PLEASE HELP! Terrible Shifting After Transmission Fluid Change

So here's the scoop; I have a 2002 Golf with 195,000 miles, I bought it at 165,000 miles. The shifting has always been perfect and I've loved that aspect of the car. But after reading these forums 24/7 I decided I should change the manual transmission/differential fluid since, for all I know, it's the original fluid. So I bought some VW G070 fluid from IDparts and this past weekend I changed it out, everything went smoothly. The old fluid was quite dirty and sparkled in the sunlight (tiny metal shavings) so I felt good about changing it.

Well the first day or so of the change everything was okay although I definitely didn't think the shifting was any better. Well now it's been 5 or 6 days and the shifting is getting TERRIBLE. Moving the shifter left and right is genuinely difficult...so much so that if I push it all the way left or right it STAYS IN PLACE (see pictures). Also, pretty much every time I stop the vehicle, when I go to start again, it won't go into first (like it hits a wall), and I have to pull it back down into neutral and try again, usually takes 2 times, sometimes 3 or 4. Same deal when shifting into 3rd sometimes, it just stops and I have to pull it back into neutral and try again.

The only other thing I changed this weekend is my motor oil so I'm 100% sure that all of these symptoms are being caused by the transmission fluid change...but why?!?! Maybe the G070 is WAY thicker than whatever was in there before? I'm so upset about it because I've been honked at multiple times at lights because I'm unable to get it into gear :0(

Picture of shifter "stuck" to the left:


Picture of shifter "stuck" to the right:


Please help me guys! I'm assuming the answer is to change the fluid to something different but I really don't think G070 should be causing this much of an issue!

have you checked the cable adjustment on top of the transmission?

Sbeghan said:

have you checked the cable adjustment on top of the transmission?

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I have not done that...how would I check it? Just see if something is loose?

That is sort of what it feels like...does that explain the hard-to-move left-to-right feeling?

I just don't understand why the cables would all of a sudden need adjustment...they were perfect Saturday morning, I changed the fluid, and now they're way off? Strange.

You probably put something out of alignment when pulling the fill plug. Definitely check the shift linkage.

LNXGUY said:

You probably put something out of alignment when pulling the fill plug. Definitely check the shift linkage.

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Well I certainly hope you're right, I'll check the shift linkage tomorrow for sure.
Out of curiosity, how would pulling the fill plug mess up the shift linkage?

Pulling the plug wouldn't, you banging around in there while doing it would That's what I'm getting at..

I don't think a gear oil change could cause these symptoms unless you somehow botched the job. So I guess I have to ask - where'd you install the new gear oil? Did you install two litres?

Second possibility - new gear oil has leaked out somehow leaving gearbox progressively dry.

Third possibility - coincidental problem unrelated to gear oil change.

LNXGUY said:

You probably put something out of alignment when pulling the fill plug. Definitely check the shift linkage.

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Sounds like you've never actually done this job. What and how can you put "out of alignment" by pulling the fill plug? Answer - nothing.

migbro said:

I don't think a gear oil change could cause these symptoms unless you somehow botched the job. So I guess I have to ask - where'd you install the new gear oil? Did you install two litres?

Second possibility - new gear oil has leaked out somehow leaving gearbox progressively dry.

Third possibility - problem unrelated to gear oil change.

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I agree that I don't see how the change could cause my symptoms. I drained it from the 17mm plug on the bottom and filled it with 1.5 liters using the 17mm fill plug on the front, on level ground, until oil came out of the plug. Used VW G070. Not much to mess up right? I've changed plenty of fluids in the past, I'm pretty confident in my job.

I suppose it could have leaked out but wouldn't it be screaming with no fluid on the differential?

migbro said:

Sounds like you've never actually done this job. What and how can you put "out of alignment" by pulling the fill plug? Answer - nothing.

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Haha, that's what I was thinking. I mean I only touched the skid plate, and the two plugs. The ratchet didn't touch anything else...

