PLEASE! When installing a 6 speed transmission, check the oil level!!!!

tothemax

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2006
Location
Nevada
TDI
TDIs: 2003 Jetta, 2016 Q5 3.0
.......

We are not naming and shaming the garage as we are giving them the opportunity to put things right (even though they stripped the box down and gave up half way through)..

Ry
Hey Ryan,

Can you tell us if the garage is state side or UK?
 

ryanp

Vendor
Joined
Jun 22, 2008
Location
Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK
TDI
Arosa CR - 550hp - 9.7 @ 150mph 1/4 Mile, Citigo 4x4 CR TDi - 340hp, Caddy 2.0 CR 4x4 TDI - 300+hp, Golf Mk2 Van 1.9 TDI - was 290hp, Mk5 Ibiza 2.0 FR TDi - 270hp, BMW 135d - 360hp, BMW 330d - 335hp, BMW 335d - 380hp + a few more ........
Edited as the shop has started to make payments to put this right.
 
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Scott_DeWitt

Vendor
Joined
Apr 7, 2004
Location
Texas USA
TDI
2000 Audi A4 1.9TDI quattro
At bare minimum it needs all new bearings and syncros. Hopefully a brass brush will clean all the crap off the gears and they'll be ok. Whether that's cost effective or not, now that's a different story.
Looking at the gear teeth you will have to replace some gears, or they will be very loud.

I could use the cases, but that gearbox is toast.

so, that trans is garbage then? or can it be rebuilt?
It can be rebuilt however it's likely not cost effective.

I always thought transaxles (and engines) void of lubricant should have a BIG dayglow tag afixed to them stating "This Unit Has No Oil and Must Be Filled With Proper Lubricant Before Use" (or similar wording). It should be common sense to check, but NEVER underestimate the power of human stupidity. You are better protected if you put such a tag on the unit, because if it comes back to you, you warned them and it is their fault.

I bought a used transaxle once and it had such a tag, but it was still full of lube! (I guess they forgot to drain it).

--Nate
I ship a dozen gearboxes a month and all have a bright pink tag in big letter stating the trans is shipped dry. I even go as far as keeping the drain plug loose, and there are still 3-4 people a year that run my gearboxes with too little or no fluid. If you make something idiot proof there is always a better idiot that comes along.
 
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DSLFAN

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2007
Location
PNW
TDI
01 Beetle
Wow! Must've had a tweeker put that trans in! All used components we get are ALWAYS empty! Shipping companies won't even take stuff that has fluid in it, even local UPS.
 

UFO

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2007
Location
A mile high
TDI
2001 Beetle
I would name the shop. It's asinine to assume that a shipped transmission has fluid in it.

The pics, let alone the odour, confirm that the transmission was run without oil.

The tech messes up and needs to man up for their mistake.
No two ways about it.
 

Mach1

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Sep 27, 2005
Location
Spicewood, Tx.
TDI
05.5 Jetta 5 spd, 06 Jetta DE DSG, 04 F250 6L, 2000 F250 7.3L
Anbody/anyshop, that installs/replaces a transmission...Absolutely knows to check the level..

Even if no fluid is spilled, disturbed, or changed...check the level.

Heck I check the transmission just for courteous jesture when their car is on the lift..
 

Reddok

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2010
Location
Hamilton, Ontario
TDI
'00 Jetta TDI 01M, '02 Jeep Liberty Renegade ALH TDI swap
I wonder how often stuff like this happens. Thats how I got my project Jeep for such a good price. The previous owner had assumed the transmission was shot because the Jeep wouldn't move. I pulled the trans and transfer case and found the transfer case (with wrecker pen markings on it) was completely dry. Should have taken some pictures. The planetary gearset looked much the same as the picture above. I'm sure it smelled the same too...
 

Whitbread

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Location
Johannesburg, MI
TDI
Several
Anbody/anyshop, that installs/replaces a transmission...Absolutely knows to check the level..

Even if no fluid is spilled, disturbed, or changed...check the level.

Heck I check the transmission just for courteous jesture when their car is on the lift..
You would think so. I was told this shop is even on the "trusted tdi shops" list.

I don't know the name of it though so I can't comment there, I'm curious myself.
 

