I'm looking at doing this swap into my mk4 BEW. Any reason to go with the TKR over the TDZ, or vice versa? Also, I tried doing a Google search but couldn't find this free program you mentioned. Could you please link it?
I really appreciate all of the research and information you have posted, thank you!
Someone linked to gmenemous' thread with the program. Then just need to buy a cheap VAG KKL cable, make sure you know what com port it's on, or maybe even manually change it to use a com port between 1 and 4 to ensure compatibility with the command prompt.
I just finished doing this job on a 2003 Jetta wagon, picked up VSS via CAN. Made a video about it:
I also talk about the challenges with the shift cable bracket. I used a Mk5 bracket on this swap, but I don't like how it's pulling on the cable for the side to side/gate selection, plus I had to hack almost an inch off the cable itself so it wouldn't bottom out in the cable end before reaching correct alignment. Next time I do this swap, wholesale bolting the 02S into a car as it sits, I'll probably fabricate brackets to relocate bolt holes to allow the use of the original Mk4 bracket that secures the cables to the top of the transmission.
As for which specific transmission to buy, either is fine. The gearing is identical. A part of me wants to say leave the rarer TDZ for those of us who need/want to do the bellhousing swap, since its pinion shaft doesn't need to be machined down to do the swap.
Might also be that the bigger bearing the TKR gets for the short end of the pinion shaft does add a little extra sturdiness to it.
For this car that I did the wholesale swap into without taking the transmission apart to swap bellhousings, I did opt for a TKR thinking along those lines... But realistically, so long as you're keeping the right amount of oil in it, either will serve you well.
Edit to also add: the video does touch briefly on my weirdo choice in specific shift levers and cable ends. I actually really like the 2000-2001 model year levers that use the "ball style" connection and cable ends. They are a bit more of a pain to separate/service, but they provide vastly better shift feel than the later pin style. The bushings in the cable ends have next to no give, because they don't need to. They can articulate every which way easily on their own, so the bushing doesn't need to allow this softness to allow the cable end to pivot at a slightly different angle than the straight pin would allow for.
You can't buy those early style levers new anymore, you can only find them used on 2000-2001 model year cars, but the combination of the more precise feeling of that setup added with the fact that the internal mechanism in the 02S makes for a shorter and more precise-feeling throw, it's one of the best shift feels you'll get from any VW ever.
Fortunately, the ball-style cable ends are at least still available. Might have something to do with the fact that Lamborghini Gallardos and Audi R8s used them throughout their entire production run. Yes, that's right, fancy supercars have 1J0 part number early Mk4 shift cable ends
