MK IV Gearbox Problems

**sihalliday** · 30-12-2007,08:02 PM

Hi,

I am new to the forum but having done some research i think that i might be a victim to the famous gearbox rivet problem.

My gearbox makes a very loud noise in sync with the driving speed and the car gets jammed when trying to reverse.

Prior to this my engine revs were fluctuating and the engine was cutting out when approaching junctions, lights etc.

I am not sure if the two are related.

What i would like to know is:

Will i need to get a new gearbox or can i fix the old one with the rivet repair kit?

Where can i get a repair kit?

How do i fit the repair kit?

I have a Haynes manual that says that i must use an engine hoist to take the old gearbox off. I do not have a garage or hoist so can i do it without by maybe supporting the engine from below?

If i have to get another gearbox i plan to get a used one and fit the rivet kit.

I have seen similar posts to this and Crasher seems to be the expert.

Any help gladly appreciated.

Si

**Crasher** · 30-12-2007,10:53 PM

It would help if we knew which engine and year of Golf 4. The possibility of fitting the repair kit depends on the damage to the box and you would only know this after a full strip down and detailed inspection although if the box is blown open and cracked, that makes the decision easier. Having said that, almost anything can be rebuilt but you have to weigh up cost/complication as, for example, fitting a new bell hosing is quite involved and requires careful measuring and shimming. Fitting the repair kit means removing the diff which is a near full box strip down (you can leave the input shaft assembled if it is undamaged) and then the rivets have to be drilled out of the diff and the bolt kit installed. The kit is available from VW but varies from one box to another.

**sihalliday** · 31-12-2007,11:28 AM

Hi Crasher,

Sorry - the car is 1.6 SE 1999 T reg model.

I would have a go at fitting the kit but if it involves shimming etc then i think that this might be a bit above station.

How difficult is it to fit the kit? I am no mechanic and the most complicated job i have performed thus far is changing the timing belt on my old Peugeot 306 diesel.

I guess if i it is too hard to do then the next cheapest option is to get a reconditioned one with the rivet mod already done. These seem to retail about £650. Will i be able to return my old one if the housing is cracked/punctured?

Cheers,

Si

**bmkev** · 31-12-2007,01:00 PM

When I looked into replacing my box I found a place in Barking that would exchange a box with a holed bell housing. There was an extra £50 surcharge though.

**sihalliday** · 31-12-2007,01:12 PM

Cheers Kev. Did you get a reconditioned gear box from them with rivet mod? If so can i be cheeeky and ask how much you paid?

I can't believe that VW are not liable and to add insult to injury you have to pay them for a kit to fix an issue with their poor engineering.

Ahh well - such is life.

**bmkev** · 31-12-2007,01:21 PM

Originally Posted by sihalliday

Cheers Kev. Did you get a reconditioned gear box from them with rivet mod? If so can i be cheeeky and ask how much you paid?

I can't believe that VW are not liable and to add insult to injury you have to pay them for a kit to fix an issue with their poor engineering.

Ahh well - such is life.

https://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/s...ad.php?t=21118

The thread above is how I got around it mate. I repaired the diff in mine and got the very small hole in the casing repaired.
Not easy at all but still a doable option with a saving of about £400

**Crasher** · 31-12-2007,01:26 PM

I can't believe that VW are not liable

Why would they be liable? The car is nigh on 9 years old, do you expect a lifetime warranty?

**sihalliday** · 31-12-2007,01:36 PM

Fair point - the car is old but it has only done 65000 and from what i have read this problem happens at low milage on these cars. I would expect the gearbox on a car to last a bit longer than this. The whole reason i bought the VW was because of thier reputation for quality engineering.

Anyway - lets not dwell on the negative - how can i take my gearbox apart, check for damage and fit the repair kit?

**Crasher** · 31-12-2007,01:54 PM

The 02K gearbox is a brilliant well designed and engineered unit that evolved from the 020 series first used in 1974. It has three weaknesses, the second gear syncro, the diff to crown wheel attachment and the diff pin retention. What let it down from day one was VW’s instance on using rivets to hold the diff and crown wheel together rather than bolts and one of the rivets was very tall to act as a stop should the diff pin decide to move. This never worked and the pin started punching out in the late seventies. The cure was to pull it apart and replace the rivets with bolts and spreader plates and to fit two tiny circlips to the diff pin, ironically into grooves on the pin that were there from day one, this drove me nuts from the first time I saw it 25 years ago, why not fit the flaming circlips when you build them??????? Anyway, come 1998 they shifted production to South America (we Europeans want too much money for our daily bread) and they decided to fit the circlips on the line and so get rid of the fault. Unfortunately they stuck with the rivets and these have now developed a habit of breaking off which used to happen to the 020 but not as often as it does on the 02K, it could be material quality, I don’t really know. As a depressing side point, I have seen a number of boxes explode due to the bolt repair kit bolts breaking. Some would say this is incorrect fitting but I have seen it happen to genuine VW exchange boxes. First of all you need to take the gearbox out. If you PM me you email address and your cars registration number I will send you some info that will help.