Gearbox worn out, need a 2nd hand one, how do I know which one to get?

[Dunkuk]

Hi,

I've had my 1.9SDI for 5,000 trouble free miles but a noise has been getting worse and worse, I have had someone have a look and it's the input shaft on the gearbox. Makes a loud chattering noise when accelerating or slowing down and it goes away when the clutch is pressed. It will die quite soon I think!

Apparently after seaching this forum it is very common on the SDI. Seems VW has built at least one thing badly on every car it has made in the last 20 years or so.

Anyway I need a new gearbox, how do I check the code and will any others fit eg one from a VW polo SDI, or even a golf SDI etc?

Garage says it is a 4 hour job, so about £300, can I do it at home? There is no hurry as I can borrow another car, think I would need an engine hoist and a trolley jack, too big a job?

[awfabia]

Bloke at 'Skospares' is very knowledgeable and helpful for used bits.

[XLBaconDoubleCheese]

Get the current one repaired?

[Dunkuk]

Hi, repair will cost a fortune, much easier to replace. I will try the contact above, good idea.

I do like the idea of doing the job myself, just had a look in the haynes manual and it is only a 3 spanner rating, just looks quite slow. Lots of removing parts to get access.

[hutchysrs50]

My place of work replaces the gears all the time on gearbox's. the main price is labour for removing the gearbox etc..

Edit: we only do vag gearbox's as well.

[Dunkuk]

I have found this video of a guy removing the box on a TDI Jetta, which must be fairly similar, he says it's a 3 out of ten for difficulty but lots to remove. So sort of matches the Haynes manual guide.

[Dunkuk]

Well I've been quoted 4 hours to remove and refit gearbox, plus 4 hours to split and repair gearbox + parts. 2nd hand box is about £150 and saves 4 hours + parts.

My original question was what is the gearbox code and what do I need to do it at home? I don't want to get too drawn into the whole debate of how much individual garages charge for their time.

[XLBaconDoubleCheese]

The problem is, and possibly a question to ask is "how can I tell the gearbox I'm buying isn't about to dies as my current one just has". Its all well and good saving a few quid but that'll be wiped out if/when the used box packs up.

[peter3197]

The code appears to be FDN from the 2 ads on Ebay, but nothing for £150, £306 with a 3 month guarantee. Cheapest £195 with 30 day guarantee. Both plus postage £40 and £48 respectively.

[bluecar1]

gearbox out and in is relatively easy, BUT that gearbox is bl***dy heavy, make sure you have help, and something to take the weight getting it out

getting it back is a bit of a pain but straight forward

biggest problems are roll bar bush bolts

other thing, while the box is out have a look at the console bushes as they are easier to get at ant part removed to get the box out, so take advantage

Haynes manual does not give whole story, you need to drop subframe as well to make the job easier

[Avalon]

The problem is, and possibly a question to ask is "how can I tell the gearbox I'm buying isn't about to dies as my current one just has". Its all well and good saving a few quid but that'll be wiped out if/when the used box packs up.

This. If you source the part and it fails then you are liable for the removal of the old one, the install of the new one, the return postage costs and the refitting of the replacement. At the very least get the garage to source it as then the warranty is with them as is the labour, doing it your way may initially be slightly cheaper but if it goes wrong will cost a heck of a lot more.

[Dunkuk]

The FDN is a good place to start, thanks for that.

I found this which has a different code but is the correct age of car, its a polo though, thought they would be the same. Mine is an 03. This is £165 inc delivery.

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item33813d4ce2

Whatever the gearbox costs it's not going to make a bit of difference to how long it takes to fit, obviously the cheaper the better. I think I would need to phone around as there are qute a few being scrapped. I would probably go for one that has been crashed and ideally low milage.

eg

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item4d05ce2bd6

Sounds like it is reasonably straight forward job but perhaps best done over a couple of days or more in bits. If I do decide to do it I think I need at least one trolley jack, or a jack and a hoist. I'll do some research on that. I will get an air wrench too, and a set of extractors, most of the problems in the past I've had with cars have been stiff bolts. It may well be I'll start the job and realise I can't do it but if I don't try I'll never know.

I will still phone around for some quotes though. I'm in no hurry to start, can think about it for a few days.

I'm not quite sure what is meant by I'm liable if it fails. It's my car, I'm liable if anything fails, it is well out of the warranty as its a 2003 car. I suppose you mean what happens if I get it apart and can't put it back together again! Yes that would be bad. The job splits down into bits and none of them are too complicated, eg draining geabox, removing the hub, removing the roll bar, removing the starter motor, seperating the exhaust, pulling off the gearbox, then it all in reverse.

I have found out there was a recall done to fix these gearboxes so I think mine was one that didn't get fixed.

The whole thing is a gamble, but I can go slowly, I used to do reasonably big jobs when I was 20 or so and I'm a bit older and wiser now (at least I think I am!)

