Converting Gear lever housing 4 to 5 speed

How do guys.

Someone on vwcaddyforum pointed me over here for some info about getting the 4 speed gear lever housing sorted to work for 5 speed. Apparently there's a mod that can be done.

I have a MK1 caddy with a 5sp 020 box ready to go it.

Now I'm needing clarification because some people seem to think that this lever housing needs changing/modding, yet from what I've read in my Haynes manual, it's suggests it's just a case of reducing the gap from 20mm to 15mm under the car.

Any help on this would be mega because I have to get this stuff swapped over ASAP (my current set up has completely died - lost 1st gear, makes a god awful noise in the rest!)

2 things , 1 i believe the main difference is the length of the "bar" that fits on the splined end of the long rod underneath , 5 spd being longer . 2 failling that i have everything you need from a 5 spd which is rusty but functional except the big rubber boot bit

Thanks for the reply.

I have all of the linkage parts, including the longer rod you mention.
So you reckon I'm good to go with the swap then? This is what's confusing me a bit, because I have some people saying all I need is the box, the mount, and the the engine bay linkage bits, and others saying I need all of that plus this cover plate?

I guess if it comes to it, I'll just have to live with reverse plus the 4 gears until I can get a cover plate sorted, if I do indeed need to swap it out. (so in that case, hold onto that stuff, I might be needing it off you after all!!)

pretty much the only advice i take online is rubjohnnys , some of the other forums are laden with armchair experts who probably have no idea ,best way is to get stuck in and see how it goes

peeriehutchie said

best way is to get stuck in and see how it goes

I reckon that's the best plan of attack, and the one I'll be taking. I'm not scared of getting stuck in, that's how you learn. Just wanted some clarification before doing so.

I'll let you know how it goes Monday when I get busy.

the cover plate is different, but you can probably just modify it, the main rod and stick is the same, just linkages in bay differ

rubjonny said

the cover plate is different, but you can probably just modify it

Do you know how it differs from the 4 speed one? I might be able to work out what modification it may need then.

im not sure exactly, it may just be it wont let you move the stick over to the 5th position, if so it should be easy to modify

Sorted!!

Didn't need to change the gear lever housing after all.

I centred the hook up and reduced the gap down from 19mm to 14mm and I have all 5 gears and reverse, first time I might add, with no modification needed.

the gear sticker and plate are the same between a 4 and a 5spd

jellybelly said

the gear sticker and plate are the same between a 4 and a 5spd

Well, that explains it. Although I've read on a few forums that there are different plates (there's at least a couple of part numbers floating around) for 4 and 5 speed vehicles.

no different in seris 2 cars

the seris 1 might be different but they all came with 4spd

the plate definitely aint the same, different numbers in etka.

what the differences are im not sure, but the the fact you have to set the clearance to 14mm with the 4 speed plate rather than the factory 19mm is a big clue

wasn't this just a case of taking a plastic hammer to the hole where the gear stick comes out of until you can select 5th ….. or was this just for polo gearboxes not 02A (MK1 GTI, i forgot the code, that one seemed right)?