End of gear selector cable snapped this morning

brownnugen

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Joined
Jan 18, 2001
Location
Charleston, SC
TDI
2015 GSW TDI, 2011 JSW TDI & 2018 Atlas 2.0T S
I was leaving my driveway this morning and when I shifted into reverse, I heard a slight pop.* I was able to back out of my driveway but couldn't get it into gear.* I pushed my car (96 Passat) to my curb and went under the hood to check it out.* It appears that the metal piece that connects the gear selector cable to the gear selector lever just broke in half.* It is the piece that attaches to the rubber bushing.* Do you know if the entire gear selector cable needs to be replaced or can just the end that broke off be replaced?

The piece that snapped now looks like the big "C". In the first picture, it is just to the right of the light. In the second picture, I showed the rubber bushing that the cable end is supposed to be connected to. The other end of the snapped piece is just on the other side of that bushing (you can't really see it in that picture). The big bolt thing attaches to the bushing and the big counterweight thing mounts to it.




I think the gear selector cable part number is 3A0711266.
Thanks.*
 
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Steve Addy

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Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
Etka suggests the cable is an assembly and the end is not serviceable. The part # you have is correct according to Etka.

I'll take a glance at the B4 shift box I have in the garage and see if it looks like you can remove that end.

If the end can't be replaced you're going to have to undo a lot of crap to replace the cable.

Steve
 

brownnugen

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Charleston, SC
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2015 GSW TDI, 2011 JSW TDI & 2018 Atlas 2.0T S
I bit the bullet and ordered the part from my local VW dealer for $140 (plus tax). It should be here in the morning.

What needs to be undone to replace the cable? Do you have to really remove the catalytic converter to replace the cable? I have a Bentley manual if that helps.

Such a random thing to break, I hope it was just from old age versus something that made it break. I was surprised at how cheap the metal from that end was. It was similar to the insides of one of our door handles.
-Nick
 
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Steve Addy

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Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
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97 Mk3
I bit the bullet and ordered the part from my local VW dealer for $140 (plus tax). It should be here in the morning.

What needs to be undone to replace the cable? Do you have to really remove the catalytic converter to replace the cable? I have a Bentley manual if that helps.

Such a random thing to break, I hope it was just from old age versus something that made it break. I was surprised at how cheap the metal from that end was. It was similar to the insides of one of our door handles.
-Nick
Yes
You need to dismantle exhaust and drop the shifter box to replace the cable I think. You'll probably have to undo the console too unless you can get to the top nut holding the existing box in place with the console installed.

Steve
 

brownnugen

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Jan 18, 2001
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Charleston, SC
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Thank you for that link. I just ordered the part and even with 2 day shipping, it will cost a good chunk of change less than the entire cable assembly. Looks like it will be a whole lot less work repairing my end instead of installing an entire cable assembly.

Speaking of which, even though the part came in this morning, the dealer was nice enough to let me not pick up the part and they will send it back to their warehouse.
 
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ToddA1

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Aug 3, 2011
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NJ 08002
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'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
Wow, my local dealership would never of let that fly.

I think you could have replaced the cable, without pulling the box, but it's still a lot of work.

-Todd
 

Abacus

That helpful B4 guy
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Nov 10, 2007
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Relocated from Maine to Dewey, AZ
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Only the B4V left
I've seen a lot on these, but I've never seen that. Thanks.

Consider upgrading to the A4 shifter setup, it's well worth the swap. Someone on here was selling them for just over $100 if I remember correctly.
 

Steve Addy

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Joined
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Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
My local dealer wouldn't have even ordered it without payment first. I'd been stuck with it if it was special order.

Steve
 

brownnugen

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Jan 18, 2001
Location
Charleston, SC
TDI
2015 GSW TDI, 2011 JSW TDI & 2018 Atlas 2.0T S
Installation of that repair block was mostly successful except that I am missing this square looking nut that holds the bolty thing. I wanted to get one from the dealer but couldn't find a part number for it.

In the attached picture, it is part number 47.

I got the picture from http://www.jimellisvwparts.com/show...1730&ukey_driveLine=8000&ukey_trimLevel=18867
but it doesn't show what part number 47 is.