Edited 13 April, 2013 by Dunkuk

[peter3197]

PM

[Avalon]

If you buy a gearbox it will come with warranty from the supplier. If you get a 3rd party to fit it they will charge you and warrant the work but not the box as under the SOGA its your part and your contract is with the box supplier. If the box fails and it isn't down to poor workmanship (and if it is then it becomes a case of disputed liability) you are liable for the cost to remove it, return it to the supplier and the labour to fit a replacement. If you get a garage to get the box and fit the box then if *anything* goes wrong they are liable to fix it, this is why on certain jobs it can make more sense to pay a garage to source the parts and pay the markup on them as you have legal rights.

[Dunkuk]

Hi, I can't see the garage being liable if they fit a 2nd hand gearbox? Anyway I don't see how talking about legal matters is on topic to be honest, I thought this was a car forum. Can we stick to nuts and bolts please.

I will probably give it a go myself, might make a separate post about gearbox hunting, anyone know if that Polo one I linked to on ebay is the same? Polo SDIs are surely the same?

[Dunkuk]

I'm going to try a call to sco-spares about equivelents, eg VW/Seat , and as someone has suggested to me have a look on the sticker in the boot for the gearbox code. I'll update when I know more.

[Dunkuk]

Just found this thread where someone had a gearbox swapped (not including 2nd hand unit) for £125 including the oil which is about £40, at unit18, that sounds unfeasably cheap, I will contact them too I think.

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/218054-gearbox-removal/

[DGW]

Unit 18's labour rates are extremely competitive and they have loads of expertise.

[Dunkuk]

Hi all, got a quote from Unit18 and its around the £170 before oil and release bearing, not sure what the total would be, release bearings are about £15 on ebay, and oil I think would be about £40 so perhaps £225 all in. I think I might take it to them.

I have found this page which has all the codes on it, after being sent a message by a member on here that the gearbox code is on a sticker in the boot!

My code is GDR, this looks like it could be hard to find as the gearbox was only fitted for a year 6/2002 to 5/2003.

http://skoda.workshop-manuals.com/fabia-mk1/index.php?id=1761

What happens if I put on a gearbox from say 2004 or 2001 will it still fit and work ok? Time to get round to phoning some people up I guess (I have been side tracked as have bought a Mazda 2 on behalf of my sister and have been servicing it this week).

[peter3197]

I think that they will all fit but a professional opinion is needed just to make sure.

[Avalon]

Hi, I can't see the garage being liable if they fit a 2nd hand gearbox? Anyway I don't see how talking about legal matters is on topic to be honest, I thought this was a car forum. Can we stick to nuts and bolts please.

I will probably give it a go myself, might make a separate post about gearbox hunting, anyone know if that Polo one I linked to on ebay is the same? Polo SDIs are surely the same?

Can I ask you a serious question and I'm not trying to offend you or wind you up.

Did you actually read what I posted and understand it?

I was talking about gearboxes, I explained the difference between you buying a box and having someone fit it and you getting someone to source a box and fit it for you. One way you are covered in the event of something going wrong as the garage is liable and they take it up with the supplier so you don't have to pay anything extra, they sort out a replacement box and the labour to swap them. The other you have to pay twice the labour costs and are out of pocket till the box supplier gets it back (at your cost) and arranges a refund, assuming they don't claim it was incorrectly fitted and refuse the refund. Personally I thought it was simple and straight forward advice based on personal experience and growing up round the trade and people in it, you thought it was off topic and irrelevant. I hope for your sake you're right, or at least you never have to find out why I am

[Dunkuk]

Hi, yes I understood it completely, I do quite enjoy law! The garages won't warranty the parts if they re 2nd hand. In fact they told me they ask for cash up front as they often have problems. Having dealt with money quite a bit in former jobs I know that when you take someones money it is very difficult for them to get it back!

Anyway I have got it booked in at a refurb specialist in East London so all is solved now. I decided that a 2nd hand box might be just as worn and I would'nt know until I fitted it, and I will need the car over the next couple of weeks so will get it fixed.

[Avalon]

Hi, yes I understood it completely, I do quite enjoy law! The garages won't warranty the parts if they re 2nd hand. In fact they told me they ask for cash up front as they often have problems. Having dealt with money quite a bit in former jobs I know that when you take someones money it is very difficult for them to get it back!

The fact that you believe you know the law and tell me a supplying garage is not liable for any warranty claims on a second hand gearbox in the event of a failure suggests you don't. The last person I know in the trade who tried to float the 'no warranty' line ended up forking out for a brand new in the crate Brabus block via his liability insurance after his work was proven to be negligent and resulted in the piston going through the block of the engine he supplied and fitted rendering it scrap. Actual fact, not 'they said' fiction.

As to the point about money I've yet to have a significant problem getting it back where it's been required. If you spend it in the right way and understand the concept of joint liability you'll find that the card issuer will normally bend over backwards to refund you then dispute it with the supplier afterwards. Having been on both sides of that process as a business you don't anger your card processor if you depend on them to do business, they will freeze the amount in dispute in your merchant account and that can be bad.

Either way it's a moot point now, at least you've got it booked in to be sorted and lets just hope nothing else goes wrong with it, if it does please get some legal advice. I'd hate to think you ended up getting stung because you weren't aware of your rights and thought you knew better.

[Dunkuk]

Thanks, I'll think i'll pay for it on my credit card!