Project Kill Da Auto Wabbit!, Or how I learned to love the Manual Swap

GdB

Veteran Member
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Sep 5, 2005
Location
Cypress, California, USA
TDI
Golf IV swap 2002
clutch safety switch

It seems like we just need to figure out what the clutch safety switch is wired to on am stock MT car.

Maybe we have all the parts, only wire needs to added and connected.
 

chirorob

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Mar 5, 2001
Location
Auburn, AL
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2002 Jetta wagon auto
While you are at it get the part number for the clutch switch... I snapped mine off trying to install the pedal. :(
 

iBlake

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Nov 6, 2005
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NW Oregon
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2002 TDI Beetle auto Platinum Grey
This is fantastic guys, its a good read and though nobody else is posting here I know there are probably a ton of people like me following this thread. Keep up the good work and maybe you'll convince the rest of us auto's to swap ;)

-Blake
 

chirorob

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Location
Auburn, AL
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2002 Jetta wagon auto
In the spirit of keeping relevant info in this thread, the axles are a little bit of a PITA with the different tools and whatnot, so I thought I would add a link. I actually couldn't remove my driver's side, I had to remove a transmission switch from the auto and pull as much as I could into the engine bay so the boot was on top of the transmission (and therefore wouldn't be torn or have the transmission brace against it while dropping)

This is in the "how to" section, and it is for replacing the stock axles with the VR6 ones. All the removal and installation is the same, just delete the part about removing the cups from the transmission. It is a great writeup with complete pictures so you can see what needs to be done.
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=138801

In other news, my clutch setup didn't get on a plane until last night, so it will likely be another week before I can continue the swap.

Advice: Be sure you have all your parts in hand before starting the process... it happened to alphaseinor too!

In addition to the standard full tool set I have laying around, I also needed to purchase: 8mm and 10mm triple-square bits, a 30mm 12pt socket, and 3/4 to 3/4" hose coupler.

I would also highly recommend an impact wrench, I had to use a breaker bar on nearly everything to crack it - 5 years and 112k miles will do that, YMMV.

Edit: Also, in dropping the transmission - a pry-bar is your best friend (although I used a ball-joint tool).
Don't forget your torque converter is full of ATF as well, so when you lower the engine/tranny and have to go up and down a few times, you very well might get a large ATF spill - have your box or oil tray underneath to catch the pending spill.
 
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chirorob

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Location
Auburn, AL
TDI
2002 Jetta wagon auto
Great. This thread has alot of commentary in it, I figured I'd snap a few pics as I go / after I'm done and add to the true information (cut out all the discussion) so we can put it in the "how to" to make it much easier for everyone else.
 

chirorob

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Mar 5, 2001
Location
Auburn, AL
TDI
2002 Jetta wagon auto
alphaseinor said:
First you will need two paperclips so you can remove a pin from the grey harness...

Since I removed the wiring harness for the transmission control unit, this made a hole in the plenum pass-through... I decided to use the wiring harness for a plug. I cut the wiring harness for the green/black (black with green stripe) and the black with red stripe from the grey connector to match the length to the reverse light wiring. I removed the pins from the reverse light wiring harness and carefully uncrimped the pins, then crimped them back on the "grey" harness...

You will need to push the pink wire hold down on the grey connector out a bit, there are two clips that prevent this from coming out.

You will need to remove the red/black wire from the grey plug and put it into the orange plug, there is only one pin (the second row from the front, in the middle connection). you will need to use the two paperclips to remove the pin. insert the paper clip tips into the plug side of the connector, and push. while pushing, you will need to gently pull on the wire. it will come out eventually with a little love. do not force it, or you will damage the pin, and then you are up a creek as to where to find the pins for this connector.

Verify that the plug works by testing continuity to the reverse positive from the 20 amp plug for the transmission control module... replace the 20A fuse with a 10A and be done with it... I was not able to fully trace down fuse 7 for the backup lights, so I just used the biggest wire I could find.

You may be able to just use the connector with some wire on the original wiring harness and just splice them together... but again your mileage may vary...
This is by far the most confusing section for me. I pulled the 4 screws under the passenger side wiper, slid out the tray, and can see the cabin air filter. I believe directly next to that is the ECU. There is another box on the driver's side of the ECU, and it has two harness connectors going to it. Is this the TCU?? I had to pry the plastic up a bit to see under it, I don't see any way to remove the plastic trim, even if I remove the wipers it appears to be glued to the windshield at the top.

