Slightly overfilled 5-speed tranny fluid - ok?

Ferrari

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2002
Location
Mississauga, ON
TDI
2005 Golf GLS TDI
I changed my 05 Golf TDI's 5-speed manual transmission fluid (I used the synthetic G 052 171 A2) and since the car had it's front wheels on the ramp and the rear wheels on the ground, I put in 2 full bottles (2L) without any fluid dripping out of the fill hole.

Will 2L of fluid do any damage or will it create extra pressure inside the tranny casing? Should I leave it as it is?
 
Joined
Jun 1, 2008
Location
Chicagoland
TDI
2004 golf
I think thats pretty standard procedure. Its barely over that amount, and you might "seep" a little from seals, etc, over many miles. I have always just put in 2 liters.

how do you like that synth G52? Its expensive IIRC.
 

Ferrari

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2002
Location
Mississauga, ON
TDI
2005 Golf GLS TDI
Awesome, good to hear.

I have 2 PD-TDIs in the family and I've been using the synthetic G052 in the other one for about 10 months now. Shifting has always been smooth, and cold weather shifting has improved over the Redline D4 ATF I used to use before. I only drove the car mentioned above for a few hundred km with the new tranny fluid and it feels good, albeit identical to the Redline D4 I used previously.

The oil was $86 for 2L from my local dealership. It's expensive, but since I'll only change it every 80K km, it's worth it.
 

tditom

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 5, 2001
Location
Jackson, MI
TDI
formerly: 2001 Golf GL, '97 Passat (RIP) '98 NB, '05 B5 sedan
Ferrari said:
...The oil was $86 for 2L from my local dealership. It's expensive, but since I'll only change it every 80K km, it's worth it.
in my opinion, you are wasting your money changes the "lifetime" fluid that often. I ran with the original fill for 210K miles on my Golf. When I replaced it with VWG50, I saw no difference in performance. Same with my Passat with over 250K miles.

My recommendation is to change the gearbox fluid every 200K miles.
 
Joined
Jun 1, 2008
Location
Chicagoland
TDI
2004 golf
I say 100k is fine if you want to be extra anal, and have more "peace of mind". 200k could take a lot of time for some people... Do whatever makes you feel good!
 

deadend9009

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2008
Location
Val-David, Qc
TDI
'03 Wagon
wow thats astonishingly expensive. Im using syntec blend GL4 and its shifting better than with Amsoil GL4.

My transmission has never felt this good!
 

Dimitri16V

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Location
DE
TDI
01 Golf, 04 Golf
Motul 300 in my PD and Pennzoil syncromesh in my 01. The 01 factory fluid was notchy in winter, it's way better now. The Motul is a little stiff in cold days for the first couple os shifts.
 

LNXGUY

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 10, 2004
Location
Barrie, Ont, Canada
TDI
'05 Jetta TDI Wagon
hid3 said:
How to check the level of the fluid? Is there any dipstic?
You'll be fine, don't worry about it...

And no, there is no dipstick in order to check the manual tranny fluid.

I did the exact same thing last week, had the car on ramps, put in 2L's of Redline and that was it.
 

hid3

Banned
Joined
Apr 28, 2007
Location
Lithuania, Vilnius
TDI
Golf V 1.9 TDI-PD 105 HP
LNXGUY, what was your mileage when you first time changed your trans. fluid? Also, what are the symptoms I might need to change the fluid?

Did some investigation based on what I've read. Tried to shift from neutral to 4th gear - it shifted very easy. Then tried to shift from neutral to 5th and 6th gears - also shifts easily but with some resistance - I needed to use a bit more force. 1, 2, 3 shifts very easily/smoothly. Does this indicate I might be running low on fluid?
 
