Cleaning a F125 switch

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Nobby
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Re: Cleaning a F125 switch

Post by Nobby » Tue Dec 07, 2021 9:03 am

Did you test the contacts whilst it was apart or when still together? You could test them in various positions to identify which one is dodgy. Shame the error doesn’t tell you which gear though - maybe VCDS does though.
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Shoppinit
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Re: Cleaning a F125 switch

Post by Shoppinit » Tue Dec 07, 2021 9:16 am

You could wire a LED for each track and see if there is any flickering as you move the switch position. I might dig out my old F125 and have a look, although I have a feeling I threw a load of old parts away when I moved and it might be among them.
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///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
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Re: Cleaning a F125 switch

Post by Shoppinit » Sun Mar 20, 2022 1:59 pm

Did you make any progress with this? Might crack mine open to see what's going on inside.
Daytona RS6 C5 Avant. Viper'd, Billies, Waggers, MTM box brain, C6 stoppers, xcarlink, R8 coolant cap (woohoo)
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."

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Re: Cleaning a F125 switch

Post by skyegtb » Sun Mar 20, 2022 2:35 pm

Shoppinit wrote:
Sun Mar 20, 2022 1:59 pm
Did you make any progress with this? Might crack mine open to see what's going on inside.
Well, I got a Chinese one, test fitted that and it appeared to work perfectly. For the used ones I didn't attempt any form of cleaning but simply rotated the dial in the switch back and forth for about 5 minutes on each one by hand using a dowel. My theory was that the friction on the electrical rails would probably clean everything up. Anyway, I refitted one of the old ones after doing this and so far it's functioning like new. So, to conclude, I don't think I would open one up again in the future if it started to fail, I would probably just keep it on the car and simply work the gear lever back and forth for 5 minutes to try to clean it that way.
2003 RS6 MTM 568

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Re: Cleaning a F125 switch

Post by Shoppinit » Sun Mar 20, 2022 3:10 pm

:thumbs: Thanks for the update. Can you link to the Chinese one you bought? I'll give it a try.
Daytona RS6 C5 Avant. Viper'd, Billies, Waggers, MTM box brain, C6 stoppers, xcarlink, R8 coolant cap (woohoo)
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."

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Re: Cleaning a F125 switch

Post by skyegtb » Sun Mar 20, 2022 3:22 pm

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3290452 ... f19c0o4sAg

That's the one I got. Took less than 2 weeks to arrive. Ali Express.
2003 RS6 MTM 568

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Shoppinit
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Re: Cleaning a F125 switch

Post by Shoppinit » Sun Mar 20, 2022 3:57 pm

Thanks. I'll give the lever thing a try before I next start.
Daytona RS6 C5 Avant. Viper'd, Billies, Waggers, MTM box brain, C6 stoppers, xcarlink, R8 coolant cap (woohoo)
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."

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Re: Cleaning a F125 switch

Post by Shoppinit » Tue Apr 26, 2022 8:47 am

The "lever cleaning" method didn't work for me. I did it loads and still got a fault when going from P to R. After a couple of tries I can get it into D and drive the car normally.

Except that I took it out and needed to do a 3 point turn (actually more like a 5 point turn since it was a narrow road) and of course the gearbox faulted out when I put it into reverse so I had to complete my manoeuvre with the box stuck in 4th.

I'll order one of those Chinese ones and see how well it works.
Daytona RS6 C5 Avant. Viper'd, Billies, Waggers, MTM box brain, C6 stoppers, xcarlink, R8 coolant cap (woohoo)
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."

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Shoppinit
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Re: Cleaning a F125 switch

Post by Shoppinit » Tue Apr 26, 2022 8:55 am

skyegtb wrote:
Sun Mar 20, 2022 3:22 pm
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3290452 ... f19c0o4sAg

That's the one I got. Took less than 2 weeks to arrive. Ali Express.
This is a 01V not an 01L part number. You say it worked OK?
Daytona RS6 C5 Avant. Viper'd, Billies, Waggers, MTM box brain, C6 stoppers, xcarlink, R8 coolant cap (woohoo)
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."

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skyegtb
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Re: Cleaning a F125 switch

Post by skyegtb » Tue Apr 26, 2022 8:56 am

Yep, worked fine for me when test fitted.
2003 RS6 MTM 568

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Shoppinit
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Re: Cleaning a F125 switch

Post by Shoppinit » Tue Apr 26, 2022 9:00 am

Great. Thanks. Ordered it. :thumbs:
Daytona RS6 C5 Avant. Viper'd, Billies, Waggers, MTM box brain, C6 stoppers, xcarlink, R8 coolant cap (woohoo)
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."

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Re: Cleaning a F125 switch

Post by Mɐʇʇ » Tue Apr 26, 2022 9:26 am

When my F125 failed, it doesn't look at all worn. With hindsight, I wondered if lack of use may have been part of the issue and if I'd wiggled through the gear range a number of times and just cleaned the connectors might have solved it. Anyway, new one fitted a couple of years back and all good.
"not a professional engineer, mechanic and mechanist"

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