ChippedNotBroken

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2004
Location
Pocono\'s, NYC
TDI
Jetta A4 1999.5 Green
I'm sure we've all made boneheaded mistakes.

I've found that it's not the mistake, but the response to the mistake that's important.

Of course that presupposes a level of competence that would suggest a lapse like this is just that, and not another in a long line of incompetent acts.
 

ryanp

Vendor
Joined
Jun 22, 2008
Location
Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK
TDI
Arosa CR - 550hp - 9.7 @ 150mph 1/4 Mile, Citigo 4x4 CR TDi - 340hp, Caddy 2.0 CR 4x4 TDI - 300+hp, Golf Mk2 Van 1.9 TDI - was 290hp, Mk5 Ibiza 2.0 FR TDi - 270hp, BMW 135d - 360hp, BMW 330d - 335hp, BMW 335d - 380hp + a few more ........
Post #7

Edited as the shop has started to make payments to put this right.
 
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Whitbread

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Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Location
Johannesburg, MI
TDI
Several
I'm sure we've all made boneheaded mistakes.

I've found that it's not the mistake, but the response to the mistake that's important.
Very true. We've all left a bolt or two loose before (I'm guilty) when in a hurry, interrupted, etc.

It could have been one of those things. The apprentice forgetting or if they got interrupted half way through, who knows.

Nobody needs to know which shop this is as long as they make all this right (which we are getting somewhere).

Ry
Even when they make it right, its still sad to see a rare trans destroyed :(.
 

DSLFAN

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2007
Location
PNW
TDI
01 Beetle
So true!

I'm sure we've all made boneheaded mistakes.

I've found that it's not the mistake, but the response to the mistake that's important.

Of course that presupposes a level of competence that would suggest a lapse like this is just that, and not another in a long line of incompetent acts.
 

Mach1

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Sep 27, 2005
Location
Spicewood, Tx.
TDI
05.5 Jetta 5 spd, 06 Jetta DE DSG, 04 F250 6L, 2000 F250 7.3L
Hey its easy to get side tracked, I just try to make sure that

1) I check the level
2) I dont stop in the middle of checking it, either I start it/perform it/finish it, or I take the plug stick it in my pocket, that way the car is not getting off the lift without being done.
3) I check visual for 3 times to ensure parts got put back on..

Check, recheck, triple check..

Still some get through, but it does limit how many fall through the crack..
 

ChippedNotBroken

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2004
Location
Pocono\'s, NYC
TDI
Jetta A4 1999.5 Green
Back in the 80's I was going to go on a ski trip and figured it would be a good time to change my oil the night before.

I always used to rub some motor oil on the gasket for a better seal before re-installing the gasket and putting it on the car (filter was under the car).

The next morning we hopped in the car (5AM) and headed on our way. Couldn't have been 2 minutes down the road and the oil light came on. Two hours, 5 quarts and another oil filter later we were on our way. Can't say how it happened, but I put the filter on without the gasket. My daughter calls them brainfarts.
 

TDIJetta99

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 17, 2005
Location
Port Jervis, New York, USA
TDI
03... Faster than yours =]
Yeah I think we all do it from time to time.. I've gotten sidetracked doing oil changes in the past and noticed the lack of a rain plug while filling the oil. "Why the F is it all on the floor? Oh... Probably because the drain plug is over there..." Things like that usually only happen once, like the extra oil filter gasket that stayed up there when you pulled off the old filter.. That doesn't last long at all..

The worst thing on my part is forgetting to put engine covers back on.. I do it at least once a week.. Most of my customers don't have them on anyway, so I forget and a day or 2 later I see an engine cover laying in the shop and wonder who's it is.. Usually that coincides with a phone call inquiring about a missing engine cover..
 