Thirstyturtle328 said:

I agree that I don't see how the change could cause my symptoms. I drained it from the 17mm plug on the bottom and filled it with 1.5 liters using the 17mm fill plug on the front, on level ground, until oil came out of the plug. Used VW G070. Not much to mess up right? I've changed plenty of fluids in the past, I'm pretty confident in my job.

I suppose it could have leaked out but wouldn't it be screaming with no fluid on the differential?

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1.5 liters is a low fill. Put the front wheels on ramps and add the remaining half liter.

VW's specified gear oil for your car is G060 not G070. I have two liters of G060 in my 2003 Golf and it shifts very smoothly. The G060 also cured my second gear grind. However, I doubt that using G070 is a problem as many have done it.

Did the G070 come in sealed VW bottles? Not implying anything here - just exploring all possibilities - IDParts is a trustworthy vendor.

migbro said:

1.5 liters is a low fill. Put the front wheels on ramps and add the remaining half liter.

VW's specified gear oil for your car is G060 not G070. I have two liters of G060 in my 2003 Golf and it shifts very smoothly. The G060 also cured my second gear grind. However, I doubt that using G070 is a problem as many have done it.

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You think that's low huh? Well I can certainly put it on ramps and get the other 0.5L in there, think I can get to it without removing the skid plate?

Hopefully that's the problem and I didn't mess it up with an underfill!

migbro said:

Sounds like you've never actually done this job. What and how can you put "out of alignment" by pulling the fill plug? Answer - nothing.

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If you actually thought I meant removing the plug itself would affect the tranny, you're about as smart as a box of rocks.

OP you should be putting in about 2.1L's of fluid. Gotta make sure the car is level when filling (obviously) Once it starts to drip out the fill hole, you're full.

LNXGUY said:

If you're removing the fill plug from the top, he could have easily bumped the shift linkage, that's what I'm getting at. There's no way a fluid change would result in the problems he's having..

If you actually thought I meant removing the plug itself would affect the tranny, you're about as smart as a box of rocks.

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I removed the drain and fill plugs from the bottom so I don't think I messed up the linkage.

Do you think a possible "underfill" could cause my symptoms?

Thirstyturtle328 said:

I removed the drain and fill plugs from the bottom so I don't think I messed up the linkage.

Do you think a possible "underfill" could cause my symptoms?

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Absolutely... How much fluid did you put in there? Did you fill until fluid came out the fill hole? You'll get 2L's or a bit over in there (Depends on how much you drained)

Also like I said before, you need to make sure the car is as level as possible when filling (ie you don't want to be filling it while the front of the car is on a set of ramps)

:EDIT: BTW G070 is fine for your transmission...

LNXGUY said:

Absolutely... How much fluid did you put in there? Did you fill until fluid came out the fill hole? You'll get 2L's or a bit over in there (Depends on how much you drained)

Also like I said before, you need to make sure the car is as level as possible when filling (ie you don't want to be filling it while the front of the car is on a set of ramps)

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I took the car off ramps to fill it, filled until flowed out, 1.5 liters. But if it was on ramps you could put MORE in, not less, since the fill plug is on the front of the reservoir.

I will probably put it on ramps and put the last 1/2 liter in tomorrow.

If it was level when you filled it and it came out the fill hole, you're done. Don't put anymore in.

Doh! Yeah brain fart....you're correct about the ramps.

LNXGUY said:

If it was level when you filled it and it came out the fill hole, you're done. Don't put anymore in.

Doh! Yeah brain fart....you're correct about the ramps.

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But I only put in 1.5L and everyone says it'll hold 2.1L. Unless people are confusing quarts and liters...

Why would my shift linkage be messed up?!

I'm not sure how to check it either, even the DIY doesn't explain it. It just tells you how to adjust it but not why or how to know which way to adjust it...

The O2J definitely holds 2.1L of transmission fluid. 1 quart is almost 1L so I doubt it's a conversion issue.

As for your linkage, I have no idea.. I just made the suggestion.. Any chance you can get some to look at the shift tower while you row through the gears?

