Rattling Noise in 5th Gear: Causes & Fixes

Hi everyone,

I'm having a problem with my car; it's making some really strange noises in fifth gear, and it sounds awful, like a tractor!
Okay, I drive a Golf 3 GT TDI with 110 horsepower.
'All the other gears work perfectly, but there's a rattling noise coming from the engine compartment, specifically when I accelerate, only in the fifth gear.'
The worst thing is that this happened to me on the way back from vacation, and I can't say exactly how it started because I was listening to loud music the whole time.
My god, the drive from Salzburg to Frankfurt in the 4th gear was incredibly long!

Please help me!

Hello,

As you describe it, it unfortunately sounds very much like a problem with the transmission. Are all the gears, including reverse and fifth gear, shifting smoothly, or is there already a rattling sound when you engage them?

All the gears can be shifted smoothly and without any rattling.
Oh God, please not the transmission, I don't have any money for that .

TLuv wrote:

All gears can be shifted smoothly and without any rattling. Oh God, please not the transmission, I don't have any money for that

.

Unfortunately, there is no other component that will work. In an emergency, you could even drive with 4 gears for two years if you have to; it's possible.

Here's a tip: consider getting a used gearbox from a scrapyard (or eBay as a last resort). You'll likely get more value from it than from a brand new one.
You could also consider a model with the 90 hp TDI engine, as it's likely to have a similar lifespan to your current one.

'Usually, these repairs are quite expensive because the gear from the 5th gear has likely shrunk and broken. Since this gear spins freely on the output shaft, the shaft must be replaced as well. The other 5th gear is also likely damaged, and the entire drive shaft needs to be removed because it's a single piece. In reality, gear pairs are always replaced completely. Additionally, when you have it apart, you'll often find that synchronizer rings, bearings, etc., also need to be replaced. I've also seen it on eBay, where people claim that the TDI transmission is a weak point, especially in tuned cars with high mileage. They try to reduce the cost of their expensive VW repairs by installing inferior parts.'
VW is asking for €1990, which is quite a lot. I'll try it out.
text
www.automatictransmission.net
Rosenkranz Car Dealership: €950 is a good price, and it still has a warranty.

I've already bought two transmissions on eBay, one from a 110 TDI and one from a 90 TDI. They cost 140 and 65 euros respectively, and both worked perfectly. Don't let it stress you out. Try to drive in 4th gear until a suitable one appears on eBay.

Regards,
arne

Hello,

I also bought an "ASD" transmission on eBay, it cost 45 euros, and it works.
"I've been using it for 10,000 km without any problems."
In my opinion, Otto has never opened up a gearbox before, or perhaps he's just trying to increase sales.
boosted by "Autohaus Rosenkranz". Both gears for the 5th speed are screwed on.
There is neither any shrinkage, nor is there a wave or a gear made from a single piece.
Quite the opposite, it's actually very easy to access the gears.
I suggest you take a close look at the situation first (it's a real mess).
Check behind the black cover on the left side of the transmission and start troubleshooting to find the cause.
(Is there not enough oil?). Then you can still search on eBay or check the gears.
You can buy it from VW (around €170), depending on how urgently you need it.

Best regards, Frank.

Hello everyone,

It should be said in OTTO's defense that there were indeed more frequent problems with the fifth gear's gears in the Golf I/II, specifically the GTI and GTD models. These gears would detach from the gear shaft due to the teeth breaking. It's possible that they were weakened or shrunk. This produced very unpleasant noises, although it occurred in every gear, and the fifth gear could no longer transmit power.

Regards,
Thomas.

'Thanks everyone for your opinions. I think I'll start by opening up the transmission and taking a look. But I'm surprised it's the transmission, because it was replaced when I bought the car. It's possible that the oil needs to be topped up, but that wouldn't explain the noises.'

hmm, I didn't mean that the noises are coming from a lack of oil, but that there is...
It's possible that the defect is caused by something... but as I said, let's take a look first.

Best regards, Frank.

I had already acquired two vehicles through auction: 1. An Audi 80 2.0 with 115 horsepower, which was in perfect working order.
'I had an Audi 80 1.9 TDI BAA where the 5th gear ring was cracked, but the seller claimed it was still okay when they removed it. In mine, the synchronizer rings for the 3rd and 4th gears were broken. Currently, it's running with gears from two different transmissions. The most important thing was that the pinion gear pair hadn't been changed to compensate for something. I assumed the Golf transmission had a similar design, and I didn't want to go through that stress again, so I decided to replace it entirely, as the bearings, seals, and synchronizer rings... weren't cheap either.'

Quote:

I assumed that the golf gearbox is built in a similar way...

That's where the problem lies; a quick look under the hood will reveal it in the Audi 80.
The engine/transmission is mounted longitudinally in one, while in the Golf it's mounted transversely... therefore, they are not particularly similar.

Best regards,
Frank

Edit: You're right about that point; gears should always be replaced in pairs.

EditII: @TLuv, if you need a gear set, I still have one from my first [project/machine/etc.].
Gearbox conversion left over, it was brand new back then and has approximately 25,000 km on it, and it's a 0.717 ratio.
"This is the original version, for example, as used in the Golf 3 with 90 horsepower. If you're interested, please send me a private message..."

'Sorry, I was wrong. I just spoke with a friend who helped me, and he said that it's not the 5th one, but the 1st and 2nd ones that are fixed to the wave.'
Oh, that's embarrassing when you just want to join the conversation.

Hi.
Okay, so first of all, this gearbox database is absolutely AMAZING!!!
I found a transmission that should fit, but how can I be sure?
I jacked up my car and looked to see if there were any identification numbers on it that I could compare to the identification number on the used transmission I bought, but I couldn't find anything. Well, maybe there was just too much dirt.
I have the 'CYP' transmission. Where can I see on the transmission itself if it's the 'CYP' model?

Just check your service booklet or the sticker in the trunk. It will list the engine code, gearbox code, paint codes, equipment codes, and everything else. Alternatively, it's stamped on the transmission, on a flat surface, usually near the weight plate.

Regards,
Sure, here's the translation:

"Guste" is a German word that means "gust" or "gust of wind." It can also be used to describe a sudden burst of something, such as laughter or anger.