Gearbox help please gentlemen, if you'd be so kind :D

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

As some of you know, I have a Mk. 1 2001 Vrs, with 163k on the clock.

 

<-------------------there it is, in that picture :D

 

Never had any gearbox issues before - in fact on the contrary, it's always been a delight to use, snicking beautifully between all gears, hot or cold. Never a whine, grind or rumble heard

 

I replaced the gearbox oil at 100k with genuine VAG oil.

 

And I have just replaced it again at 160k with genuine VAG oil again.

 

No idea if my last oil change is related to the problem, or if it's just a co-incidence, but quite quickly over the last week a problem has appeared, whereby I really struggle to get it into 5th gear.

 

It seems to be ok at first when the engine and box are cold, then once up to temperature after about 15 minutes it becomes horrendous. I don't like to force it for obvious reasons, sometimes I can get it to go in if I go back to 3rd or 4th and give it a good shove. It doesn't feel nice doing this though obviously, it's like it's really forcing the system and I'm sure damage will ensue if I keep having to do it. When it does go in though, it doesn't grind or anything and it drives perfectly.

 

My commute is quite short so for now it's kind ok to just leave it in 4th, however that's not ideal obviously!

 

 

I know I have read somewhere about doing some kind of alignment or reset, do you think that would help - or do you think the problem may be something more sinister?

 

As always, I would be eternally grateful for some help on this. Thanks in advance!

Edited 24 July, 2016 by Ray Luxury-Yacht

[kentphil1]

Box cable alignment is a good place to start as you have done the oil change already. only thing  I would do is double check the oil is the correct part number to be sure you have filled with the correct grade. Shifter adjustment video can be found here -

While you are checking the cables, make sure the locking fingers on the cable ends have not cracked or broken which will allow the cables to slip in the ends and lose the alignment.

 

Another place to check now that your car is "wearing" miles, is for excess movement at the bush in the tower that supports the gear linkage, as these are starting to fail now - not unreasonable when you think of their ages now. See item 3 in this link for the bush location - http://workshop-manuals.com/skoda/octavia-mk1/power_transmission/manual_gearbox_02j/gearbox_mechanicsoperation_constructiondiff./disassembling_and_assembling_the_gearshift_mechanism_on_the_gearbox_side_as_of_05.99/

 

Apart from that, it really would need a bit more info on condition of other stuff like dog bone and engine mounts etc to help any further.

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

Kentphil, well thanks so much my friend, these are good places for me to start aren't they?

 

With regard to the oil, I went to my Skoda main dealer and he ordered them in for me, from my Registration plate / chassis number.....so I assume they're correct. However as I bought 3 bottles I have one in the garage, I'll take a pic in the morning and post it up and you can tell me if it IS correct!

 

Dog bone mount and engine mounts are all original, never been changed. Do you reckon it might be worth looking at those too? Happy to change them if need be.

[kentphil1]

As you are only experiencing difficulty with just one gear, I would have said in order of importance / fix first, I would have said :-

 

1 - renew gearbox oil, you've done that assuming oil is correct.

 

2 - check linkage alignment and check for broken end mount fingers, this thread has a lot of useful info in -  http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/168608-gear-linkage-part-norequired/?hl=%2Bgear+%2Blinkage+%2Bpart+%2Brequired#entry4394786

 

3 - check for gearbox tower bush damage that the linkage connects to, and also the rubber bushes that the cable holder attaches to the gearbox - see third diagram with arrowed bolts on this link - http://workshop-manuals.com/skoda/octavia-mk1/power_transmission/manual_gearbox_02j/gearbox_mechanicsoperation_constructiondiff./repairing_shift_mechanism_as_of_05.99/removing_and_installing_shift_mechanism/removing/

 

4 - check for general free movement or breakage of any engine mounts, although this would be apparent by knocking when taking up or coming off of throttle when driving.

 

5 - this is the point I would start to look for really oddball stuff like breakup of the gearlinkage at the gearlever end, or missing bits of the gearlinkage in other areas that may have worn badly or even snapped.

 

To be honest, as you have just changed the oil and this has occurred, I am a bit suspicious as to whether they have supplied you with the correct stuff, it should be G060726A2, lets see what you have in the spare bottle?.

 

Hope it helps

 

Phil.

Edited 24 July, 2016 by kentphil1

[G-slave]

only heard about it, never actually checked it but:

 

the lubrication of the 5th gear, is through a tiny hole. So if there are impurities in the box, that hole gets clogged up and 5th gear is starved of oil.  Again, this is a hear-say, never heard of such catastrophic failure and should be read in the spirit of a 'known weak spot'.  Some US tuners have remedied to this, by giving this lubrication hole a slightly larger bore.

 

Other common issue, is that the box gets filled and because of the cog work and tiny hole, it looks like it is filled, though when you let the oil settle, it drops a bit.  Correct procedure would be to refill, wait 15 minutes and add more (not overfill).  Again, never been an issue, but thought I would mention it as hopefully your issue is solved by topping up the box.  (fingers crossed!)

 

I need to ask you whether it becomes difficult to engage 5th, because of heat/thermodynamics or whether it is because - once warm - you load the engine with more torque?  What happens when you double-clutch?

 

Hope this helps