Reconditioned Opel Vivaro Gearbox

Vivaro diesel 2001–2019: which gearbox to rebuild and when is it better to send in your own unit?

The answer depends first on the engine variant, then on its actual condition. On the Vivaro, five diesel engines were available between 2001 and 2019 — 1.9 DTI, 1.9 CDTi, 2.0 CDTi, 2.5 CDTi and 1.6 CDTi — and each requires a different gearbox. The 1.9 DTI takes a 5-speed manual; the 1.9 CDTi can be fitted with either a 5-speed or a 6-speed depending on the version and year; the 2.0 CDTi, 2.5 CDTi and 1.6 CDTi are all 6-speed, but the gearboxes are not interchangeable between engine code families. Checking the engine code stamped on the block — F9Q, G9U, M9R or R9M — is essential before placing any order.

Rebuilding the original unit: sometimes the only option

Two sales options are available in this collection. Exchange suits the majority of cases: the reconditioned gearbox is dispatched and the customer returns their old unit. However, where the gearbox has suffered an unusual failure or the exact reference is difficult to source — a situation more common with the 1.9 DTI or certain less common variants of the 1.6 CDTi — rebuilding the customer's own unit (rebuilt to 0 km and returned to its owner) may be the only viable route. This option is also worth considering if the vehicle has been modified, or if traceability of the original gearbox is required for intensive professional use.

Identification points by engine variant

The 2.5 CDTi covers four codes — G9U630, G9U632, G9U650, G9U730 — with differences in transmitted torque depending on the code, which determines the associated gearbox. The 1.9 CDTi covers four F9Q codes (F9Q 750, F9Q 760, F9Q 762, F9Q 772) and can take two different gearbox lengths depending on the version: checking whether the fitted gearbox is a 5-speed or 6-speed before ordering will avoid any mistakes. The 2.0 CDTi comes in M9R692, M9R780 and M9R782; the 1.6 CDTi in R9M408, R9M450 and R9M452. These two families are the most recent on the Vivaro and their 6-speed gearboxes are not interchangeable with those from earlier generations.