Transmission swap...... I think the used tranny I bought is a lemon..... is it?

[intoodeep]

Hello all

long story short, I'm doing a transmission swap. I have an 87 Scirocco, 16v, with a stock AGB transmission. Original AGB transmission case cracked, so I bought a used 020 transmission from a 97 jetta to swap in place of it. The one I bought has no warranty, and was from an old guy who seemed like a decent person.....

I just got my AGB out, and i put my hand on the diff (specifically, the circular disc that the CV axle bolts to) to turn it a little, and it turned freely, moving the gears around inside the case.

I was about to put my new (used) 020 transmission in, until I tried turning the diff with my hand..... and it didn't rotate at all. It moves about 1cm clockwise, and then counterclockwise, but wont budge a cm past that.

Is there something wrong with the new transmission I bought? It should spin freely, right?

Thanks in advance for your input! really hoping I can resolve this asap....

[Broke]

It moves about 1cm clockwise, and then counterclockwise, but wont budge a cm past that.

Is there something wrong with the new transmission I bought? It should spin freely, right?

Not freely, but it should spin.

Use more force. You won't hurt it.
Grab both axle flanges, and spin them the same direction.

If it is in gear, then the input shaft will spin over.
If it is out of gear, the input shaft MIGHT turn over (from bearing resistance) but someone can hold it still as you spin the flanges.

Run a couple bolts into the M8x1.25 threaded holes in the flanges, use the bolts as a lever point. Slip a long screwdriver between the bolts and use it as a handle to spin the flange.

If the other flange spins over backwards, you'll have to hold it or spin it the same direction. When they spin opposite like that the diff is unloading or "breaking" and it won't spin the other shafts in the trans for the test, so spin both flanges the same direction if one tries to spin backwards.

You can also spin the input shaft, but it is harder to get a grip on because of the reduced diameter. In gear, it should spin both flanges over slowly... out of gear, it probably won't spin the flanges, there won't be enough bearing resistance to spin the diff over when out of gear.

Drain the trans and look for debris in the oil like chunks of metal or glitter. I have an Oil Change page on the site in my sig.

Don't install it until you get everything spinning though, it might be a bad trans if you can't get it to spin over.

[intoodeep]

thanks a billion

tried spinning it from the input shaft, and it all went well. now it spins from the diff too

checked out the oil, and its super clean -- the guy before me said he put a new reverse gear in it, so its all brand new lube.

Funny, I was actually looking at your website after posting this....... was wondering how much a new/rebuilt trans was about to cost me

Thanks for the help!

[intoodeep]

While I have your attention.........

my AGB has a spot for an electric connection on the top end by the gear selector shaft.... but its twice the size as the one for my new 020. I think its the switch while tells if I'm in reverse.

my local shop said it would be a direct bolt in, but never mentioned the switch.......

how do I deal with such a thing?

[Broke]

how do I deal with such a thing?

You almost had the answer...

Funny, I was actually looking at your website after posting this.....

http://www.brokevw.com/reverseswitch.html

[intoodeep]

I got an error message while trying to get to the page

"Content Encoding Error
The page you are trying to view cannot be shown because it uses an invalid or unsupported form of compression."

any chance you would brief me here?

[Broke]

I got an error message while trying to get to the page

"Content Encoding Error
The page you are trying to view cannot be shown because it uses an invalid or unsupported form of compression."

any chance you would brief me here?

Mozilla Firefox, right?
It's what I use, and I get the same message, and I can't figure it out.

Best I can tell, it is some glitch with Firefox, I think.

Go to the link, when the error message pops up, hold down shift on the keyboard and click the refresh button at the top of the screen.

It should load right up.

It has something to do with the cache, holding shift when you refresh will reload the page not using your cache, or using it, or something... it makes it work.

I am not sure what is going on... it's been doing it for months, and I had not heard from anyone that there was an issue so I thought it might just be my machine... I guess not.

I'm not sure how to fix it either, it just started doing it to me one day.

[intoodeep]

I tried to access the page in internet explorer (instead of firefox) and it worked...... kinda silly.....

I understand how to locate the two proper wires from my original 5 prong harness, since I now have a two prong switch on my trans.

Does it matter, though, if I connect wire 2 and wire 8 in any specific order into the trans?

Thanks again for your help!!!!!!

[Broke]

I tried to access the page in internet explorer (instead of firefox) and it worked...... kinda silly.....

I built the site using frontpage from microsoft and it started doing it to me after upgrading my firefox, so I am going to have to put something on the front page to inform others of the issue I guess.

Does it matter, though, if I connect wire 2 and wire 8 in any specific order into the trans?

Not at all.
There is a wire from the ignition that is 12V+ when you turn the key on. It runs down to the fuse block, through a fuse, and out to the trans to the switch. There it is broken unless the switch is depressed and completes the circuit. The 12V+ then passes through the depressed switch, and out to the back of the car, to the reverse lights. They are grounded in back there, so the 12V+ flows into the bulbs, lights them up, and passes through to the ground.

If you jump the 2 terminals in the wiring harness of the car with the key on, you make it one piece of wire and the lights come on.

[intoodeep]

veryyyy cool.

thanks a billion