Whitbread

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Location
Johannesburg, MI
TDI
Several
The worst thing on my part is forgetting to put engine covers back on.. I do it at least once a week.. Most of my customers don't have them on anyway, so I forget and a day or 2 later I see an engine cover laying in the shop and wonder who's it is.. Usually that coincides with a phone call inquiring about a missing engine cover..
X2 haha. I almost never work on stock cars, and when I do, I am known to forget engine covers exist too lmao.
 

jimbote

Certified Volkswagen Nut
Joined
Jul 10, 2006
Location
spiral arm, milky way (aka central NC)
TDI
Tacoma 4x4 converted to TDI
Ha...just yesterday I was testing out a new purchase (y2K jetta bad 01M) I had just spend the first part of the week putting together a five speed from spare parts I had in the shop, installing it via five speed swap.... also did a 100k T'belt (PO told me it was done last year, total BS) ...anyway first gear just coming on boost and "POW":eek: ....I thought my shade tree tranny blew a shaft :( ....a few seconds later I realized I just blew the upper IC pipe...forgot to put the clamp on the EGR!!...duh...I very easy trip back to the shop corrected the issue.....everyone makes errors...sometimes ya' gotta bite the bullet ...sometimes you get lucky!!!
 
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ryanp

Vendor
Joined
Jun 22, 2008
Location
Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK
TDI
Arosa CR - 550hp - 9.7 @ 150mph 1/4 Mile, Citigo 4x4 CR TDi - 340hp, Caddy 2.0 CR 4x4 TDI - 300+hp, Golf Mk2 Van 1.9 TDI - was 290hp, Mk5 Ibiza 2.0 FR TDi - 270hp, BMW 135d - 360hp, BMW 330d - 335hp, BMW 335d - 380hp + a few more ........
Post #8

Edited as the shop has started to make payments to put this right.
 
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Windex

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 1, 2006
Location
Cambridge
TDI
05 B5V 01E FRF
Post the shop name, and let the rest of TDIclub "nudge" them into giving a refund.

They didn't check the level on a used transmission, stupid mistake, but they need to own up to it.

Post the name.
 

1towman

Active member
Joined
Jan 31, 2010
Location
Grants Pass Oregon
TDI
2001 Jetta tdi w/5 speed
Hey Ryan look on the bright side. You couldn't buy this kind of advertising. I mean I'm sure I'm not the only one who has heard of your 6 speeds and dreamed of buying one from you but might have been a little gun shy of dealing with someone across the pond. Well all those fears are out the window because of the straight up way your dealing with all this. Cheers to you for being a man of your word and doing the right thing when others don't! If I ever get the fundage to upgrade be expecting a phone call from Oregon.
 

ryanp

Vendor
Joined
Jun 22, 2008
Location
Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK
TDI
Arosa CR - 550hp - 9.7 @ 150mph 1/4 Mile, Citigo 4x4 CR TDi - 340hp, Caddy 2.0 CR 4x4 TDI - 300+hp, Golf Mk2 Van 1.9 TDI - was 290hp, Mk5 Ibiza 2.0 FR TDi - 270hp, BMW 135d - 360hp, BMW 330d - 335hp, BMW 335d - 380hp + a few more ........
Post #9

Edited as the shop has started to make payments to put this right.
 
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NewTdi

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 15, 2004
Location
NorCal
TDI
2003 Bora, Reflex Silver
Just raise your prices 20% for a few months and you'll be even. After that have a 20% off sale for TdiClub members ... :)
 

ryanp

Vendor
Joined
Jun 22, 2008
Location
Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK
TDI
Arosa CR - 550hp - 9.7 @ 150mph 1/4 Mile, Citigo 4x4 CR TDi - 340hp, Caddy 2.0 CR 4x4 TDI - 300+hp, Golf Mk2 Van 1.9 TDI - was 290hp, Mk5 Ibiza 2.0 FR TDi - 270hp, BMW 135d - 360hp, BMW 330d - 335hp, BMW 335d - 380hp + a few more ........
Post #10

Edited as the shop has started to make payments to put this right.
 
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jettasportwagen

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 13, 2009
Location
Bath, OH
TDI
2011 Golf TDI
Get in touch with a lawyer, you'll need it. Once you understand your legal rights, the shame the shop. I am not into being vindictive but the truth is, I am a person that wants to trust the "trusted vender list" and it should be truthful.


Justin
 

NewTdi

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 15, 2004
Location
NorCal
TDI
2003 Bora, Reflex Silver
Well, the customer should pursue legal action as well. If you submitted an invoice to the shop for the 2nd tranny, depending where they are located, the local police department or district attorney (they do wear wigs here) could actually get a refund on your behalf and charge you a nominal fee. I had a client in AZ that did not pay, I send the local police dept/sheriff a letter stating the facts and less than a month later I had a check for 90% of the invoice, they kept 10% as a service fee.
 
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