I've acquired a 2007 Fabia 1.9tdi Elegance estate as a workhorse/run around. Previously father and then son ownership, with low miles (59K), good service history, never worked hard and one of the last of the Mk1.

 

There are two other Fabia Mk1 Tdi estates in the family that have never given a moments trouble - I should know as I look after them (with help from the forum at times)!

 

The clutch on mine is light and it changes gear smoothly regardless of temperature. Reverse gear selects quietly every time.

 

BUT - if you give it the beans in first it crunches (loudly) when you change into second.  If you change into second at lower revs all is quiet and smooth.

 

I'm of the  opinion, given the symptoms, that 2nd gear syncromesh is worn or damaged.  I don't see that selector cable adjustment is an issue (as it selects all gears perfectly).  I don't think an oil change will cure it - it might quieten it slightly for a while but that's probably all it will do as the underlying issue is still there.

 

So it looks like I'm going to have to pull the box which leaves me with the option of getting the syncro on 2nd replaced (the rest of the box is excellent) or fit a replacement from a breaker.

 

My gearbox code is JDA which looks as though it was fitted to the last of the 1.9tdi Mk1's.

 

All the ratios in the JDA box appear to be the same as the earlier GGU box - so does anyone know what the difference is between the two gearboxes?

 

Are they interchangeable?

 

There are more GGU boxes out there than JDA - so if the earlier box will fit and I can get one from a low mileage breaker that might be the way to go.

 

 

 

  

Looking from the outside in with no mechanical knowledge so using logic......

could it be that your 2nd gear has been selected instead of 4th at speed ? if so then as the rest of the 'box is trouble free it may be worth having yours repaired 

my school of thought being, for a 07 car 59k IS exceptionally low miles I'd guess you'd be hard push to a low milage ' breaker ' which unless it has obvious panel damage may well be ' scrapped ' for 'box issues ?

I think @GeneralDogsbody has had similar gearbox issues, theres a thread on here all about it, his being a low mileage 2007 fabia as well

16 minutes ago, gelertd said:

I've acquired a 2007 Fabia 1.9tdi Elegance estate as a workhorse/run around. Previously father and then son ownership, with low miles (59K), good service history, never worked hard and one of the last of the Mk1.

 

There are two other Fabia Mk1 Tdi estates in the family that have never given a moments trouble - I should know as I look after them (with help from the forum at times)!

 

The clutch on mine is light and it changes gear smoothly regardless of temperature. Reverse gear selects quietly every time.

 

BUT - if you give it the beans in first it crunches (loudly) when you change into second.  If you change into second at lower revs all is quiet and smooth.

 

I'm of the  opinion, given the symptoms, that 2nd gear syncromesh is worn or damaged.  I don't see that selector cable adjustment is an issue (as it selects all gears perfectly).  I don't think an oil change will cure it - it might quieten it slightly for a while but that's probably all it will do as the underlying issue is still there.

 

So it looks like I'm going to have to pull the box which leaves me with the option of getting the syncro on 2nd replaced (the rest of the box is excellent) or fit a replacement from a breaker.

 

My gearbox code is JDA which looks as though it was fitted to the last of the 1.9tdi Mk1's.

 

All the ratios in the JDA box appear to be the same as the earlier GGU box - so does anyone know what the difference is between the two gearboxes?

 

Are they interchangeable?

 

There are more GGU boxes out there than JDA - so if the earlier box will fit and I can get one from a low mileage breaker that might be the way to go.

 

 

 

  

 

Finally, someone with some common sense, you're absolutely right, bad luck.

 

However, it is possible that yours has sprung a leak and has low oil level, I might be tempted to just top it up so I could drive it while looking for another gearbox.

 

Yes pretty much any VAG group 5-speed cable change gearbox off a PD100 from that era should be a straight swap.

Gents, the input thus far is much appreciated.

 

Research indicates that boxes around this era, for the 1.9tdi engine (regardless of model) could have an issue with 2nd gear syncro wear even with low miles as evidenced by 'GeneralDogsBody' experience and my own car.

 

I've no evidence that either of the previous owners would have caused damage by incorrectly using or abusing the box - in fact 'Driving Miss Daisy' would probably be the equivalent of 'Fast and Furious' to them.

 

Sometimes these things happen and it isn't the end of the world - I can wield the spanners with the best and at the price I got the car for it's still a bargain.

 

I just have to find a decent box now - a task in itself - though I have a contact for gearbox repair to explore first.

 

Can anyone confirm that I have a single mass flywheel lurking in the bell housing?

23 minutes ago, gelertd said:

Gents, the input thus far is much appreciated.

 

Research indicates that boxes around this era, for the 1.9tdi engine (regardless of model) could have an issue with 2nd gear syncro wear even with low miles as evidenced by 'GeneralDogsBody' experience and my own car.

 

I've no evidence that either of the previous owners would have caused damage by incorrectly using or abusing the box - in fact 'Driving Miss Daisy' would probably be the equivalent of 'Fast and Furious' to them.

 

Sometimes these things happen and it isn't the end of the world - I can wield the spanners with the best and at the price I got the car for it's still a bargain.

