My gearbox has been a little bit difficult to use for a while now, especially when cold. But over the last couple of days it seems to have got much worse to the point where sometimes you can't get certain gears at all, 1st and reverse in particular but also 2nd quite alot.
1st/2nd just doesn't always go in and reverse sometimes makes the painfull grinding noise as though though the clutch wasn't pressed down properly.

I also noticed earlier that when I started the car with it half in first (gearstick wasn't pushed all the way into 1st) but with the clutch pressed down, the gearstick started shaking quite alot. Surely with the clutch pressed down there's no connection between engine/transmission so no vibrations should be transferred to the gearstick

Will new transmission oil help?

the first thing to do would be to check the level and condition of the fluid in there
so check its up to the level of the plug with your pinky finger. and check the colour.

your clutch needs adjusting! its dragging (not fully disengaging) this means the gearbox is still spinning causing the crunching putting it into reverse and making it hard to get into gear as the syncros are trying to stop the shaft spinning before letting the gears change.


the clutch peddle is usually set to the same level as the brake peddle.

Had the clutch adjusted. It now goes into gears fine but the biting point is now really high and makes the car really odd to drive

if your clutch needed ajusting like that it would also suggest your clutch is on the way out possibly. specially with a high biting point

Just seems odd for now as you were used to a different biting point.

If it needed to be adjusted then, as mentioned you may need a new clutch kinda soon, it could also be the clutch cable stretching a bit over time which could eventually snap, which is usually also due to needing a new clutch.

If you do get a new clutch fitted have a new cable put on at the same time. Saves having one go then the other

Ok, so that problem sort of resolved itself in that the day I after it was adjusted, some plastic pivot things for the clutch cable under the dashboard snapped (I thought it was the cable at first). Went back to the garage and they replaced the plastic bits and the cable because they said it was notched.

Everything then seemed to work perfectly, all gears were really easy to select and the clutch pedal felt normal again but now less than two months later a problem has come back in that reverse hardly ever works, I just get grinding noise:bang:.
The only way to get it to go into reverse is to switch the engine off, put it in reverse them switch the engine back on again and even that doesn't work 100% of the time.

Anybody have any ideas as to what the problem could be?

Adjust the cable again ... will noyl be a temp fix before it snaps again.

Why didn't you listen when someone told you that the clutch is on its way out?

Ming

Hi Ming

Having too many plukes can affect your hearing, dont say pardon...

Noel

Pep0 said:

Hi Ming

Having too many plukes can affect your hearing, dont say pardon...

Noel

Click to expand...

what the hell does this mean or have to do with thread

As ming (and others) said, it's either the clutch or the clutch...

To be play devil's advocate, prior to my new clutch + cable I had no problems getting into reverse. Ever since I've had to be very patient with reverse. Bite point is on the high side.

But in your case it seems pretty clear.

beecon said:

To be play devil's advocate, prior to my new clutch + cable I had no problems getting into reverse. Ever since I've had to be very patient with reverse. Bite point is on the high side.

But in your case it seems pretty clear.

Click to expand...

Try this, put it in first quickly (don't move the car ) then go into reverse :0.

Ming

ycming said:

Adjust the cable again ... will noyl be a temp fix before it snaps again.

Why didn't you listen when someone told you that the clutch is on its way out?

Ming

Click to expand...

I did listen, and when it all broke and went to the garage I was 99% sure that they were going to tell me that the clutch was knackered.

But then they had a look and told me it was just the cable so I just had that bit sorted, they seemed to think that the clutch was fine

I think another trip to the garage might be called for.
How much am I looking at to have a clutch replaced?

Hi

You need to take it to a different garage, last one failed to advice you, or are unfamiliar with Fiats, they may be Fiat dealers but...

You need a mate who is a spanner monkey.

Noel

I'll probably be using a different garage anyway because I had a bit of a falling out with that one over them charging me for work that I hadn't asked them to do, which is a shame because my family's been using that garage for probably 30years

I like to think that I'm not too bad with the spanners myself, but I think changing a clutch is a bit too advanced for me

I have noticed that it seems easier to get reverse when the gearbox is cold, so if I get in the car at home it will reverse out of the parking space but by the time I've driven anywhere reverse is impossible.
Also this might just be me, but I swear that some gears are easier to get depending on wether you are facing up or downhill

Your only hope is that some one has not used the full synthetic that Fiat specify.

But the clutch is the most likely, the OEM thrust bearings eat the clutch tines, and can fail and leave towing home only option.

Noel

Ok, I've been to a different garage and they seemed to think the clutch was fine aswell and that it might just be the new cable that wants adjusting.

So I went home and thought I'd have a go myself like it says in the haynes manual by measuring from the pedal to the steering wheel etc., Soon got bored of that so I thought I'd just randomly twiddle the adjusting nut.
It was loose enough that I could turn it with my fingers, so I turned it as far as it would go one way (clockwise) and it made no difference so then turned it anti-clockwise and it seemed to have fixed the problem, all gears were easy and no grinding in reverse (and the pedal felt the same).

Went for a drive just to make sure everything was ok and by the time I got back I had no reverse again, got out twiddled the nut and reverse worked fine

You have got a lock nut on the end haven't you?

Might be slipping back if not.

Thanks

X

Wondered that myself, but not sure what the locknut would look like tbh