I changed the engine oil at the weekend, upon removing the under tray there was signs of oil below the gearbox area. I then checked the bottom of the gearbox, and the VW plate and a couple of places back from there seemed quite damp with oil.

Anyone any idea what this could be?

Also, I'm trying to recall which gearbox my 02 1.9TDi Elegance Estate will have, and whether it's one that can be filled from the hex plug on the front or should be filled from the reversing light switch on the top.

Tom

Edited 20 August, 201213 yr by tomsimmons

Is it engine oil or box oil? If engine oil it could be crankshaft seal gone.

I found oil on the bottom of the gearbox too...was leaking from the rocker gasket.

Also, I'm trying to recall which gearbox my 02 1.9TDi Elegance Estate will have, and whether it's one that can be filled from the hex plug on the front or should be filled from the reversing light switch on the top.

Most likely to be a hex plug.

Clean it off and see if it recurs in the next 1_000 miles or so. If it doesn't, the likely cause is someone having spilt some at some point in the past. If it does, you're likely to be able to see better where it's coming from.

It's oil, whether engine or geabox I'm not sure, but it's certainly on the gearbox housing.

Got a bigger problem now....

3rd and 4th could be a little awkward to select in the last week, so I thought I'd do a re-alignment. As I locked one of the springs back one fo the fingers that grips the cable fell off. Having looked around it looks like the part number is 1J0711761B, can anyone confirm this?

Tom

Edited 21 August, 201213 yr by tomsimmons

OK Bowden Clamp replaced and gear linkage aligned, pocket £8 lighter, but didn't have the luxury of time to go to the knackers yard to anything else.

Bad news is 3rd/4th can still be awkward to engage on occasions.

Currently the under tray is off, so there is little chance of oil buiding up/sticking around on the bottom of the gear box. I'm wondering if the oil I saw is from the gearbox, and it's a little low of oil. Sadly I don't have a 17mm Allan, so can't really check.

I'd buy some oil and get the garage to fill it, but if it's just going to leak out again...

Any other theories on the gear selection issue other than low oil? It only started in the last week after a 800+ mile round trip.

Tom

oil on the gearbox and you didn't check the level of gearbox oil? And more on that,the gearbox doesn't work properly

oil on the gearbox and you didn't check the level of gearbox oil? And more on that,the gearbox doesn't work properly

Or look at it the other way round, there has been signs of oil on there for nearly two years, the gear box has functioned fine, last time the gearbox felt like this was just over a year ago when the dual mass was falling apart and the clutch was worn out, I had the oil changed then because didn't know the dual mass was knackered until dismantled and the garage reported it wasn't short of oil.

Also the issue with selecting a gear didn't appear until I was nearly home, some 500 miles after the engine oil change.

Tom

Edited 22 August, 201213 yr by tomsimmons

I had oil all over the diff housing (back of gearbox) once. Diagnosed it as the RH output flange seal. Since changing the seal it's been bone dry.

You should be able to make an educated guess on where the oil is coming from. Draining and filling the gearbox is very simple, so worth a punt. Get the fluid from Skoda/VW.

This only seems to be around the plate that VW forged into it, but bolts are tight. There is a little sign behind this, but I suspect that is oil that has travelled there.

Problem is that I've left the under tray off to keep an eye on it etc. so of course there is nothing there now because it get's washed off or coated in dust.

I've topped it once before, when I first has issues with gear changes (prior to discovering the dual mass was shot), but that was at the parents, the old boy has a 17mm Allan and I stupidly managed to leave one of my axle stands down there last week making getting under the car some what harder.

Tom

Don't forget you need the car dead level to check the fluid level in the gear box (I didn't realise how not flat my drive was until after I drained the gearbox). The hex plug on the front is the fill point.

My car may have slight leak where the NS drive shaft comes out of the gearbox (same problem as Bodge I think) but my catch can did fill up and vomit it's contents all over that side of the gearbox ages ago so it is hard to tell.

I found that changing the gearbox oil did make gear shifts smoother in general but I did it before I had noticed any specific problem.

for adjusting your linkage buddy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp9ggefOjAE

I'd already tried the re-alignment, it was through that I found a broken finger on the Bowden clamp and had to get a new one.

Garage has finally got back to me, they are saying excess play in the selector on top of the gearbox, component plus fitting would be over £300, they suggest a replacement box.

Anyone any thoughts on this?

Tom