 

I just have to find a decent box now - a task in itself - though I have a contact for gearbox repair to explore first.

 

Can anyone confirm that I have a single mass flywheel lurking in the bell housing?

 

You do indeed.

By way of update..............

 

So I decided to change the gearbox oil to keep the box going whilst I looked for a replacement.

 

The gearbox has never been touched, it's completely dry with no leaks anywhere.

 

So, given it's supposed to have 2 litres of oil in it, I was a smidge dismayed when only 1.2 litres of (warm) oil drained out.  It seems highly likely, in the absence of leaks etc that it was under filled at manufacture!

 

The drained oil appeared clean with no sign of metal swarf or shavings.

 

I jacked the car up as high as possible at the front when filling so that I could get just over 2 litres of fresh, genuine VAG gearbox oil (G 060 726 A2) in. 

 

I had a 2 hour run in the vehicle shortly afterwards and was amazed to find that I couldn't get it to 'crunch' into second gear no matter how hard I revved it in first gear before changing up.  

 

Others with VAG group vehicles around the same era report similar issues with 2nd gear 'crunch' - it seems quite common.

 

I wonder if at least some of the premature failures, gearbox rebuilds etc, that owners have suffered could potentially have been as a result of an under filled gearbox at manufacture? 

 

As the gearbox is supposedly 'filled for life' and not normally part of a service schedule who would ever know?

 

I'm somewhat sceptical that an oil change has been a complete and permanent cure, I hope it is, but only time will tell.

 

    

2 hours ago, gelertd said:

By way of update..............

 

So I decided to change the gearbox oil to keep the box going whilst I looked for a replacement.

 

The gearbox has never been touched, it's completely dry with no leaks anywhere.

 

So, given it's supposed to have 2 litres of oil in it, I was a smidge dismayed when only 1.2 litres of (warm) oil drained out.  It seems highly likely, in the absence of leaks etc that it was under filled at manufacture!

 

The drained oil appeared clean with no sign of metal swarf or shavings.

 

I jacked the car up as high as possible at the front when filling so that I could get just over 2 litres of fresh, genuine VAG gearbox oil (G 060 726 A2) in. 

 

I had a 2 hour run in the vehicle shortly afterwards and was amazed to find that I couldn't get it to 'crunch' into second gear no matter how hard I revved it in first gear before changing up.  

 

Others with VAG group vehicles around the same era report similar issues with 2nd gear 'crunch' - it seems quite common.

 

I wonder if at least some of the premature failures, gearbox rebuilds etc, that owners have suffered could potentially have been as a result of an under filled gearbox at manufacture? 

 

As the gearbox is supposedly 'filled for life' and not normally part of a service schedule who would ever know?

 

I'm somewhat sceptical that an oil change has been a complete and permanent cure, I hope it is, but only time will tell.

 

    

 

Yes indeed, however you will probably find your mystery leak has actually coated the inside of the bellhousing where you can't see it and been turned into shotcrete by dint of all the clutch dust sticking to it, there is quite literally zero chance that your gearbox was underfilled at manufacture since they shoot a precisely metered quantity into it from a calibrated machine before sealing it up.

 

Glad you sorted it, I love easy fixes.

I'd considered a leak past the first motion shaft seal into the bellhousing - but in my experience there is usually some evidence of 'dampness' at the bottom of the bellhousing when there is a leak from either the rear crank seal or 1st motion shaft seal (particularly on low mileage stuff).  On this car it's bone dry. However, as you say it could be caked onto the inner surface of the bellhousing and hasn't reached the bottom of the bellhousing yet.

 

I'll be monitoring the oil level in the gearbox at service to see if it requires topping up from now on anyway so any leak should become apparent.

 

Now to tackle the throttle position sensor (accelerator pedal) - it needs a helping hand (foot) to lift it up to get the correct idle speed, and the heater flap motor!

 

Appreciate all the input and comments. 

 

 

 

 

Edited 14 April, 20188 yr by gelertd

Sounds like synchro like you say. I think if there was no metal in the oil you drained I’d be tempted to change the faulty part rather than getting a 2nd box . But saying that depends how long you can spend having no cars plus the tools to strip it if you don’t have them.

Note a faulty dmf wheel can knacker the input shaft bearings 

Accelerator pedal

whilst it is possible to dismantle and clean the throttle position sensor ( cleaning the track in side )  I found that this ' fix ' didn't last long however there is a school of thought that reassembling the housing slight off set can utalise undamaged potentiometer track !! the best long term fix in my experience was a replacement pedal assembly 

2 hours ago, Damo152003 said:

Sounds like synchro like you say. I think if there was no metal in the oil you drained I’d be tempted to change the faulty part rather than getting a 2nd box . But saying that depends how long you can spend having no cars plus the tools to strip it if you don’t have them.

Note a faulty dmf wheel can knacker the input shaft bearings 

 

PD100 doesn't have a DMF.

 

Synchro relies on a certain amount of oil drag, it won't work dry.

Ahh didn’t realise that didn’t have a dmf .