ALH 5 speed swap - Short shifter required?

I'm buying a 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon with an automatic transmission that has issues. I would like to put a 5 speed in it. I got a 5 speed from a 2005 TDI today.

The installation instructions that I have read say you need a short shifter kit to do this conversion. Is this true? I read that the auto power steering lines get in the way. Couldn't you put the manual power steering lines in your car and avoid the short shifter?

Thanks!

You do not need a short shifter for the swap. Good upgrade, but not needed at all.... Stock shifter and linkages will work fine. Only major difference in styles you need to watch is the shifter tower design. There is the early style (black cup on top), and later style (golf putter looking thing). Recommend getting the later putter style, more options for shifter upgrades and bushing upgrades.

The shifter tower shouldn't be an issue, it was only on pre-99 that it was different. the 03 and 05 should be identical, except a tiny difference in gearing which you'll never notice.

If you still need the shifter cables just make sure its from a 2000 +

The power steering lines are in the way, and need manipulation to stay out of the way, even with a short shifter. I opted for a short shifter and I don't regret it, it's the nicest shifting manual I've ever driven.

Thanks! So it sounds like from what UFO says that I can skip installing a short shifter and just bend/move the power steering lines out of the way.

mrfiat said:

Thanks! So it sounds like from what UFO says that I can skip installing a short shifter and just bend/move the power steering lines out of the way.

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Two other options: The easiest way is to get the power steering hose from a 5 speed TDI. You can also do what I did on my Golf, replace the middle of the line with a flexible hose. Most any hydraulic hose place can rework your existing line and it's not very expensive.

Thanks! The junkyard has a power steering hose from a 2005 Golf TDI 5-speed. Would that work? If not, would a power steering hose from a non-TDI MK4 5-speed work?

mrfiat said:

Thanks! The junkyard has a power steering hose from a 2005 Golf TDI 5-speed. Would that work? If not, would a power steering hose from a non-TDI MK4 5-speed work?

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The ALH has the power steering pump up high, above the alternator, this matters for the length, the BEW and GAS engines have it down low. You need a ALH specific era 5 speed hose to make things easy.

For the record: Ive put gas ones in a ALH TDI, you just need to stretch out the bends, but like I said above to make it easy 'alh era 5 speed'. Id imagine the auto hose may work if you MacGyver it.. but I haven't had an auto TDI before for reference.

Is this the power steering hose that we are talking about?:

https://www.amazon.com/99-05-Power-Steering-PLEASE-DESCRIPTION/dp/B00OXJ9N3Y

This one fits a bunch of VWs 1999-2005 TDIs and non-TDIs.

Thanks!

I called the dealer and they think #5 on this diagram is the power steering line in question. Part#1j0422893ec

Is this the part I need for the 5 speed conversion?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9fz0oy30x4e1d4w/power_steering_diagram.png?dl=0

Thanks!

mrfiat said:

I called the dealer and they think #5 on this diagram is the power steering line in question. Part#1j0422893ec

Is this the part I need for the 5 speed conversion?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9fz0oy30x4e1d4w/power_steering_diagram.png?dl=0

Thanks!

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#5 is the correct hose. Make sure you get the crush washers as well. IDparts has them as well. If you call them they could probably get you the correct hose.

There are a lot of different power steering lines for TDIs. If you can get the VIN from the transmission donor car that may be the easiest way to get the correct line. Failing that, I'd go with a line ending in the suffix CG. This is one of the most common 5-speed lines. The other common ones end in BS/BT. But I"d try and get a CG.

Thx! The donor car is a 2005 Golf TDI, so the power steering line will not work, since it is a different engine. I used the VIN off my 5-speed 2003 Jetta TDI to get that part #.

Too bad that I can't use the hose out of the 2005 TDI. I can get that hose for $8, instead of the $330 that the dealer wants for it. BTW the dealer says VW has stopped making that hose and there are only 2 new ones left in the U.S. inventory.

I assume from what I have read that the EUH tranny out of the Golf will work fine in my ALH 2003 Wagon? No speed sensor issues?

mrfiat said:

...................... I can get that hose for $8, instead of the $330 that the dealer wants for it................

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Well you know that's not the same part. Dealers sell at any price, look at 1stvwparts.com or one of the others.
I did some quick searches earlier and IBW is right, there are a lot of sizes. It's possible the one from the newer car will work. You may even be able to have one made for less than the dealer price. Find a shop that does hydraulic parts for construction equipment and the like.
Seems like you've done too much good work to put an $8 hose on there.

Not sure that the one for an '05 wouldn't work. You should run the VIN on that car to be sure.

And FWIW, most of the PS lines we sell are $139.00.

I haven't started the 5-speed swap yet. I'm picking up the wagon next week. I just wanted to grab that 5-speed before someone got it, since I need a TDI tranny for the swap. But it was a lot of work pulling the tranny out of the donor car in the middle of the junkyard by myself.

I will get the VIN off the donor and grab the power steering hose while I there next time just in case it will work.

People have said on here that the power steering pump is in a different location on the PD motors, so the 2005 hose will not work.

I was able to reshape the auto PS line to run a similar route to the 5spd line. 10k miles after my swap and no problems.

I did the swap on a 2004 Wagon. Did the short shifter just for fun.

For the power steering, I picked up a couple of banjo fittings with some Aeroquip hose ends and used a length of ptfe stainless braid we had sitting around from another project.

Beware that each banjo is a different size, mine are 16mm on the pump and a 14mm on the rack.
Also make sure that you get steel hose ends, aluminum anodized look cool but are not made for high pressure applications.