When driving i sometimes struggle to get the car in 5th. Parked at the side of the road with engine running or not the gear stick will select any gear no problem. Any ides?

Am i right in thinking one cable do three gears and the other does the other three and if this is the case why is it only difficult to get 5th and not the other two it works?

Oh and if the cable is buggered what one am i changing. Standing looking at the gearbox from the front of the car do i need the closest or furthest away cable?

Could be a engine mount problem

I have the same problem with my Seicento, I just assumed it was normal! I think 5th is too close to 3rd, as I struggle to get it in 5th very frequently

JayyLee94 said:

I have the same problem with my Seicento, I just assumed it was normal! I think 5th is too close to 3rd, as I struggle to get it in 5th very frequently

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Aye thats exactly what its like Jay but park up and change the gears. The distance you move the stick between 3rd and 4th is the same as 1st and 3rd but that movement is gone when driving.

Ill look at what Leon is saying about a mount. Drive while changing gear fast then do it again slowly and see if there is a difference as doing it slowly would let the engine settle back in the rest position.

Engine mount under passenger footwell.

Check and replace as neccessary.

Cheers

D

rallycinq said:

Engine mount under passenger footwell.

D

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driver footwell....
oh wait you brits sit on the other side of the car

LeonL said:

driver footwell....
oh wait you brits sit on the other side of the car

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I thought about that, but the OP lives in Scotland, so it is passenger side for them.

I do spend my working day with Left Hand Drive cars.

Cheers

D

OK this problem has raised its ugly head again. Only when hot my wee car wont go into 5th. 9 times out of 10 it will when i double clutch but apart from that nowt as it will select third. When coming out of forth there is no right movement to go to 5th like you get with 2nd to 3rd. When the car is not running i can select all the gears just fine. Mt wee car has only done 37k there around. Problem is not a engine mount as there were looked at so what is left, clutch, gearbox? What your thoughts before i waste cash on a part i dont need.

Gearbox mount is only cheap. Just replace it.

How exactly did the mount get 'looked at'?

I think the Seicento has an improved pass side - 'side mount' which perhaps makes the symptoms less obvious. On the Cinquecento the mount used to bang on the floor when changing gear when the rear mount was bad.

You couldn't always tell by looking at the rubber even when it's removed. The rubber goes soft I think.

If you don't want to buy a new rear mount you can reinforce the existing one with adhesive like sikaflex or similar in the gaps. Might reduce damping though...

One cable does the side to side movement, to align with 1/2, 3/4 or 5/R, the other does the forwards/backwards to engage the gears. May need adjusting. Check their movement and free play at the gearbox.

Horrid thought is that the nut on the end of the gearbox shaft is coming undone. I think there is an end plate on the gearbox, might be possible to remove to look. To tighten, need to remove gear selector mechanism, lock into two gears at once to lock the shafts. Once tight, select neutral again and refit selector. Hopefully no damage.

Mounts were checked by a mechanic at the time. What he did i do not know as i was not there. Ill have a play on the cables again but nit 100% convinced as would this not also show issues with 2nd into 3rd? That change is flawlwss. And why only when hot? I can drive sensible for hours with no issues yet sit at 80 for 10 minutes then that is enough to start playing up. What is the reverse dentente and where is it? as this was mentioned on the Scottish Fiat forum.

Have you checked the oil level?

Reverse detent is the name for whatever prevents reverse being selected. I can't remember my Seicento now, a long time ago, but if it has a lift at the gear lever this will not affect the issue you have.

Check cable outer sheaths too, if the outer breaks the cable will not work correctly.

my guess without looking at it would be gear cables.. It might not affect 2rd to 3rd, 5th is with the cable fully extended in the opposite direction to 5th.

If it were me I'd pop the cables off the gearbox end and just check it moves completely freely in all directions without any resistance. Check the cables for any splits, creases or it being crushed or the like. Check the clutch cable adjustment as well, tighten up the adjuster a tiny bit - not too far though! like one turn and try it and see if it makes a difference. I agree with everyone too that you should just replace the rear gearbox mount, its cheap and only a few bolts.

portland_bill said:

Have you checked the oil level?

Reverse detent is the name for whatever prevents reverse being selected. I can't remember my Seicento now, a long time ago, but if it has a lift at the gear lever this will not affect the issue you have.

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I take it you are talking box oil rather than engine. In that case never but engine was a month ago as i had to do a couple of flushes after a head gasket went so that is bob on

jackwhoo said:

Check cable outer sheaths too, if the outer breaks the cable will not work correctly.

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blu73 said:

my guess without looking at it would be gear cables.. It might not affect 2rd to 3rd, 5th is with the cable fully extended in the opposite direction to 5th.

If it were me I'd pop the cables off the gearbox end and just check it moves completely freely in all directions without any resistance. Check the cables for any splits, creases or it being crushed or the like. Check the clutch cable adjustment as well, tighten up the adjuster a tiny bit - not too far though! like one turn and try it and see if it makes a difference. I agree with everyone too that you should just replace the rear gearbox mount, its cheap and only a few bolts.

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Why only when moving? When this happens i can pull over and go through the gears with no issue but as soon as i take up drive 5th is gone.

OK just incase Mr Mechanic guy was giving me bull that he checked the mount ill order one up. Im i just wanting any rear mount or is there a N/S and O/S ?

there is only 1 rear mount

The only when driving thing is very weird but we gotta start somewhere. Technically it doesn't make sense it would be the cables but its the best place to start. Mainly cause you say coming out of fourth the stick won't go right - so to me follow the parts down the line, next thing after the gear stick is the cables. If you were to follow it down the line the next thin is the selector on the gearbox and it also doesn't make sense that is bent or broken and it would only do it when moving but this is all we have to go on. If it just plain wouldnt go into gear i'd be suspecting the clutch itself or the synhro or selector fork in the box but it sounds more like if you could get the stick to 5th it would just slot in and work.

Certainly a strange issue. I did once completely lose 3rd gear in a seicento - just driving and all of a sudden it just would not go in 3rd no matter how hard to tried. In the end though i had parked the car with intention of changing the box but after i took the cables off and inspected them and they looked fine i stuck them back on and presto it worked. No idea why it happened but wouldnt go in 3rd whether i was moving or not

OK what is my mount, 2nd one here?

http://www.eurocarparts.com/engine-mount

If i do a search on ebay i get three different mounts showing when i say gearbox mount.

Eklipze3k said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_...&_nkw=cinquecento+rear+gearbox+mount&_sacat=0

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Ordered cheers

I learned to shop around as its been a long time since Eurocarparts were the cheapest. I have also had to many ill fitting parts from them so kind of losing trust. Still handy for oils and other fluids though.