problem for £150 alas it will also cost about the same for my garage to remove said gearbox and replace when it returns so £300 + govt taxes.

I've a feeling from answers I've been getting from "experts" that my problem, apart from cashflow, is two-fold 1) crunchy difficult to engage gears & 2) wandering clutch pedal caused (no not by wandering mechanic imaginations, who think crankshafts can move 15cms laterally inside an engine casing) by the main gearshaft bearing housing being worn away and causing the gearshaft to move a little bit away from the clutch hmmmm needs as shim (and I thought a shim (she him)was the old name for a 'trans sexual') the world inside a mechanics mind.

after the gentle mechanic ribbing I've just given, I must add that I put my trust in my garage man everytime I drive my car If I didn't or couldn't believe in him (denis) I wouldn't use him

here's hoping my new year is less crunchy and sticky

graham

[graham_salisbury]

recently spoke to a very nice man called Jason, who knows what the problem is and how to fix it and (volley of trumpeting fanfare) has the required parts in his special drawer WOW what a guy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway before I swear undying love lol (note: purely business technical) he's goin to fix my gearbox for me on Tuesday 10th

will update with final cost, effectiveness of repair, level of service etc at 1)end of job & 2) a week later

Graham

[Vrs06]

Yeah will be good to get your update if its all sorted will give me great amunition to fire at my dealer for my warranty claim , mine still stiff to engage 1st espec when cold and 1st to 2nd is notchy plus sitting in traffic today 1st tight to engage unless on a slight decline which is odd then it engages fine , look forward to your post,cheers

[graham_salisbury]

Good news

I took my octavia to see Jason at West Yorkshire Transmissions (bradford), that demi-god of the gearbox world & not only did he keep to his original quote of £250 +vat he fulfilled his promise to fix the problem. Without too much technical blather, the problem was that a gearbox bearing had worn its seating in the gearbox casing thus allowing the shaft and bearing to move v.slightly. Jason employed a pair of Shims, lol (sorry still makes me giggle, & no I'm not inclined to sexism just old-fashioned yorkshireism or childish humour whichever you like), to replace the worn casing area and provide a hard area for the bearing to rub against in future, apparently can also be fixed by buying a new gearbox case

There it is then & what I didn't need was:

1: a new clutch originally quoted by Hall Street at £1000 yeah that's right 3 zero's after the one, sucessufully negotiated down to £600 incl vat which felt a little less rectally painful but apparantly the job can be done using the same parts and different garage for around £500 inclding vat ( incidently a grand is what official Skoda garages/dealers used to quote for a clutch, but you'd expect that from a dealership like Simpsons at Colne Lancs it's because they use gold plate ones)

2: additionally didn't need a new clutch master cylinder or the two that I had fitted because the first "so-must-have-been" faulty

3: wait for it I also didn't need a clutch accumulator valve either

4: additionally and probably the most important "didn't need item" was the several bleedings of the clutch system & my emaciated wallet

5: my favourite quote of all mechanic dreamary time has to be my garage man saying, with a staight face, "your crankshaft is floating by 15cms" stock reply is "my crankshaft? I didn't realise my zip was down, I must have left it undone the last time I took my trousers down"

Well that's all folks apart from my promised update in a weeks time

Love & kisses to all mechanics everywhere, you know I'm only teasing & I'd love to hear from people with similar tales to tell

[Vrs06]

Glad you are all sorted out and the problem is now cured just goes to show the Bull these main stealers feed us i was quoted £720 ish if it was clutch , i will be on the phone now to book mine in for 2nd time and wait for the Bull and excuses for what warrantys don't cover, my 1st gear is way too tight and 1st to 2nd notchy

[nick74]

Good news

I took my octavia to see Jason at West Yorkshire Transmissions (bradford), that demi-god of the gearbox world & not only did he keep to his original quote of £250 +vat he fulfilled his promise to fix the problem. Without too much technical blather, the problem was that a gearbox bearing had worn its seating in the gearbox casing thus allowing the shaft and bearing to move v.slightly. Jason employed a pair of Shims, lol (sorry still makes me giggle, & no I'm not inclined to sexism just old-fashioned yorkshireism or childish humour whichever you like), to replace the worn casing area and provide a hard area for the bearing to rub against in future, apparently can also be fixed by buying a new gearbox case

There it is then & what I didn't need was:

1: a new clutch originally quoted by Hall Street at £1000 yeah that's right 3 zero's after the one, sucessufully negotiated down to £600 incl vat which felt a little less rectally painful but apparantly the job can be done using the same parts and different garage for around £500 inclding vat ( incidently a grand is what official Skoda garages/dealers used to quote for a clutch, but you'd expect that from a dealership like Simpsons at Colne Lancs it's because they use gold plate ones)

2: additionally didn't need a new clutch master cylinder or the two that I had fitted because the first "so-must-have-been" faulty

3: wait for it I also didn't need a clutch accumulator valve either

4: additionally and probably the most important "didn't need item" was the several bleedings of the clutch system & my emaciated wallet

5: my favourite quote of all mechanic dreamary time has to be my garage man saying, with a staight face, "your crankshaft is floating by 15cms" stock reply is "my crankshaft? I didn't realise my zip was down, I must have left it undone the last time I took my trousers down"

Well that's all folks apart from my promised update in a weeks time

Love & kisses to all mechanics everywhere, you know I'm only teasing & I'd love to hear from people with similar tales to tell

Fantastic news. Thanks for the update, and its good to know for definite that the crankshaft theory is a load of bull as I suspected when I originally heard it!

