Octalicious

Thanks for the reply, I've heard the VAG boxes can be fussy. I may change the oil before I do the Cable Catches.

Thanks very much for the detailed reply, I have checked the fingers and they have a crack and feel past their best with a potential to slip. I've ordered some more "Bowden Cable Catches". I will take a few pics when I change it and keep you updated. There is some movement in the bottom mount, as you say it is probably a contributory factor to the poor gear change. If a reset of the linkage with the new adjusters doesn't help I think this should be the next part to change. I've read this could also be the cause of juddering when setting off.

I believe the fingers are all there, I will double check tomorrow. The gears will change smoothly with the engine running, clutch in and stationary, as soon as I'm moving the gear change down becomes difficult. Could this still be the linkage incorrectly set up? Do the synchro hubs rotating against the selector forks change the accuracy needed by the gear selector? Thanks again, Max.

Thanks for the reply. Free adjusters, lock gearstick, lock selector, lock adjusters. The gears are changing smoothly when stationary so I'm almost positive the linkage is correct.

Thank you. I will check the mount tomorrow and report back. Changing the Gearbox oil is a good call, the Garage should have used the right oil as they are a locally reputable Garage. I will change it and take that possibility out of the calculation.

Sorry it doesn't make much sense, i'll do my best to elaborate. It's a 5 speed manual. If I'm in 5th and slowing down I'll pull out of 5th and attempt to pull into 4th. It won't change gear so I need to then push the gear lever towards 3rd to then pull it back into 4th to select 4th gear. I don't select 3rd gear, only push it towards it. I sometimes need to repeatedly push/pull the gear lever to the gear lower than the one I wish to select until it engages. This is the same for any gear I'm changing down to. I hope this makes more sense, Max.

Hello everyone! I was hoping that someone could shed some light on my Gear Change problem? It is difficult to change down gears on my Manual 1.9tdi Octy. To change down a gear I need to push my Gearstick two gears lower to go down one. Example, from 5th to 4th I need to push to 3rd to select 4th. This applies to any down shift. The problem is only present when my car is moving, when static I can change gear perfectly. When going up gears; no problems. I have reset my linkage, changes gear smoothly when stationary. My Gearbox oil was changed at the Garage 10 months ago (unknown type). The Gearbox doesn't crunch when I do change gear. My Clutch feels fine. Matching engine speed to road speed doesn't help. The car can Judder when setting off in 1st. At the moment I think it could be; Wrong Gearbox oil, The engine/gearbox mounts, Synchronisers. If it was the Synchronisers wouldn't some of the gear changes be okay, and would the gearbox crunch? Sorry for the essay, any help would be hugely appreciated!

Hello! Thought I had best get signed up after reading through the forum for a while. I'm Max, have a Octavia estate with 202,000 on the clock and still going strongish.......