If you ONLY put in 1.5L's of fluid then you're at least half a quart short.

You are definetly low with only 1.5 liters. Put the front on ramps and fill it until it starts to run out or take the reverse switch out and fill the last .5 liter from there. These transmissions are notorious for being under filled. Fifth gear will not have enough fluid to keep the bearings in fluid if you only put in 1.5 liters. When I installed my rebuilt O2J I filled it from the speedo drive with 2 liters and have never had an issue.

LNXGUY said:

The O2J definitely holds 2.1L of transmission fluid. 1 quart is almost 1L so I doubt it's a conversion issue.

As for your linkage, I have no idea.. I just made the suggestion.. Any chance you can get some to look at the shift tower while you row through the gears?

If you ONLY put in 1.5L's of fluid then you're at least have a quart short.

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I could get my wife to row through the gears while I look at the tower but what would I be looking for? I've honestly never seen what happens under the hood when the gears are changed.

Maybe my driveway is really not level at all and I under filled it. I'm definitely going to put the last half liter in tonight.

03Springer said:

You are definetly low with only 1.5 liters. Put the front on ramps and fill it until it starts to run out or take the reverse switch out and fill the last .5 liter from there. These transmissions are notorious for being under filled. Fifth gear will not have enough fluid to keep the bearings in fluid if you only put in 1.5 liters. When I installed my rebuilt O2J I filled it from the speedo drive with 2 liters and have never had an issue.

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I'll do that tonight.

Do you think I've damaged anything? I've driven about 300 miles since the change.

Only way to tell would be to drain what's in there now and see how much metal content you've got.

Once you've filled up that last half a quart and your problems are still there (I'm guessing they'll be gone) then you can look into the linkage. But it doesn't seem like that's your issue.

LNXGUY said:

If you actually thought I meant removing the plug itself would affect the tranny, you're about as smart as a box of rocks.

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Well, that's what you wrote so that's what I thought you meant:

LNXGUY said:

You probably put something out of alignment when pulling the fill plug. Definitely check the shift linkage.

Click to expand...

LNXGUY said:

OP you should be putting in about 2.1L's of fluid. Gotta make sure the car is level when filling (obviously) Once it starts to drip out the fill hole, you're full.

Click to expand...

Second is good, I guess.

If the car is level you can't get 2.1 liters in the gearbox.

Thirstyturtle328 said:

You think that's low huh? Well I can certainly put it on ramps and get the other 0.5L in there, think I can get to it without removing the skid plate?

Hopefully that's the problem and I didn't mess it up with an underfill!

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To be honest I don't think a 1.5 liter fill would cause this problem. You'll still get plenty of splash lubrication. Would be a problem for 5th gear eventually though.

As long as overfilling isn't terrible I'll throw the other 0.5 liters in with the car on ramps.

If that doesn't help, I'll check the linkage.

If you want to check the linkage first, view the video below to get an idea how it all works.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sheTKD03hmo

Well I just had my boss row through the gears as I watched. He had a lot of trouble getting into 1st, 3rd, and 5th; no trouble with 2nd or 4th. I noticed that the little arm swings the same way on 1st, 3rd, and 5th so I'm thinking it may be a linkage issue although I am so confused about how I could have affected anything by what I did.

Can anyone explain the difficulty moving the shifter left and right?

Also I noticed that the white plastic guide that touches the large metal weight thing is loose...like floppy loose...but in that video it appears perfectly tight...I think that's my issue!

So it seems I have 3 options now:

1) Go to the pick-n-pull near my house and see if one of the 4 MKIV jettas they have is a manual and has what I need in good condition
2) Order a stock replacement from IDParts for $80 http://idparts.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=76_102&products_id=2601
3) Order the DieselGeek short shifter for $200

I'd love to hear some opinions...I'm thinking that if the pick-n-pull doesn't have what I need I'd rather spend the extra $120 to get the benefits of the short shifter and the peace of mind that it won't break again.

I have heard that the short shifter may cause gear damage long term, I would stick to oem.