Gearbox - 5th gear a struggle

[The Arch Bishop]

Since I bought my Puma over a year ago, 5th gear has been vague and lose to find requiring a very deliberate dog-leg movement to get in smoothly. It's always been unlike the rest of the 'box in which you can feel every gear going in with a nice positive action.

In the last few months, it's gotten slightly worse where every now again, it won't slot home and sort of half goes in and pops out again.

I have thought that it must be the syncro going but I'm starting to think otherwise. It never scrunches going into 5th unless you fumble it and the clutch in mid panic when it doesn't go in properly. Also, I've come to learn that double de-clutching doesn't make a difference.

It feels like resistance in the linkage more than the 'box and I'm starting to wonder whether it's the linkage.

I also mentioned in my project thread that I get a thump when pulling away. Another forum member asked me whether I'd investigated the lower gearbox mount as this would cause the thump. Would this also affect the linkage if the box was moving around too much on the mount?

If anyone has any ideas on this (and how to check and fix the gearbox mount) I'd be very grateful.

I want to check all other options out before condemning the gearbox. They may be cheap to buy but I'd struggle to find the time to replace it!

 

[Peter]

Only real way to check it is to jack it up, get underneath the car and have someone rock the engine forwards and backwards while you watch the gearbox mount for free play.

The mount itself is easy enough to spot, if you're under the car with your feet sticking out of the front of the car (ie exhaust tailpipe behind your head) then scoot back until you can see up the back of the engine. Look slightly to the left and you'll see the two rods for the gearshift (the stabiliser bar and the actual shift bar) and then a little more to the left is the lower gearbox mount.

It's entirely plausible that a dodgy mount could give you shifting trouble, as the torque that the engine generates reacts against that lower mount, so if there's room for the engine to move about on the mount then the gearshift will be affected.

Whilst you're down there, it's worth making sure that the gear shift bar is firmly done up onto the shifter on the gearbox (10mm nut on what looks like a jubilee clip). Also worth checking the UJs on the shift bar for play, as its possible that one of them could have worn over time.

 

[ScubaSteve]

i would suggest your fifth gear is loose/worn and/or damaged

its the only gear in the set that is seperate and sits on its own, it is pressed on and over time the splines can wear causing the gear to become loose, it also has its own seperate syncro so could be that also

 

[ScubaSteve]

looks like this

 

[The Arch Bishop]

Thanks for the advice peter. I'll grab some time away from the kids and get it up on stands. I need to do a service so I'll give it the once over while I'm under there. Hopefully not a case of changing the 'box!

Thanks also Steve, really hoping it's not this but I suppose it's best to be prepared for the worst!

 

[MattJAbela]

I had a saxo and had a similar problem with my 2nd gear, it went in half way/all the way then just popped out when i took my foot off the clutch..got a new box was even worse, got the first box rebuilt 2nd gear was a bit rocky and the syncro was broked.

 

[ScubaSteve]

saxos and 106s are renowned for first input shaft bearing failures. Usually accompanied by a whir

 

[MattJAbela]

Mine had no whir..crunched every now and then, and was the sloppiest box EVER..just like chasing the last cheerio round a bowl of milk as an example of finding gears..

 

[evilrob]

like chasing the last cheerio round a bowl of milk

This made me laugh. :-D

 

[The Arch Bishop]

Mine had no whir..crunched every now and then, and was the sloppiest box EVER..just like chasing the last cheerio round a bowl of milk as an example of finding gears..

That's just Peugeot/Citroen boxes from new though isn't it? I've had/still got a few!

 

[woodyheminsley]

Mine had no whir..crunched every now and then, and was the sloppiest box EVER..just like chasing the last cheerio round a bowl of milk as an example of finding gears..

Made me laugh too!!! Very good