Finding a Mk1 TT auto gearbox

Finding a Mk1 TT auto gearbox

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Discussion

Lorneg

Original Poster:

228 posts

178 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
quotequote all
My wife's 2004 Mk1 TT has something of a terminal gearbox problem so I need to find a replacement box for it that my local garage can fit. It's a 6 speed tiptronic box and I'm guessing the gearbox is also used in a selection of other VAG cars.

Does anyone know where I can get a second hand box from or indeed the other VAG cars that use the same gearbox so I can look them up on ebay??

Incidentally the problem with the gearbox is extremely violent gear changes from 1st to second, and sometimes just getting stuck in first and refusing to shift. I took the car to the local Audi dealer for an investigation, suggesting the perhaps it was the valve body that was sticking and in that typically efficient Audi dealer way they reported back, 'Confirmed violent gear changes 1st to 2nd. Solution: New gearbox, £4300.'

edit: 1.8 litre front wheel drive model


SteBrown91

2,359 posts

128 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
quotequote all
I don't know if the ratios are different but many passats will have a tiptronic box

Lorneg

Original Poster:

228 posts

178 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
quotequote all
SteBrown91 said:
I don't know if the ratios are different but many passats will have a tiptronic box
ratio's don't matter as it's the wife's car (snigger) which lives in the low end of the gears. So will all tiptronic boxes from VAG cars fit?

SteBrown91

2,359 posts

128 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
quotequote all
Lorneg said:
ratio's don't matter as it's the wife's car (snigger) which lives in the low end of the gears. So will all tiptronic boxes from VAG cars fit?
As long as its from a 1.8T then yes (I assume)

DEANO87

832 posts

171 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
quotequote all
A gearbox from a passat will not fit, the engines are mounted longitudinally so the gearbox is different.
You will need a box from another TT or possibly a mk4 golf or Audi a3, assuming it's only front wheel drive, if it's Quattro you need a box from a Quattro TT or A3. Your gearbox code is written on the PR sticker in the front of your service book and under the carpet in the boot, that will help you source the same gearbox.

Lorneg

Original Poster:

228 posts

178 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
DEANO87 said:
A gearbox from a passat will not fit, the engines are mounted longitudinally so the gearbox is different.
You will need a box from another TT or possibly a mk4 golf or Audi a3, assuming it's only front wheel drive, if it's Quattro you need a box from a Quattro TT or A3. Your gearbox code is written on the PR sticker in the front of your service book and under the carpet in the boot, that will help you source the same gearbox.
Thanks! I'll look it up and google to see if I can find a replacement box

Dr G

15,159 posts

241 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
Worth looking at an estimate for a rebuild?

A gearbox specialist will likely be able to do a drive-in drive-out job.

An ebay gearbox may well turn up dead or with little useful life left in it. Then you run the risk of the ECU not talking to your car, brackets, connectors etc being different if you used one from a Golf etc...

SuperchargedVR6

3,138 posts

219 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
£4300 for a new box (I'm assuming that's plus fitting) writes the car off quite nicely.

Even if it's just a failed mechatronics unit, that's still over a grand in parts, plus fitting.

Personally I'd get your existing box looked at by a specialist as above. If you start vulturing boxes from other VAGs, you will enter into a whole new world of pain. There are too many variations and updates of the same components and some will work with your engine, some won't. Not worth the aggro.

A good time to consider a manual conversion smile



Lorneg

Original Poster:

228 posts

178 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
Sounds like a good plan. I'll look for a repair rather than replacement

SuperchargedVR6

3,138 posts

219 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
Where are you based? Stealth Racing in Warwickshire are excellent with VAG gearboxes.

I don't think a dealer would bother trying to fix it, they'd just replace the whole thing.

I would consider a new Dual Mass Flywheel whilst the gearbox is off too, which will be another £400-£500 on top.

German cars, don't you just love them.

Lorneg

Original Poster:

228 posts

178 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
Warwickshire is OK for me. I'm in West London so it's not too far. Agree about the dealer, local one just summed it up in one line, 'new gearbox - £4300'.

Dr G

15,159 posts

241 months

Friday 19th September 2014
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Speak to a company called 3d transmissions, they'll pick the car up broken and bring it back fixed.

Lorneg

Original Poster:

228 posts

178 months

Saturday 4th October 2014
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Job done.

3d Transmissions in Reading replaced the valve body and changed the gearbox oil. Total cost was about a quarter of that quoted by Audi. Excellent job, and a truly excellent company!

many thanks for the tip and completely recommend them to anyone (automatic or manual) with gearbox issues. Whilst picking up my car I noticed one of their chaps was on the phone to a Mercedes garage discussing when they could pick up a car. He told me it was the same story as with my car; dealer has quoted a new gearbox but the car owner wasn't convinced.

Dr G

15,159 posts

241 months

Saturday 4th October 2014
quotequote all
What a great result, glad it didn't hurt the wallet too much! smile