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Thread: VW Polo 6N - Gearbox Problem

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  1. VW Polo 6N - Gearbox Problem 
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    Hi all

    I have a 1996 Polo 1.4 Hatchback, under 30,000 miles, great condition, owned from early 1997. I have it serviced/MOTd each January. Mechanics tell me it's worth holding on to and paying for a major repair or two if required. Last January, the mechanic told me the cover plate of the gearbox was corroded and allowing a slight oil leak. He suggested we buy a gearbox and swap the plate over, keeping the unit in case we ever needed it. I agreed but he didn't actually get one in!

    I use pretty sporadically and recently made a 120 mile round trip mostly on motorway/dual carriageway. Noticed a whistle through the air vents - probably some leaves/twigs in the intakes - noted to tell the garage! At 60-70 mph, heard a slight jet engine type whine when pressing on the accelerator - noted to tell garage!

    On the return trip, the whine seemed to start moving down in speed, to 50 and under.

    Coming off the motorway onto the last 6 miles home, it was stiff dropping down to 3rd. Getting in and out of gears seemed to get harder and slightly hit and miss. The whine seemed to be getting more prominent. I drove the last 3 miles in 3rd. Read online that you can check whether it's a cluth or gearbox problem by trying gear shift with the engine turned off and believe it is indeed the gearbox.

    Told the garage about it and we should get in a gearbox! Had a call last week to say they hadn't located one in the UK yet (from my favourite Polo breaker or any that they usually use - and I've done a few parts searches with similar result) but 2 in the Netherlands (post-Brexit, additional tax/duty to pay on those. How would I know that I was buying a reasonable condition part - even the mechanic won't know until it arrives!

    Been reading old gearbox threads here - I didn't know there was the possibility to recondition the gearbox I have - although that doesn't resolve the corroded front cover plate issue!


    Reading more, I learned of reconditioning rather than replacing the gearbox - I'd be working on a 30k unit rather than buying maybe a scrapped 100-200k unit for the age of the car.

    Speaking with my mechanic, I gather that a recondition could be risky as some parts that might be required have been deleted and may be unavailable. If they find a part that can't be replaced, I could be left with scrap. I also have a corroded front plate which still needs fixing anyway.

    We have found a replacement box of the right code from a breaker for £100 + £60 delivery, which seems worth a punt. He'll swap that in and we'll see how it goes. We could then see if my current box could be reconditioned and swapped back in if successful and economically achievable.

    If anyone recommends a good reconditining guy in the Shrewsbury/Telford area that would be great!
     
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  2. Re: VW Polo 6N - Gearbox Problem 
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    These boxes are known as the 085 and date back to the 1973 084. What is the three digit code of your box? I imagine the cover rotted through and allowed the oil to leak out, from your description the box will be FUBAR. Used gearbox's tend to be a disaster, you don't know how good or bad they are until fitted which is four or so hours down the drain if its noisy, I bought one to do a 6 speed conversion on my Octavia, I carefully sourced a 02M at a high price, from a respected source and out of a car I anticipated would have had an easy life, it sounded like a coffee grinder and cost me £2k in parts alone to rebuild, gearbox parts are not cheap and in addition the 085 is not a simple gearbox to rebuild being rather an old design. Mrs Crasher had a 6N 1.4 16v from new in 1999 and the gearbox sound awful from new. It is a shame the box was allowed to destroy itself for the sake of replacing the cover 085 301 211 at £31.66 but since then it has gone obsolete.
    Anthropogenic climate change, the biggest con inflicted on mankind since religion...

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  3. Re: VW Polo 6N - Gearbox Problem 
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    Quote Originally Posted by Crasher View Post
    These boxes are known as the 085 and date back to the 1973 084. What is the three digit code of your box? I imagine the cover rotted through and allowed the oil to leak out, from your description the box will be FUBAR. Used gearbox's tend to be a disaster, you don't know how good or bad they are until fitted which is four or so hours down the drain if its noisy, I bought one to do a 6 speed conversion on my Octavia, I carefully sourced a 02M at a high price, from a respected source and out of a car I anticipated would have had an easy life, it sounded like a coffee grinder and cost me £2k in parts alone to rebuild, gearbox parts are not cheap and in addition the 085 is not a simple gearbox to rebuild being rather an old design. Mrs Crasher had a 6N 1.4 16v from new in 1999 and the gearbox sound awful from new. It is a shame the box was allowed to destroy itself for the sake of replacing the cover 085 301 211 at £31.66 but since then it has gone obsolete.
    Hi

    Mine is a DDH box. My mechanic said it was only a tiny oil leak from the corroded front plate, enough to mark the tarmac is spends most of its time one, nothing serious. I suppose it might have got worse over the year but would have thought any major leak would lead very rapidly to a more sudden and serious seizing of the gearbox. It was just starting to make a noise and become difficult to move between gears (2nd and 3 mainly).

    For the £100 plus £60 delivery, we reckon it's worth a punt - car is dead without trying anything! Of course, I'm swapping a 30k box for a 128k one. Not ever been aware of gearbox noise but might notice the difference from what you say! Worth, also, I think, asking for a quote for a refurb on my box - but only if it's minor work and no major parts needed as apparently many are obsolete and unavailable.

    Yes, the annoyance is that the cover plate was deleted about 6 months before the last service and also that the mechanic didn't get his finger out and try to source a replacement last January when there may have been better supply! Hindsight is a great thing!

    The £100 one will be at the garage Friday/Monday so happy to let you know how it goes. I do need to keep my 'sunk cost theory' in mind. £1000 of work/spares is still better than £5000 to get something to replace the car!
     
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  4. Re: VW Polo 6N - Gearbox Problem 
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    I approve of your attitude to the £'s spent and value of the car, it irritates me when people say things like "ohh it's only a £Xk car, I am not spending £X on it" The DDH was only used in the Polo and for a tiny period, 7/95>12/95 but a DHB is the same . The good news is that most of the internals are easy to get, bearings, gaskets, gears and even the input shaft

    Anthropogenic climate change, the biggest con inflicted on mankind since religion...

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