Is the gear stick in a Punto Mk2 supposed to be slightly off center in neutral?
I can select all other the gears from this position (though it's a little stiff), but it just seems a little weird.

I'm new to cars in general, as well as new to the Punto, so any help is appreciated.

Sounds like one of the cables is sticking, which usually relates to snapping in the future

Back of the gearbox there is 2 ball joints on cables for the linkages
pop them off the ball joints and get somebody to wiggle the gearstick for you to ensure that the motion is free

Ziggy

the 'resting position' in neutral should be in between 3rd and 4th. (on a 5 speed)
you should be able to push staright forward to 3rd, and back to 4th.
coming out of second for a change up should take you naturally to the resting position ready for third, and same coming from 5th should take you naturally to resting position ready for 4th (or 3rd)

It all depends on what you mean by off centre > ?

By off centre I mean it's slightly to the left, closer to 1st and 2nd gear.

I can still push the stick straight forwards or backwards from this position and it seems to select 3rd/4th gear fine.

CMaughan96 said:

By off centre I mean it's slightly to the left, closer to 1st and 2nd gear.

I can still push the stick straight forwards or backwards from this position and it seems to select 3rd/4th gear fine.

Click to expand...

Hi, providing it is in the correct position for the 3rd/4th centre, it is probably ok.
That is the main adjustment.
The cup that holds the ball at the bottom of the gearlever gets worn and it can get a touch sloppy.
When you say "to the left" - do you mean that is the way it 'looks' or that you feel it would engage 3 and 4 'better' if it was slightly to the right (if that makes sense lol )

That does make sense. I will have another play when I get home from work, but it felt like it will engage 3 and 4 fine but it is visibly to the left of centre.

I don't yet know how it feels when the engine is running because my battery is dead

CMaughan96 said:

That does make sense. I will have another play when I get home from work, but it felt like it will engage 3 and 4 fine but it is visibly to the left of centre.

I don't yet know how it feels when the engine is running because my battery is dead

Click to expand...

check it later. Make sure it is correct for 3 and 4, and that 1,2 and 5 are all ok. Watch for the reverse detent on these, the gearlever knob pulls off, it doenst unscrew, so many times people have tried to remove it and damage it a bit, it often ends up with the detent spring not working correctly. you should have to lift the detent for reverse. if the detent is slightly wrong, it can cause the lever to go too far to the right when selecting 5th - causing issues.
The bride's had a broken spring which caused a poor detent and difficulty getting 5th.
If you are having issues in any gear, ensure you are fully depressing the clutch first before considering adjusting the cables.
Sometimes, when cold, it can 'baulk' a bit on selection. The synchro cones get a bit gummed.
Easy to fix though if that is the case.

Yeah, had a look just now... It does sound like what you are saying.
I took this video to show you.

[ame="https://youtu.be/530zU8YtH7A"]https://youtu.be/530zU8YtH7A[/ame]

Is the detent you speak of the little moving ring below the knob? I don't need to move it to select reverse and it seems to do nothing.

CMaughan96 said:

Yeah, had a look just now... It does sound like what you are saying.
I took this video to show you.

https://youtu.be/530zU8YtH7A

Is the detent you speak of the little moving ring below the knob? I don't need to move it to select reverse and it seems to do nothing.

Click to expand...

Hi Mate,
The detent is causing all your problems..!
The setting for 'resting position seems fine.
try to push the detent ring down, you should then not be able to get it into reverse, and 5th will be ok.
The detent is stuck in the up position.
You can pull the knob off (probably it has been off before) mine was the same, added a bit of duct tape around the shaft before knocking the knob back on with my hand.

My spring was broken, you can get a new one, I can get the part number for you if you like. ?

But take the knob off and have a look. - pull and a very very slight twist only, it is not screwed, it is a splined shaft.

Twotoncarman said:

Hi Mate,
The detent is causing all your problems..!
The setting for 'resting position seems fine.
try to push the detent ring down, you should then not be able to get it into reverse, and 5th will be ok.
The detent is stuck in the up position.
You can pull the knob off (probably it has been off before) mine was the same, added a bit of duct tape around the shaft before knocking the knob back on with my hand.

My spring was broken, you can get a new one, I can get the part number for you if you like. ?

But take the knob off and have a look. - pull and a very very slight twist only, it is not screwed, it is a splined shaft.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I will go have another play now. Will let you know.

[ame="https://youtu.be/40bJf4ZIKfw"]https://youtu.be/40bJf4ZIKfw[/ame]

How hard should I have to pull to get the knob off?
Also, I can't push the detent ring any further down.

CMaughan96 said:

https://youtu.be/40bJf4ZIKfw

How hard should I have to pull to get the knob off?
Also, I can't push the detent ring any further down.

Click to expand...

Hmm. the detent is not stuck up - I can see it clearly in that video.
The knob may never have been removed, but, it looks like your spring is missing - so, it probably has been (removed). - could be epoxied or anything...

With the detent down, can you engage reverse ?
(The travel on that detent is normal, it should be spring loaded though to hold it down, you lift it to selcect reverse)

You may have to twist and pull the knob to get it off.

Do the detent check first - hold detent down and try to select reverse, it should not go !,

Twotoncarman said:

With the detent down, can you engage reverse ?
(The travel on that detent is normal, it should be spring loaded though to hold it down, you lift it to selcect reverse)

You may have to twist and pull the knob to get it off.

Do the detent check first - hold detent down and try to select reverse, it should not go !,

Click to expand...

The knob isn't budging at all, no matter how hard I pull...
The detent ring seems to change nothing whatever I do with it...

Lift up the cover (gaiter) on the gear lever and observe the detent.
The knob can be removed - usually - by twisting slightly both ways, but, this tends to crack the inside part of the knob (which is not really a problem)
See what is happening to the detent at the bottom of the lever first though.
It is a very simple mechanism. it simply places a block in the way of the far right gate.

Gearstick woes pt3: http://youtu.be/rxtAFM3D8FU

I'm not quite sure what's going on
Is this fairly easily fixable?

Bearing in mind, the gearstick doesn't actually have gates as such on it
That H shape is actually dicktated by the selecter mechanism ontop of the gearbox

I dont think the gearlever is going to be the issue since 5 and reverse are the issue
It might be the other end, but im not entirly sure
Its one of those things, been there and armchair diagnosis

Ziggy

Ziggy122 said:

Bearing in mind, the gearstick doesn't actually have gates as such on it
That H shape is actually dicktated by the selecter mechanism ontop of the gearbox

I dont think the gearlever is going to be the issue since 5 and reverse are the issue
It might be the other end, but im not entirly sure
Its one of those things, been there and armchair diagnosis

Ziggy

Click to expand...

Okay. Can you advise me on how to properly find out what the problem is? I'd like to try and fix it myself if possible.

post 4

flisko said:

post 4

Click to expand...

How could I be sure it's the cable?
If it is the cable, I don't entirely understand that to be honest. How come I only have issues with 5 and reverse, and not 1 and 2, or 3 and 4?

did you check on gearbox how cables are attached