After experiencing a couple of loud bangs (sounded like hitting a pothole!) my car is rather poorly! Within a day or so I found that the car was not driving right at all, getting a knocking and juddering in all gears. It went from being fine to dead within a matter of 100 odd miles with little warning!

The car required recovering to my local VAG specialist garage but it seems that the differential has collapsed in on itself. I have been advised that the gearbox needs stripping down and whatever is damaged replaced and a new clutch too whilst it is out.

The car has done 89K and has been Revo mapped for about 35k, which I am seriously considering removing as the car is going to cost me (worst case) £2000 for a new gearbox. I guess driving style may be another factor but I have avoided any wheelspinning and harsh take-offs to spare the clutch and drivetrain. So much for that!

Luckily it seems that the gearbox casing is OK as at first it looked perhaps I had blown a hole in it due to the smell of burning gearbox oil and oil visible around the gearbox. I will know somepoint next week as to what the actual damage is once stripped down.

Edited 28 May, 201016 yr by Jon_VRS

Ouch not good!

I would've thought if needed, you can get a recon / 2nd hand box for well under a grand.

Was there no warning other than the two bangs?

I think there may have been slightly more gearbox noise on overrun but nothing abnormal and assumed that my DMF was starting to go. However in the days leading up to its demise it was very warm so aircon on full blast and also the radio was on most journeys so I may not have noticed. Really caught me out but luckily had full relay recovery so no cost to get it back to the garage.

Edited 28 May, 201016 yr by Jon_VRS

ive had car re-mapped for last 15k miles with no problems to report. although when it got done i was warned that the extra torque could chew the diff up. i dont know how u drive but they told me 'take care' when driving no dumping the clutch starts, wheelspins or giving it full throttle before 2k revs, apparently this saves the flywheel and diff. but i dont know how accurate all this info is. but touch wood no problems for me to report.

Get a used gearbox from a scrappy or ebay, and get it rebuilt with a Quaife (or other) diff. Then it won't happen again.

The gearbox you need is a 5-speed 02J, with specification code EHA. Here's one for example: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2002-VW-SKODA-OCTAVIA-VRS-1-8-20V-EHA-GEARBOX-/230445539239?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item35a79fdfa7

Then get one of these for example: http://www.jabbasport.com/store/index.php?app=gbu0&ns=prodshow&ref=02J498005A

Then add the labour for rebuild costs and fitting, and you're done!

just buy a second hand box can be had for £250 and fitting around £150 jobs a goodun

yup as Bodge and Westallc said, it shouldnt cost anywhere near 2k to fix, dont take map off, just supply gearbox yourself and get someone to fit who doesnt want to charge you loads ie independent garage

just out of interest does anyone know if a 4x4 octy diff would work in the vrs...odd question i know!

why would you lol

just fit an lsd you know you want to lol

lol, wavetrac is def going in, you know you want one too its just i wondered if the 4x4 diff would be an upgrade to our current setup......

he he yep wish i had my old box back but upwards and onwards lol

not sure the agro fitting the 4x4 diff would make sense

you could remove yours and swap rivets for arp bolts

no you are right the agro would not be worth it.......wavetrac it is dude

let me know when buddy might source a second box and do it myself at work

Well car is back, but wallet 1.5k lighter. Doh! Car does however drive really well again

Rebuilt by Gearlink Ltd and fitted by APD-VAG so big thanks to those two companies.

Edited 5 June, 201016 yr by Jon_VRS

ouch, you went the expensive route!

At least its all sorted now

Well car is back, but wallet 1.5k lighter. Doh! Car does however drive really well again

Rebuilt by Gearlink Ltd and fitted by APD-VAG so big thanks to those two companies.

That's two of us with bills over 1k each in the last two weeks. My turbo and your diff, who's next as they say things come in threes.

was that with a lsd?????

if not why ???????

hopefully for that price there should be lapdance and a few beers thrown in for starters.....oh and an lsd!

that is so much lol

i had a box stripped rebuilt with uprated synchro and gearing treated with quiafe diff and arp bolts with uprated clutch kit and flywheel for that fitted lol

I guess I might be number 3. Will post up details in a new thread momentarily

Edit:

here's the link http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/163955-more-woes-help-needed/

Edited 6 June, 201016 yr by bajanpete

Well it was pricey it also included an oil service as well I should add. I could not justify an LSD on what is an old car. My previous car had a Torsen diff and no doubt the Octavia would benefit from one as well but to me it would be throwing money away as I would never see it back when coming to selling the car.

I use the car daily and need something that is smooth so loosing the DMF was not an option. It also needs to be reliable so chancing a used gearbox and diff was not on the cards nor trying to fix it myself (that would have ended in tears ).

bajanpete: I hope you are lucky and its not the diff going in your case.

Jon_VRS: The diff had no oil in it. So i'm looking for a crown wheel, as well as its bearings and seals. Thankfully mine can be repaired.

i think the point one of the other guys was making is that you could have done it a LOT cheaper if you had bought a secondhand gearbox and got a garage to fit it for you.

For less than what you paid you still could have had an uprated atb/lsd too...