5-to-6 Speed Conversion: Operation Guide

After getting a 6-speed transmission for a ridiculously low price for my chipped 110 HP A3 AHF, I had to install it immediately. A friend said that everything would fit. I thought there would be problems. I was right. The car still doesn't .

After the expansion, it quickly became apparent that the drive shafts could not even be modified. Therefore, other, used ones were needed. Unfortunately, there are so many different types on the market that approximately 10 shafts were in the workshop, and none of the combinations could be assembled. Today, there are brand new ones, and fortunately, they were purchased with a significant discount.

The second issue was the clutch. I was hoping to reuse the old one, but no such luck. It simply doesn't fit properly in all aspects. So, I sourced a new one from the donor vehicle and installed it. The sixth gear has a central hydraulic system. So far, I've just reconnected the lines, and I'm hoping that the master cylinder has sufficient capacity and that no other fluid volume is needed.

Besides various small parts, that was probably it. Unfortunately, procuring the parts took a lot of time. The clutch looked like it wasn't in good condition because the flywheel had a lot of play and was making noises. The new one we quickly obtained felt exactly the same. So, the new one was returned.

For the shafts, there are even 3 different variants for this specific gear identification code. I have flanges, joints, and shafts scattered around. All of them were painstakingly acquired and are, knowingly, returnable. All that remains is to sort out who gets what .

Today is the final stretch. I will report on whether the operation was successful. The transmission is already installed, the clutch probably works, and shifting seems to be okay. However, it can't be driven yet because the drive shafts are missing.

I had the same thought. I bought a 6-speed transmission, checked everything out, and would have had to invest just as much again to fix it as the transmission itself cost.
No, thank you. I'm now selling the gearbox and looking for a 5-speed with a slightly longer gear ratio.

@Uwe
Hello,
"And were there any wave combinations that matched in terms of length?"
I don't really think so...
I've already shortened drive shafts for an ARL engine with a 6-speed transmission in a Golf 3, and it works perfectly.

Grrrr, unfortunately, no. All previous attempts to procure drive shafts have been unsuccessful. After weeks of being stranded, I finally got the five-speed transmission back in , but I had to use a 240 clutch .

A friend had the complete donor car (a VW Golf), including the engine and, of course, the drive shafts. Unfortunately, they were sold off before I could pick them up.

Now I have a transmission lying around that needs to go back into the vehicle, and I still don't know where to find the Weller tool. A search here in the forum was also unsuccessful.

It's a DRW transmission, and my car is an A3 manufactured in 1999, which at that time still had a VE37 engine, just before the introduction of the PD engines.

I don't even remember the part number anymore, because the shafts from the other company didn't fit, and they were too expensive anyway (1,000 euros).

Does anyone have the ultimate tip for me, or perhaps some suitable waves available? I've invested so much already that I really want to finish the renovation, even if it ends up being a bit more expensive.

Okay, so which waves are we talking about, and where can I get them?

You even have a vehicle where they come standard from the factory...

Here, for example, [VW-GOLF-4-TDI-DRIVE SHAFT-PASSENGER SIDE-LONG-YEAR 2000].

Or maybe ask him if he's going to give us a wave.
[VW Golf IV TDI Pump Nozzle Axis with Drive Shafts]

Wow, thank you so much for the research. To be honest, I've had other things on my mind lately besides my waves, and I haven't even looked myself.

Does anyone know if the offered bulbs are likely to fit? According to my helpful dealer, there is even a difference in the bulbs depending on whether xenon or standard headlights are installed.

Okay, so I have Xenon headlights in my Golf. The headlight leveling sensor (or whatever it's called) has nothing to do with the driveshaft, and it's located on the left front suspension arm, far away from the driveshaft. It's probably the same situation with the A3, unless it has dynamic headlight leveling, which VW didn't have on the first generation.