Getting hard to select 1st gear and possible gear box whine

[TdiBlacky140]

Recently, I'm starting to notice that 1st gear in my Golf 2.0L BKD engine, 6 speed 140hp model, can be a little hard to get into. Not always, but definitely happens.

Mainly happens when stopped at lights in neutral and then go to go back into 1st, it won't go in and forcing it doesn't really work, if I slide it into 2nd and then slide back to 1st that seems to get it.
All other gears are perfect.

Also, I have noticed a low whine and had put it down to a wheel bearing and was waiting for it to get worse to identify which wheel, but I'm starting to wonder if it's gear box whine now, it's very low and isn't always noticeable, but I have noticed it driving straight on the motorway which would be unusual for a wheel bearing as not cornering. I have changed the gear box oil in the past so should be ok that way. I'm just wondering if the whine is coincidence. However, I will stress the whine is very low and not always there as in if I went to show someone there's no guarantee it'd occur so this might be unrelated but thought i'd mention.

From googleing and searching, I see a VW box had a mod where folks fit a shim to the end of a gear box shaft by taking a little cover off the gear box and accessing the shaft via it.
Does this apply to my gear box?

Could I have an issue with the linkages, anything for me to check regards the linkages, plastic bushes under the gear lever, etc. etc???

I owned a Mk 4 130hp 6 speed and had to get the gear box reconditioned 3 times due to the muppets that reconditioned it, does the Mk 5 gear box give a bit of bother too? I have 170k miles on it.

[Crasher]

The release bearing is inside the gearbox and can’t be bodged, box out. Start with having the clutch fluid changed BUT beware as the fresh thinner fluid can cause instantaneous complete failure of the release bearing and/or master cylinder or cure the problem… a gamble.

[TdiBlacky140]

Hi Crasher, I put a new Sachs DMF kit and release bearing into the car a couple yrs ago. Cheers for the tip on renewing the clutch fluid.


The bodge I was referring to is this one I seen on Youtube, I'm not sure if it applies to my car or not. I think my gear box code is KNS.
Volkswagen 02M 6 speed mainshaft bearing shim install - YouTube

The slight whine when I hear it is mainly when cruising in 5th or 6th on the motorway and remains when I put the car in neutral and let it freewheel with clutch pedal out. It seems to do it more when decelerating; for example, I'm cruising along and when I detect the whine, if I speed up it goes away a bit and then when I back off the gas it's comes back in. As I say, it's very slight though.

[Crasher]

Not many 02M’s have that design, it does make rebuilding easier but the things fall out and destroy the box… I fitted a 2005 Bora 1.8T box in my Octavia and had to rebuild it and at the time was helping a forum chap who had one fall out. As a precaution I had my engineers spin up a stainless steel plate with four countersunk 5mm holes and I made four threaded holes in the outer rim.