Reconditioned Ford Transit 2.2 TDCi Gearbox

Why can the same Transit 2.2 TDCi take two different gearboxes depending on the engine code?

Because the 2.2 TDCi spans eleven distinct engine codes — from DRFA to UFFA — spread across production from 2006 to 2014, and each code does not correspond to the same torque output or transmission architecture. Within this range, two families coexist: a 5-speed manual gearbox and a 6-speed manual gearbox, and the casings, shafts and ratios are not identical between them.

Engine codes and gearbox families: the key point to watch

The codes DRFA, DRFB, DRFC, DRFD, DRFE, DRFF make up the majority of the DR series, often paired with the 6-speed gearbox on higher-torque variants. The codes P8FA, QVFA, SRFA, CVRA and UFFA correspond to power or market variants that were sometimes fitted with the 5-speed. The reference stamped on the gearbox casing — for example 6C1R-7002-EC or BK3R-7002-RA — remains the only reliable identifier to avoid ordering an incompatible part.

Common symptoms on this unit and its transmission

The 2.2 TDCi is well known for placing heavy demands on its transmission in loaded commercial use: the 2nd and 3rd gear synchromesh rings are the first components to be affected, showing up as stiff gear changes when cold or refusal to engage a gear. On 6-speed versions, 5th and 6th gear can also develop play at high mileage. These symptoms point directly towards a full gearbox replacement rather than a partial repair.