Can anyone help me figure out what the part number is so I can get one of these things? I currently have a generic bolt on the bottom that is holding it in place and will let me get around, but I prefer to have the right part.
 

brownnugen

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Jan 18, 2001
Location
Charleston, SC
TDI
2015 GSW TDI, 2011 JSW TDI & 2018 Atlas 2.0T S
Did you look on top of the transmission for it? I've responded to people who had them back out and managed to find them there every time.
You were right!!! It was sitting in a dark corner of my transmission. When I worked on this thing at midnight in my driveway, it was not apparent but taking a look this morning, it was just staring at me.

I had just assumed it had fallen somewhere on the street in front of my house, under a pile of leaves.
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
Wow, my local dealership would never of let that fly.

I think you could have replaced the cable, without pulling the box, but it's still a lot of work.

-Todd
I kind of think you can too but I didn't want to say because I hadn't looked close at the original B4 box. I'm not really sure whether you can get your hands far enough past the exhaust to deal with the install.

Steve
 

ToddA1

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Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
I think the exhaust would need to come out/ be dropped, which is likely 75% of the hassle.

The box, console, etc could likely stay in place.

-Todd
 

brownnugen

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Joined
Jan 18, 2001
Location
Charleston, SC
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2015 GSW TDI, 2011 JSW TDI & 2018 Atlas 2.0T S
So everything turned out well. The part came in last night and I was able to install it to make sure it would do the job.
A couple of tips:
  1. I only needed to remove the counterweight, and then the cable end from the gear lever (part 44). When removing things, be careful not to lose any of the parts, especially the square nut (part 47 in picture)
  2. Because my end piece broke into 2 pieces (see original picture), I had to cut the end off the gear selector cable. I choose to leave the rubber boot attached to the cable, but it got in the way. To keep it out of the way while you are cutting the end off, I pushed it back as far as the rubber would compress and used a spring clamp to keep it in place. Because chose to remove as little as required, it was very tight. Too tight to use my Dremel to cut off the end so I used my Rockwell oscillating tool to cut the end off. You want to cut as close to the end piece as possible so you are not shortening the cable/rod.
  3. Since the block replaces the end piece and is physically bigger, I had to trim the outer sheath that the cable slides in and out of. I trimmed off about 1/4". In order to get a clean cut, you will need a pipe cutter tool (the kind you spin around and tighten to cut). Since it is a very tight space, I bought the smallest pipe cutter I could find at Lowes and that barely fit, but it cut. I would not advise using a Dremel or oscillating tool because you have to cut the sheathing and not the cable itself.
  4. The sheathing consists of a hard metal outer shell and then a plastic inner sleeve. I kept thinking the inner sleeve was a thinner metal, but eventually figured out that I could remove that with a razor.
  5. So at this time, you should have a cable end that looks like a rod. That is the end that you insert into the repair block. You will also still have the spring clamp keeping the rubber boot out of you way.
  6. Loosen the 4 allen head screws enough so the cable will go in cleanly. I recommend that you insert the cable into the block as far as you can until it hits the bolt that screws into the gear lever (part 44 in above picture) and then tighten it until the cable can't easily slide off the block but you are still able to make adjustments. It is difficult to loosen/tighten the allen screws if the block is on the gear lever, so when adjusting the screws, I recommend detaching it from the gear lever.
  7. Push the gear lever (part 44) toward the front of the car. This would be the position where the rod is extended as far as needed (so 2nd and 4th gear). Loosely install the block onto the gear lever. When you do you, you will know whether the cable is in the block too much and needs to be pulled out. That is why I recommended you only tighten the allen screws enough so you can adjust the cable.
  8. Now, tighten the allen screws as well as the block onto the gear lever and take the car for a drive around the block to ensure that you can easily shift into all gears.
  9. If needed, make any adjustments to the cable length in the block and repeat step 7 until you are satisfied you are able to shift into all gears easily.
  10. After you are satisfied, you will need to put Loctite onto the allen screws to make sure they don't accidentally back themselves out. You will want to remove, Loctite, and replace them 1 at a time so the length of the cable in the block does not change.
  11. Reinstall the block to the gear lever (torqued 18 ft/lb) and then the counterweight on top of that (torqued to 15 ft/lb)

Hope that helps.
 
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