Author Topic: gear box oil leak! also fails to idle!  (Read 1109 times)

Offline frank galager

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gear box oil leak! also fails to idle!
« on: 21 May 2012, 19:42 »
Hello there, seem to be on here alot lately asking questions lol!

So just replaced the engine an gearbox in my 8v gti, Was doing all the levels today, when i got to fill the gear box oil (for the fill hole not the timing view window thingy) i'd got about a liter in then i notice that the oil was gushing out from where the gearbox meets the engine. Whats the score with that? some sort of seal or gasket that needs replacing? Any one know what its called? Is it just a case of taking off the gearbox replacing the seal/gasket an the poping the thing back on again?

Also it won't idle or start without a bit of pressure on the accelerator. It used to idle at 1000 rpm, should the throttle cable be holding the trottle open a bit to keep the reves up?

Cheers in advance!
« Last Edit: 21 May 2012, 19:53 by frank galager »

Offline xAntiVenxm

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Re: gear box oil leak! also fails to idle!
« Reply #1 on: 21 May 2012, 19:58 »
Hello there, seem to be on here alot lately asking questions lol!

So just replaced the engine an gearbox in my 8v gti, Was doing all the levels today, when i got to fill the gear box oil (for the fill hole not the timing view window thingy) i'd got about a liter in then i notice that the oil was gushing out from where the gearbox meets the engine. Whats the score with that? some sort of seal or gasket that needs replacing? Any one know what its called? Is it just a case of taking off the gearbox replacing the seal/gasket an the poping the thing back on again?

Also it won't idle or start without a bit of pressure on the accelerator. It used to idle at 1000 rpm, should the throttle cable be holding the trottle open a bit to keep the reves up?

Cheers in advance!


For the idling issue and needing to press the throttle to startup, i have the same issue, it's the engine speed sensor, otherwise known as the crank sensor. Costs about £50ish, only small ache to the balls to fit. jack your engine up with a trolley jack, undo the front engine mount, follow your dipstick line down, and it's there behine the front engine mount. there's a guide in the mk3 maintenance section.

for the gear oil leak, i don't know how the golfs are set up, but on other cars i've worked on there are no gaskets for the gearbox face against the engine/flywheel. there shouldn't be oil coming out of there, as the oil should stay inside the actual compartment for the gears, and be going nowhere near the clutch system at all.. doesn't sound good although i have heard mk3 golfs have a common issue of the gearbox dying cause they were made in austria rather than germany? or something like that.

again, check the mk3 maintenance for stickies and guides, search function does wonders on this forum!

Offline frank galager

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Re: gear box oil leak! also fails to idle!
« Reply #2 on: 21 May 2012, 20:54 »
cheers mate, i still have the old engine, which has a good crank sensor on it, so i'll take that off an use it i think. just the gear box leak to address now!