Joined
Jun 1, 2008
Location
Chicagoland
TDI
2004 golf
Well, just about every manual tran car i have driven-- it was much easier to get into first after going into 4th real quick, then into 1st. Some older cars, it was necessary going into reverse or it would grind.
 

scurvy

Good Ol' Boy
Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Location
Chicago IL USA
TDI
2006 Golf
hid3 said:
Tried to shift from neutral to 4th gear - it shifted very easy. Then tried to shift from neutral to 5th and 6th gears - also shifts easily but with some resistance - I needed to use a bit more force. 1, 2, 3 shifts very easily/smoothly. Does this indicate I might be running low on fluid?
You may need to realign your shifter linkages.

I did so on both my TDIs after putting Redline MTL in my Golf at 60k miles (straight 2 quarts in (Redline bottles are quarts) and I would put in 2 liters without worry). It takes a bit of a special touch to get used to how the transmission locks into its home position. Once you get it down, it's all gravy. I can adjust my shifter in 2 minutes flat now - and it's all done from the topside.

Even made the "rare special tool" out of a 20 penny nail. The cheapo nails that Lowes carries are all hecho-en-taiwan and a bit skinnier than what Dieselgeek recommends (0.177" vs 0.195"). A 3/16" drill bit is much better (0.1875", clearly) but I may order some oversized drill rod or dowel pin stock to make a few up - a propane torch plus a bench vise can work wonders.

I found the best shift quality was from letting the shifter clamps spring out on their own accord. At first I would manually push everything a few threads tighter, thinking that would account for the shifter linkages wearing a bit. Boy was I wrong, it drastically slowed down my shifting, to the point it would grind like hell going into 2nd especially. First gear took forever to select from a cold start. Now I let the clamps grab wherever they may and the quality is better than before I started dorking with it. I may start adjusting them a bit looser to see if it improves further.

Just my two cents - but if you're concerned, go ahead and change your transmission fluid and realign the shifter linkages. It's cheap insurance and easy to do.
 

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
If you're not changing the fluid at at least 100K you're pressing your luck IMO. Especially in a modded car. I've recently pulled some out with 180K on it aand it was as black as the engine oil......not good.
 

ymz

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 12, 2003
Location
Between Toronto & Montreal
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI Wagon, 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon
jasonTDI said:
If you're not changing the fluid at at least 100K you're pressing your luck IMO.
Depends on the age and overall environment as well...

When we changed out the fluid in my 2003 Jetta at 281,000 miles, it looked, felt and smelled just fine and dandy (I know that's not highly scientific...)

YMMV...

Yuri.
 

hid3

Banned
Joined
Apr 28, 2007
Location
Lithuania, Vilnius
TDI
Golf V 1.9 TDI-PD 105 HP
So when the fluid should be actually changed? Or, at least, how to inspect it?

Also, If I decide to change it.. Sources say that there's rare special tool. Is it possible to unscrew the drainplug with a screwdriver, wrench or something else?
 

scurvy

Good Ol' Boy
Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Location
Chicago IL USA
TDI
2006 Golf
hid3 said:
So when the fluid should be actually changed? Or, at least, how to inspect it?
I'd change it every 75k miles at minimum - I just did mine at 60k and will probably do so again at 100k, 150k, &c. It's so easy to do, too. Too bad the used fluid stinks so much, UGH.

hid3 said:
Also, If I decide to change it.. Sources say that there's rare special tool. Is it possible to unscrew the drainplug with a screwdriver, wrench or something else?
On most VWs, it's a 17mm hex. Some VWs and Audis use a big triple-square bit. Metalnerd has one, and it looks excellent - it's part MN2567 about 2/3rds the way down the page. My gearbox has the 17mm hex plugs and I just cut a 2cm long piece off the 17mm hex wrench I bought - helps clear the power steering lines easier. Just insert it in the fill plug and turn with a 17mm wrench. The drain plug is on the bottom, so no problem getting to it.

ALWAYS REMOVE THE FILL PLUG FIRST. You'll have a hell of a time filling the transmission through the drain plug if your fill plug is seized in place.

scurvy
 
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