MK1 Cabby Auto Gearbox Noise.

I have recently had issues with the transmission on my mk1 auto.  While driving, I had total gear failure and came to a grinding halt when approaching a roundabout, and it would not engage any gears for a short period. I managed to get it moving and made it to a nearby service station and had it recovered to my house.

I then decided to do a full transmission fluid change following the guide on here from Chortle (beneficial) I also changed the seal, gasket paper and filter, topped it back up and all was fine for a few days.

I have now noticed that when the car is slowing down not under acceleration, e.g. as soon as I remove my foot from the pedal I here a wearing noise and as it comes to a slow speed and changes down gears a gentle mechanical crunching sound.

I have now stopped driving the car as don't want to make things worse, does anyone have any ideas, or is it a case of pull the transmission off.

Thanks in advance

Karl

I would replace the tranny, as it seems to be a clutch or Syncro issue on either the planetary gears or the diff.  It could of also started to SMS (self machining syndrome)
of the differential.

They aren't that hard to change out.  takes about 4 hours the first time.

You could see if a rebuilder will have a go at it, but I would suspect that you can get one from a breakers cheaper…  They have been using that 010 for decades since the days of aircooled in Various itterations.  The Water-Cooled over were plentiful but now catch as catch can.  Look for one with low mileage as in under 100K.  If you can find a TJ coded one you will love it.

They used them well into the 90's on most mk2's just take care in taking all the Cables loose and do not bend them excessively.
Golf, Cabriolet, Passat, Fox, Jetta.

They have been reported to last to 400K prior to rebuild with proper maint, and I have one that has over 200k on it.
Still shifting smooth as butter.

I had a 89 that I sold to a breakers… A week later I was at the yard buying the tranny back as my Pump went out on one of my others as the relief valve was stuck and I was blowing out torque convertor seals, and well it was either spend 40 bucks at the breakers to get it off, or 350 to buy the rebuild master kit….  But that is the Luck of the Irish.  

Briano,

Thanks, sounds like its a new gearbox is required then. So I'm now on the hunt for the what seems to be an elusive TJ coded one.  I'm sure I'll find one in time, means I"ll have to drive my Fiat 126 for a while which will be fun

Thanks again

Karl

Briano1234 Thanks for all of the advice, and you are right; I do love it.

After a few months of searching and an 8-hour round trip, I managed to source TJ coded box from a Mk2 Jetta with 67k on the clock, so job done out and in or so I thought.

I managed to get the old box out easy enough with a little bit of jiggling here and there, so once I had it out, I thought I would look inside to see if I could see the issue creating the noise turns out it was quite simple really.

IMG_6203 by Karl Bartlett, on Flickr

Yeah, that's what I also did….. bearing failure…

Anyway, it was time to put the new/secondhand one in; before this, I change the filter and bottom gasket, so I knew that was all good before putting it in.

Knowing what I know now, I wish I had checked the driveshaft flanges as after it was all in and fitted, the last job was to connect the driveshafts and oh wait, they didn't fit.

It turns out the Mk2 Jetta has a slightly bigger driveshaft flange. At this point, the only thing I knew was that I wasn't going to take it out to swap them over, so with some tool fabrication and 2 hrs, I managed to get them swapped over, and both the driveshafts fitted some new ATF and a test drive I was done the following day it was a wash and polish and now she's back on the road just in time for the sun.

Thanks again.

IMG_6216-1 by Karl Bartlett, on Flickr