[Vrs06]

Spoke to the local main dealer today its booked in next wed noon for a technician to test drive with me and see what the next step is

[Grizzle]

my gearbox bearings and needles needed replaced at 35k, but actually it was the DMF thats at fault...and gettin Skoda to replaced it under warranty is like trying to money out my brothers wallet..... shall see on the 19th otherwise its legal action against Skoda UK.

[Vrs06]

In a way glad to hear its not only mine with gear issues gives any of us with problems more amunition with dealers and Skoda uk

[graham_salisbury]

A update as promised

No further problems to report with the gearbox problem I was experiencing, which was that when pulling up to a stop in first or reverse gears the gearbox was holding onto those gears

I had the problem fixed after much running around and BS theories by my local garage & lots of wild quotes from "honest professionals" (yeah professional lol hmmmm honest nope)and would be helpers.

The person who diagnosed and fixed this problem was Jason "that superhero of the gearbox world" at West Yorkshire Tranmissions, Preston Street Bradford

A quick reminder from our Graham (thanks cilla)

1) Jason said what he thought the problem was and provided a quote and timeframe for the work

2)Carried out the work inside his timeframe and charged the quoted price

3) nothing more to add

I hope that this short blog has been of help to those that need it and a thorn in the side to those who suffer from/with Oral Bovine Excretions OBE

[ndicki]

This sounds exactly like what my August 2004 140 TDi has been doing. None of the dealerships I've seen could tell me anything - I had the crankshaft argument and ignored it on the principle that A. it failed to convince, and B. it really did fail to convince. And in between times, I had the clutch, flywheel and cylinders replaced. Possibly unnecessarily.

Then someone mentioned a thingy in the gearbox (in French, which didn't help, so I have no idea what it might be) which sounded more convincing. Anyway, the long and the short is that the gearbox packed up completely yesterday and the car has to go in anyway. Wait and see what they find... Says he, quailing at the idea of shelling out a load more cash for nothing.

[graham_salisbury]

hi ndicki

The man I finally took my car to said it was a common fault with the gearbox

graham

[Vrs06]

Hi Graham glad your car is still ok i had to cancel my last appt with main dealer due to work but its booked in for this monday to be driven by a technician and then get it booked in plus i'm going armed with all the info you posted about how your gearbox was fixed so will post my next update soon

[Vrs06]

Hi all, an update as promised on my gearchange situation , i deliberately didn't select reverse before taking to the dealer and parked car so technician had to reverse it and he said it was a bit tight to engage , 1st was a little bit tight occasionally but neither too bad to worry about we gave the car a ten min test drive and he also said 1st to 2nd didn't seem any more notchy than other vRS models and a few customers had said they seemed a notchy gearchange, he then checked if any new updates on Skoda system and there wasn't and basically keep an eye on it for a while and any further probs call back up , he did say a while ago there was a gearoil communication through Skoda but in his experience it didn't improve anything as was a different oil to the original, so at the moment i'm just goin monitor the situation and if not happy take it back again , is the 1st to 2nd gearchange a bit notchy does anyone else find, this is also first 6 speed car driven for few years

[Mysticdub]

Just came on to research a fault on my clutch/gearbox, read this and sounds almost same fault, so good place to start, my Mk1Octavia 1.9tdi 6 speed box on 160.000

If left in 1st or rev while foot full on clutch the car will jump as if you have lifted up to the bite point (good job I had my foot on the brake) plus not easy to pull out of gear, if you then put it back in gear without moving the clutch its fine??.

Problem started randomally when the weather went cold and has got worse, tried bleeding the clutch lines several time as was thinking seals in the slave cylinder.

Thinking this information could be helpful for my fault as I think its same as Mk2 gearbox although dont quote me on that.

[Vrs06]

just had 60k service on mine and told them again still seems stiff to engage reverse and 1st on first selection of the day , dealer tells me the car was fine for them and had 3 techs look at it, the service manager used to own a vRS and he came out to car with me after stood for a few hrs and said 1st was a slightly stiff and to run the car for a month then book it in Again and they're keeping it for 2 days to monitor it so i'll post my results again but will be in april now i.m afraid

[gadgetman]

How did you get on Vrs06? Or shouldnt I ask?