About to need a 3rd manual gearbox replacement. Wtf?

[vladandrei51]

When I bought the car I would notice that, especially to 2nd gear, it won't downshift unless I rev match, no big deal, syncros are probably fucked up, right?
1 year after that I won't hear the click when going into reverse and couple of weeks later it won't go into reverse at all

Mechanic said I need a new gearbox, got one from a 2010 scirocco, same engine.

I still have the downshift problem which is weird because it should've been sorted out (?) other than that everything was fine for about a month.

After a month I noticed that it won't go from 4th to 5th or 6th gear on various ocassions (it doesn't happen a lot but it does nonetheless). Once when I had that issue I shut the engine and then I was able to shift to 5th gear, my mechanic told me that if the car won't shift unless I shut the engine then undoubtedly the problem is the gearbox.
Also, yesterday when I was parking home it went into reverse but it didn't do that "click", so I guess I could expect to not be able to shift into reverse in couple of weeks .

Seriously, wtf is going on? At this point it was cheaper if I were to get my car with DSG and replace the whole unit.

With my current setup I'm at around 250 hp and 360 nm, clutch is absolutely fine (mechanic confirmed it) and I baby the car 99% of the time. Is the extra power the culprit? Did I get extremely unlucky and got a new gearbox with equally fucked up syncros (thus the downshift problem persisted) and wear and tear just enough so it would run only 1 month?

If it is indeed the gearbox and I need yet another one, can I get one from another car/engine? Like a golf or whatever since it would be a lot easier to find and potentially cheaper.

Any input at all would be appreciated since at this point I'm really debating whether I should just set the car on fire or not.

Thanks.

[Cuprabob]

Please don't take this the wrong way but could your issues be caused by "driving style". Although VAG manual gearboxes are not the best, I wouldn't have thought the power and torque you are running would be an issue. Maybe you have just been unlucky.

[vladandrei51]

I'm not taking it the wrong way and you are 100% right, however, I'm a very relaxed driver. The only time i saw over 97-98C oil temperature was when I had go uphill for over 5km and outside was super hot. I find it funny how nobody ever mentioned issues with this gearbox yet I'm going through my 2nd already and it's on its last breath.

Plus the (original) clutch is fine

[chelspeed]

I'd be seeking a second opinion on the clutch.

[vladandrei51]

Clutch was visually inspected by 2 mechanics and said it was fine, it isn't slipping and also after the first gearbox replacement the reverse issue was fixed for quite some time.

Do you still think it might be anything else but the gearbox? I'm genuinely asking, not trying to sound like a smart ass

[chelspeed]

The clutch isn't just the plate and cover and whether it's slipping or not.

If it's struggling to get a gear then it's more to do with it possibly not fully disengaging when you put your foot on the clutch. What about the slave cylinder, did they check that too, is it moving over the required distance to fully disengage the clutch? Is the master cylinder supplying enough fluid to fully disengage the clutch?

Just seems to much coincidence to be needing another new box so soon.

[vladandrei51]

Before I got my first gearbox replacement it wouldn't go into reverse 90% of the time. The mechanic tried to put it in reverse manually from under the hood and couldn't but it would work if the engine is shut off. I asked another mechanic for advice and they both said if it doesn't go into gear unless you shut off the engine it's 100% the gearbox. I'm not saying you're wrong. I'm saying I didn't know better. Plus, it still temporarily fix the problem. But if the car gets undrivable again i will definitely go to a new mechanic and tell him what you guys told me

[chelspeed]

> if it doesn't go into gear unless you shut off the engine it's 100% the gearbox

And there you've reached the limit of my knowledge too. I didn't know that.

My view was as the nut behind the steering wheel. If I don't fully depress the clutch it won't change gear.

Good luck.