Cure for gear stick rattle on TDI 6 speed box

GrumpyOldMan

Active Member
Jan 16, 2007
14
0
Guildford
Hi,

I have a TDI FR and had a really irritating rattle from my gear lever since new. It happens in neutral with the engine idling and just moving the gear lever a tad would stop it. But the gear stick always seemed to end up in the noisy position. Reading other posts it seemed like this was a common problem but I hadn't read of a cure for it.

Well I spoke to two dealers, Wiltshires in Farnahm and SMC in Windsor. Both said it was due to engine vibration and there was nothing that could be done. I then spoke to the dealer I bought the car from - Westgate Seat in Grimsby and they were really helpful. Their chief mechanic told me to apply grease to the plastic guide on the gear change mechanism. Incredibly it worked - no more rattle.:D

Here's what to do:-

Undo the screw holding the air intake pipe into the air filter box and remove the pipe. I found it easier to pull it down first then remove it.

You'll then see the gear change mechanism clearly. Get some grease - I expect any grease will do but if it is in a tube it makes it much easier.

Take a look at the photo below, and first squirt some grease into the guide marked by the red arrow. This didn't completely stop the rattle for me but I think it helped a bit.

The plastic guide pivots. Push it on one end to open up a gap in the other and squirt in some grease where the green arrow is. Now repeat on the other side of the guide. Make sure you get lots of grease in there.

Hope that helps. If it does then all credit to Carl at Westgate Seat in Grimsby :clap:


PICT0137.jpg
 

Ol' Timer

Full Member
Jun 20, 2004
873
2
Norfolk
A useful post Mr Grumpy. The gearlever on mine used to rattle and buzz when it was new but the dealers told me to wait and see if it cured itself after a while, which it did.

I will bear your cure in mind in case it comes back though.:)
 

GrumpyOldMan

Active Member
Jan 16, 2007
14
0
Guildford
Yeh, I was told by Wiltshires to let it settle down and see if it goes away. But they seemed suprised when I said I wanted to enjoy the car while it was new. Maybe I'm just too Grumpy :)
 

Ol' Timer

Full Member
Jun 20, 2004
873
2
Norfolk
Yeh, I was told by Wiltshires to let it settle down and see if it goes away. But they seemed suprised when I said I wanted to enjoy the car while it was new. Maybe I'm just too Grumpy :)
You can never be too grumpy. It's one of the few perks of getting old.:D
 

dErZ

Active Member
Jan 29, 2008
203
0
Surrey
Did anyone keep a picture that 'Grumpoldman' posted? as his image isnt being hosted anymore or hes deleted it.
 

Degenatron

Guest
As the OP image has gone AWOL, can anyone point to which parts need packing with grease:

i1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee393/degenatr0n/ElsaFJW.jpg

I assume its the gear linkage, or have I got the wrong end of the stick?!
 

shtones

Active Member
Mar 20, 2016
11
0
ireland
As the OP image has gone AWOL, can anyone point to which parts need packing with grease:

i1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee393/degenatr0n/ElsaFJW.jpg

I assume its the gear linkage, or have I got the wrong end of the stick?!


My 1.4 tdi rattles like crazy aswell. i presume that this will also work on it.
since the original picture is gone and im looking at the above one here.
in diagram one is #4 that you put grease into and in diagram 2 is it number 2 on each rod?
 
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