Changing gearbox

GroovyCarrot · Post by **GroovyCarrot** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 7:24 pm

I'm hoping to change the 4 speed gearbox in my MK2 (1985, 1043cc, Polo C breadvan) for a 5 speed box. Admittedly, I've never attempted anything like this before, and I know it's a fairly huge job to do, but I'd like to give it a try anyway.

I just basically wanted to ask if anyone has any advice, things I should know before I even consider it etc.. also I wanted to confirm that there were no technical changes between the mk2 and mk3 gearboxes, as mk3 5 speeds are quite a lot easier to source.

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can give

polo2k · Post by **polo2k** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 10:13 am

i can tell you the technical stuff but not if theres any differences just expect about 2 days work if its your first time

GroovyCarrot · Post by **GroovyCarrot** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 8:13 pm

Yeah, I'll set aside a good long weekend to do it.. don't really want to screw it up and then urgently need to get somewhere

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 8:47 pm

I'm just getting it done with my clutch - or will do, if it turns out it actually needs doing. Not much extra charge at the garage as the box has to come out anyway to do the clutch!

So... where are you sourcing the Mk3 boxes from? (he said conspiratorially, wink wink). I think the Mk2/Mk3 ones are much the same as each other... seeing as little actually changed on the car apart from the most externalest bodywork, guages, and the addition of fuel injection (to otherwise identical blocks).

Oh yeah and be sure of which box you're getting... there's different variants of the 5 speed.... IE wide motorway box, a 'high' and 'low' (only slight difference) narrower boxes made more for the GT, or town/hill use of the 1-litre, extreme motorsports boxes...

well ok you'll probably only run across the first three...

GroovyCarrot · Post by **GroovyCarrot** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 9:55 pm

The source is nowhere special to be honest, just the local scrappy

Nice guy who runs it who's actually honest enough to say whether the car was brought in because the gearbox was shot to pieces or not, which is quite a bonus...

Sadly, they seem to have just got rid of a fair few cars, including a pair of mk3's with 5 speed boxes.. all that's left is a mk2 with 4 + overdrive and a mk3 with a 5 gears but I think the linkage is going. I'm considering the mk2 overdrive box.. I only really want the extra gear for a bit more economy at speed (student budget on fuel :/). Otherwise I'll just have to wait a while, I guess.

GroovyCarrot · Post by **GroovyCarrot** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 10:19 pm

Hmm, another thought.. don't suppose the gearbox from a golf mk2 1.3 would fit the polo? Hundreds of them about if so...

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Sat Apr 03, 2004 6:36 pm

Hehe, that's what I'm aiming for...

Assuming the 1-litre has enough guts to run with a 20+ mph/1000 top gear, otherwise I'd have to jack the suspension and run some 12"ers with low profiles up front to bring the 4+E top down to 19.9 or so

(should do... got a cracking midrange... and the 1.3 should eat it up no problem - you can sit pretty much on your best economy at a dead 70 without even needing to floor it)