I do not see a grey or orange plug anywhere, only black plugs with grey zip-ties to hold the wires together right at the plug.

In post #80 alphaseinor mentions just bridging two wires - what is supposed to be done, the whole pulling pins and matching wires as listed above, or just soldering those two wires together?

alphaseinor said:
You want to jump pins 11 to 63 on the transmission computer connector.

Since the reverse goes to the PN Relay under the dash, I can't remember if the blue/yellow on the transmission range sensor (the one on the rear of the transmission with 8 pins) needs to be connected to ground or 12v+... ground is "safer". Personally you can read what I did (I used 12v+ from the switch from the transmission range switch (black and green) to the blue/yellow on the other end of the switch... then plugged the plenum pass through onto another connector in the passthrough) that's on pages 3 and 4... Please note that I have a modified PN relay, so it's not exactly the same as yours... I did this for other reasons other than the swap (namely I needed a relay for "something else"... without running any extra wiring... The manual transmission version of the reverse switch can pull the voltage all the way to the tail lamps).
 
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chirorob

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Location
Auburn, AL
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2002 Jetta wagon auto
OK, I THINK I see what needs to be done after staring at those diagrams.
In the plenum, pull off the plugs from the TCU (if that is what I'm looking at), find the wire that goes to pin #11, and the one that goes to pin #63.

Cut the harness and wire those two together. You can't do this part inside the engine bay because the wire from pin #11 does not go through the harness in the engine bay to the transmission switch. Otherwise it could have been done all in one spot.

Go down inside the engine bay, and find the piece of the harness that was plugged into the transmission switch located right under and in front of the brake master cylinder - also right above the driver's axle connection to the transmission. (Mine is brown in color and I had to remove it to get the driver's axle out of the way).

Cut the clip, and wire the reverse switch on the manual transmission to the cut harness in the prior step.

The reverse switch on the manual transmission only has two wires. One wire should go to pin #1 (blue/yellow), the other wire should go to pin #3 (green/black) on that clip.


If I'm correct, all that other stuff was just instructions on how to get the wire out of the automatic transmission clip and stick it into the manual transmission clip. This would give you the cleanest "factory" appearance though.

EDIT: Even better - looks like you can go to the Park Neutral relay and bridge the grey/red and red/yellow wires there, so digging out the TCU wouldn't be required?
 
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chirorob

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Auburn, AL
TDI
2002 Jetta wagon auto
Underhood wiring done, I'm going to find that PN relay and do the other splice there.

I took a few pictures for the visual folks like me, it was super-easy after I understood what to do.

I just need a place to host the pics, so if anyone has a server...
 

GdB

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Sep 5, 2005
Location
Cypress, California, USA
TDI
Golf IV swap 2002
Photos

http://pics.tdiclub.com/


CLICK ON "My Photos" (TOP LEFT)

CLICK ON " Upload Photos" (TOP RIGHT)

UPLOAD...

Now here is the tricky part to get the URL to PASTE into the thread.

GO back to "My Photos"

Click a photo from your album

Below your photo it will show a "UBBCode", copy the text from that box and paste it directly into the new post.
 

alphaseinor

TDI Innovator, Gone but Not Forgotten
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Location
Denton, TX
TDI
'03 Jetta TDI 780,000 miles (totaled out), 01 Audi TT 225 Quattro 230,000 Miles (runs great!), 00 Cabreetle Beetle dash, ALH & MK4 harness Swap
I think it's 175... but I could be wrong... I'll look tonight... should be the third from the right on the top row.
 

chirorob

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Joined
Mar 5, 2001
Location
Auburn, AL
TDI
2002 Jetta wagon auto
Got it. I found the right color wires hanging out in the mass of wires behind the relay box but I wanted to make sure they didn't recycle and use those colors for something else in the car, so I thought I would trace them to the proper relay and snip there.
 

Fortuna Wolf

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Apr 28, 2006
Location
Wilmington, NC
TDI
2002 Jetta TDI Auto Sedan
It looks like I might be doing this swap too soon. I won't have all the parts (need the pedal and some other stuff too), so I'll need help.
 

GdB

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Sep 5, 2005
Location
Cypress, California, USA
TDI
Golf IV swap 2002
Clutch Switch Wiring Diagrams

I think we need the starting interlock relay (activated by the clutch switch), unless the modified PN relay can do the job!

See the wiring diagrams I found:



 

GdB

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Location
Cypress, California, USA
TDI
Golf IV swap 2002
Only 1st page blurry

Only the 1st page is blurry because I edited it.

