HELP: 91 5-SPD Tranmission Melt Down

All trany's can be rebuilt as long as there is no case damage. It's just a matter of how much you want to spend vs. getting a used unit.

Maybe, maybe not. It's usually cheaper to get another used one. Though for some of the more rare codes, it can be very hard to find an exact replacement.

But a used transmission is a gamble, and it could be about to tear up as well. So it's a trade off between cheap (slap a used one in) and known quality (more expensive rebuild). If you go the rebuild route and the thing is too torn up inside, consider rebuilding a good used core instead.

Is this for a 16V or an 8V GTI?

If you are cheap^H^H^H^H^Hfrugal get one out of a Golf, the wide ratio trannys did not have the missing circlip issue that the close ratio ones did. Won't be as sporty but you won't have to worry. Personally for a GTI I would rebuild, that way you know it's done right and you still keep your nice gears.

WHY??? did VW screw up only the trannys that had the fun gearset?

nate

Woodchuck wrote:

AFAIK, all 8V transmission made after 1982 were made without the circlips. I've heard that the 16V ones have circlips, but I've pulled several of those apart and only seen one with circlips, and it had bolts, too, so it was repaired at some point in its life.

I did pull apart one from a 1997 Jetta 2.0 (DFQ code I think, or maybe CHE) and it had circlips and the original rivets, so VW might finally have figured out that circlips are a good idea on the pinion shaft. But I wouldn't assume that any transmission made after 1982 has circlips in it unless you open it and see them with your own eyes.

Are there any good rebuild kits available?