DSG to Manual swap

oilbrnr

oilbrnr

Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2001
Location
Connecticut
TDI
'12 Passat TDI SEL, '10 Dodge 2500 Cummins
Ive done a couple thousand miles towing a small camper with my 2012 TDI Passat SEL with DSG. In some respects it is working great, in others I'm not so sure. My camper weighs 1k lbs light and tongue weight is around 150#. I have added Sumo Springs to the rear suspension and outfitted the trailer with electric brakes and the car with a controller. Id really like to speak with someone knowledgeable with changging to a manual transmission. Ideally I'm looking for a shop on the east coast with real experience. Any thoughts are welcome....
 
jck66

jck66

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Joined
Jan 4, 2001
Location
Greenwich, CT, USA
TDI
12 Passat SE / 14 BMW 535d
My thought is: it might be cheaper and less painful to buy a manual car than do a conversion. But I am only an "armchair expert".

Can you share your experience with towing - what is it that the DSG is lacking? I'm considering getting a hitch on one of my cars.

TIA
 
oilhammer

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
May not be easy to find one of those with a manual, as most will be crushed.

However, that light of a trailer should give the car, and transmission, no problems at all. While I do agree a manual is better, and gives better control, the Tiptronic function of the DSG like all the other automatics VAG uses since the 01M should allow for all the added control you would need or want.
 
oilbrnr

oilbrnr

Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2001
Location
Connecticut
TDI
'12 Passat TDI SEL, '10 Dodge 2500 Cummins
I have towed the trailer a little more than 2500 miles so far. In many respects it is GREAT! I consistently get a little better than 27 MPG towing. The car pulls very well and really doesnt feel too stressed. I added brakes to the trailer (little 7" electric drums) and a controller to the car.......braking performance is stunning. Recently the car is bucking when cold in third gear and possibly in 4th. As soon as the car warms up (3 minutes tops) there is no indication of a problem. The car has 99,000 miles on it and has had all the requisite DSG services done. I plan to service the DSG again at 100,000 miles to have a look at the fluid and to start fresh again. OILHAMMER.....I hesitate to shift the car "manually" but could be talked in to it. I have certainly "intervened" when full auto was not finding the most appropriate gear. That said, I feel that the intended auto function of the transmission is the better choice. What would a "worst case scenario" be of someone using the tiptronic function ALL the time?
 
T

tdiatlast

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Jan 21, 2009
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Fort Worth, Texas
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2009 Sportwagen (boughtback); 2014 Passat TDI SEL (boughtback)
Armchair enthusiast here, as well. I see nothing in your saga that would indicate there's any need whatsoever with attempting a DSG-manual swap.

Why do you think manually shifting is harmful to the DSG?
 
oilhammer

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
The Tip function certainly will not hurt anything... technically it won't let you do something stupid anyway. There is a certain conflict of interest here, as you ask about swapping a manual transmission in... something that MUST be shifted by you ALL the time, yet you are concerned about using the same availability in the transmission that you already have. :confused:

I can tell you that I would almost for sure be in Tip mode all the time if I were towing with any automatic transmission so-equipped, unless it specifically had a tow/haul mode available, or there were some really good load sensitive software in the transmission controller. My Sprinter is actually very good at that, but unfortunately while it has a manual mode it does not allow for you to lock it in its highest gear, like your Passat does.

In my opinion, the CR engines work great with the DSG, probably better than any other engine VAG bolted to them, although they still seem a bit upshift happy. I do not like lugging the engine below 2000 RPMs, and would actually rather run it closer to 2500 RPMs when pulling up a hill especially with a trailer. Tip allows you to do that with ease.
 
7

740GLE

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Aug 19, 2009
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NH
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2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
1000# is just like loading the car with 4 of your jolly friends and heading off to the Golden Corral for a robust feeding.

If you plan on putting on miles after miles, I'd say shortening up the DSG service interval to say 30K as cheap insurance.

FYI Audi recommends 30K DSG service for some of their A3/S3 lines.
 
Jetta_Pilot

Jetta_Pilot

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Apr 14, 2005
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West Hill, Ont.
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2015 Passat Highline TDI Candy White (SEL Premium) long gone 2002 Jetta TDI
740GLE said:
1000# is just like loading the car with 4 of your jolly friends and heading off to the Golden Corral for a robust feeding. QUOTE]




Ha,ha,ha, A few years ago I'd swear I saw some people parked:rolleyes: at the trough so they wouldn't have to get up to refill their plates.
Click to expand...
 
PB_NB

PB_NB

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Location
Vancouver, B.C.
TDI
1999 New Beetle
We have been pulling our trailer for a few years now and often I think a DSG would be nicer a smoother than the clutch especially when starting from a stop one wet roads.
 
7

740GLE

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
NH
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2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
Jetta_Pilot said:
740GLE said:
1000# is just like loading the car with 4 of your jolly friends and heading off to the Golden Corral for a robust feeding.
Click to expand...

Ha,ha,ha, A few years ago I'd swear I saw some people parked:rolleyes: at the trough so they wouldn't have to get up to refill their plates.
Click to expand...

I don't want to live in a world where it's not socially acceptable to eat off you're own plate while still in the buffet line!
 
D

Dan C.

Active member
Joined
Mar 23, 2012
Location
western WA
TDI
15 Passat SEL
oilhammer said:
The Tip function certainly will not hurt anything... technically it won't let you do something stupid anyway. There is a certain conflict of interest here, as you ask about swapping a manual transmission in... something that MUST be shifted by you ALL the time, yet you are concerned about using the same availability in the transmission that you already have. :confused:
I can tell you that I would almost for sure be in Tip mode all the time if I were towing with any automatic transmission so-equipped, unless it specifically had a tow/haul mode available, or there were some really good load sensitive software in the transmission controller. My Sprinter is actually very good at that, but unfortunately while it has a manual mode it does not allow for you to lock it in its highest gear, like your Passat does.
In my opinion, the CR engines work great with the DSG, probably better than any other engine VAG bolted to them, although they still seem a bit upshift happy. I do not like lugging the engine below 2000 RPMs, and would actually rather run it closer to 2500 RPMs when pulling up a hill especially with a trailer. Tip allows you to do that with ease.
Click to expand...
our little 2.0CRDs work well under 2k, I've been 'short shifting' Volkswagens for a long time and haven't had issues from it.

diesels drive much different than gas engines. The torque on a 2.0CRD comes on lower than most people think. No worries good sir!
 
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