OK look at it again. If it does not come out crisp from your web browser, download them and print them (3 pages) with Irfanview http://www.irfanview.com/

or some other good picture viewer

and use a decent printer while you are at it.
 

GdB

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Joined
Sep 5, 2005
Location
Cypress, California, USA
TDI
Golf IV swap 2002
New Link & Clutch Swith Idea!

Try this file. Its good for editing and commenting if you know how to use powerpoint.

http://pics.tdiclub.com/data/500/auto-manual_Trany_Swap_Wiring_Diagrams_ppt.doc
(DON'T OPEN IT, DOWNLOAD IT and DON'T FORGET TO CHANGE THE EXTENSION to PPT !!!)

Download it and unzip it.

I also included the edited wiring diagrams from alphaseinor.


alphaseinor and chirorob,

I have a simple idea for the clutch switch. Splice it in series with the ignition switch (#6 on the TR switch) red/black wire. It seems so simple, but I think it should work.
 
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chirorob

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Joined
Mar 5, 2001
Location
Auburn, AL
TDI
2002 Jetta wagon auto
OK, some pics from last week:

Here is a shot of the automatic transmission switch.




Left side is the manual transmission reverse switch connector, on the right is the automatic transmission switch connector. My reverse switch connector had a nice long pigtail on it, so I just wired it right in.





Here is how I spliced in the wires, just your standard strip, twist, and solder.



Here is the plenum. Notice the air filter on the passenger side underneath the windshield. The ecu is next to that, the TCU is next to that.




I tried to get an angle showing both:


Here is a shot of the TCU



Finally here is a shot of the reverse switch location on the manual transmission.

 
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Fortuna Wolf

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2002 Jetta TDI Auto Sedan
Ok, what's the current known parts list?

Clutch/Flywheel
Transmission
Transmission mounts
Clutch pedal
Clutch linkage
Shifter box
Shifter linkage
Starter
Relay 53/J207

Is it necessary to get the TCU too? Any plugs that need to be purchased?

What do we do about the transmission fluid cooler, is it the same as on the manual or do we need to plug the coolant lines?
 

chirorob

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Location
Auburn, AL
TDI
2002 Jetta wagon auto
Fortuna Wolf said:
Ok, what's the current known parts list?

Clutch/Flywheel
Transmission
Transmission mounts
Clutch pedal
Clutch linkage
Shifter box
Shifter linkage
Starter


Is it necessary to get the TCU too? Any plugs that need to be purchased?

What do we do about the transmission fluid cooler, is it the same as on the manual or do we need to plug the coolant lines?
There is a snake-like hose that goes from the clutch pedal to the transmission (from the master cylinder to the slave cylinder).

Get the reverse switch connector when you source your transmission, try to get as long of a pigtail as possible just to make sure you have enough.

You'll want a new throwout bearing too.

As long as you are making a shopping list, add those tri-square bits, 2l of tranny fluid of your choice (very large thread debating proper type around here), a hose connector, probably a can of PB blaster wouldn't hurt either.
 
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chirorob

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2002 Jetta wagon auto
Because they are cheap and you really don't want to drop the tranny to swap out a $20 part later.

You will remove the two hoses going to the transmission cooler and join them with a connector - a coupler. I posted what size somewhere above.
 

Fortuna Wolf

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2002 Jetta TDI Auto Sedan
Thanks a lot. Btw, I got to see the car that the transmission you are getting was pulled from. I was stripping it yesterday for its interior. :)
I will make sure to get those parts you listed.

A new TCU is not needed though?
 

alphaseinor

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'03 Jetta TDI 780,000 miles (totaled out), 01 Audi TT 225 Quattro 230,000 Miles (runs great!), 00 Cabreetle Beetle dash, ALH & MK4 harness Swap
I hate to tell you this, but the TCU and ECU are reversed in your photo... the ECU has two connectors. the TCU has one.
 

alphaseinor

TDI Innovator, Gone but Not Forgotten
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Jul 30, 2006
Location
Denton, TX
TDI
'03 Jetta TDI 780,000 miles (totaled out), 01 Audi TT 225 Quattro 230,000 Miles (runs great!), 00 Cabreetle Beetle dash, ALH & MK4 harness Swap
Fortuna Wolf said:
Why a new throwout bearing? just replace it since its a good opportunity?
It's called a throwout bearing for a reason, ALWAYS replace with a new one, and make sure your hands are CLEAN before you replace it... unless you want to turn it into a peice of molten metal.
 
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