G52 in 02J DQY

jcrews

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 28, 2007
Location
Round Rock, TX - VCDS
TDI
All gone
I'm finishing my 100K service (new TB, water pump, oil, CAT filter planned, transaxle oil).

I have read the thread on G52, and I have seen UOA that looked pretty good.
Today, I purchased two bottles of G052171A2 at the retailer, and even the technician did not have a satisfactory answer for me.

What I know: G50 is the factory fill.
The 2005 Bently says G50 is the factory fill, and should be used.
TSB 34-01-01 says G052171A2 should be used from 1999>>.
G052911A2 (G50 like visc @100C) apparently hasn't been used in several years by my local retailer and does not stock it. They did however, have G51 in stock.
ETKA gives no clues. I had no luck getting a tech to bother to look at ELSA.

My differential doesn't sing, and every now and then the input shaft freewheels, causing a thunk when going into first if I don't wait more than a few seconds after depressing the clutch. This makes me think that G052171A2 is in fact in the transaxle already.

Before I install the new fluid, can some kind person with a new Bentley manual take a look at 34 series TSBs and/or the fluid application chart and confirm that G052171A2 is indeed safe for my box? I realize that it probably won't hurt my transaxle to just use the stuff, but I like to keep within mfr specs as much as possible.
 

PDJetta

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 6, 2003
Location
Northern Virginia
TDI
'04 Jetta GLS TDI Pumpe Duce Platinum Grey w/ Leather
The "Fluid Capacities" chart in my Bentley CD for my 2004 has a footnote that states all 02J transaxles are (now) to use G0A52 MINERAL-based gear oil. I replaced my gear oil at 50,000 miles with the G052 mineral-based gear oil and I have no complaints (75,000 miles on it now). I have no idea if this is the same oil that was in it from the factory or not. It does get down to 20 degress and a little less where I live in the winter, and yes, the shifting is a little stiff at that temperature until the tranny gets warm from running a while, but I consider that just a fact of life. Perhaps with the synthetic lube, cold weather shifting would be better. I'm staying with the mineral lube, though.

--Nate
 

jcrews

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 28, 2007
Location
Round Rock, TX - VCDS
TDI
All gone
Thanks for the info. I think I've read the same thing, hence the confusion vs. the 34-01-01 TSB. Was it superceded with a part # change to G052726? That is the exact thing I would like to have clarified.

In my opinion, the G52 synthetic lube should be just as suitable; I've noticed those that switched from material G052726 to G052171 have reported equal performance with better extreme cold shifting.
 

PDJetta

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 6, 2003
Location
Northern Virginia
TDI
'04 Jetta GLS TDI Pumpe Duce Platinum Grey w/ Leather
The mineral G052 is about $10 and the synthetic is about $35 a liter. Since I change the fluid every 50,000 miles, I don't think I want to spend 3X as much on gear oil. If you use the synthetic, let us know how it does if it gets cold where you live.

--Nate
 

jcrews

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 28, 2007
Location
Round Rock, TX - VCDS
TDI
All gone
I already had the 171 part, so I just put it in, using TSB 34-01-01. When I filled, I only got about 1600ml in the case, I was expecting a little more to come out. Anyway, all is well, and the new oil is subjectively the same as what came out. It feels about the same, smells about the same, and there is no change in performance whatsoever. The oil that came out was normal in color, there was a little brown (possibly synchro wear?) coating on the plug, but no Fe shavings sticking to the magnet.

I was pleasantly surprised with out easy it was to get the plugs out - no cheater stick required. My Toyota on the other hand, required a cheater stick to remove.
 

PDJetta

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 6, 2003
Location
Northern Virginia
TDI
'04 Jetta GLS TDI Pumpe Duce Platinum Grey w/ Leather
"My Toyota on the other hand, required a cheater stick to remove."

That means it was installed too tight.

Oddly, when I changed my gear oil at about 50,000 miles, it had noticable amounts of metallic swirls in it. Very noticeable. I'm easy on transmissions too.

--Nate
 
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