Hi Guys, this is my first post on here and I really could do with some serious help. I have a 2006/7 120 multijet, 2.3 Ducato. It's my everyday work van and I have recently started to notice that it's getting stiffer to go into gear. The upshot of this is that I can now no longer get it into reverse at all. I lift the collar and push as hard as I can but it simply will not go into reverse at all!!! Going into 5th and 6th is also hard work and can sometimes take 4-5 attempts to get it into 6th.

My mechanical knowledge isn't great and I was told by one person that I need a new gearbox, which concerns me and my bank balance. However, my local friendly mechanic suggested that it could be the selector rod or cable as the gear shift is stiff going side to side, yet ok going back and forwards, meaning one cable/rod is ok but the other is a problem (allegedly).

So, can anybody shed any light on this dilemma please? Thank you all in advance.

Hi, did you ever find a solution to the stiff Gear change issue?

I now have exactly same issue..first noticed it was really difficult to get 5th. Then found 6th from 5th difficult (although, I may have been forcing horizontally too much).

...and today found reverse really difficult (2 hands required)..

Stokes

The pivot point on top of the gearbox is the usual culprit for what you've both described. Basically the pivot rusts and corrodes and make gear selection a nightmare.
Fixing it is simple, one 13 mm nut at the rear of the gear box.. undo it. Then from the front of the vehicle, with a long lever bar.. hammer off the pivot. Clean up the corrosion with a bit sand paper. Grease everything with a heavy lube.. L.M grease or a high pressure grease and that should cure the fault.

It sounds easier said than done. But really is one of those have a go.. D.I.Y jobs.

Let me know if I can help any

bencey said:

The pivot point on top of the gearbox is the usual culprit for what you've both described. Basically the pivot rusts and corrodes and make gear selection a nightmare.

Click to expand...

Hi & thanks for this useful tip.

Would both the 244 and the 250 gearboxes have the same design for this pivot?

(was planning to lubricate pivot on my 2006 van to pre-empt any future problems)

Hi there, to the best of my knowledge.. yes they are the same.
I had a 244 2.3jtd in 2 days ago that wouldnt select 1st, 2nd or reverse.. with the exact same setup as the new 250's. theres just a slight variation on the sandwich plate and the way the cables mount to the ball ends on the newer models.

Many thanks for that advice, will apply a bit of grease to the pivot when the weather turns warmer.

no problem. you will need a set of long nose pliers. or some kind of lever to pop the cable off of the ball end on the pivot. i find long nose pliers work best..
and a 13mm spanner or deep socket. the nut on the 244's is hidden behind a rubber cap thats meant to prevent water/dirt ingress.. but basically doesnt...
once both of these are off. a long lever and hammer may be needed to persuede the pivot off if the rust has built up at all.

I had the same problem. My local Fiat garage fixed it, but it wasn't cheap at about £470 to replace cable and pivot.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but as I understand it the multijet models have hydraulic clutches, try bleeding the clutch first, it's just like bleeding the brakes.

I had very same problem but found out my gearbox was hanging by one bolt from the mounting plate. :/

cjgeorge94 said:

I had very same problem but found out my gearbox was hanging by one bolt from the mounting plate. :/

Click to expand...

bencey said:

The pivot point on top of the gearbox is the usual culprit for what you've both described. Basically the pivot rusts and corrodes and make gear selection a nightmare.
Fixing it is simple, one 13 mm nut at the rear of the gear box.. undo it. Then from the front of the vehicle, with a long lever bar.. hammer off the pivot. Clean up the corrosion with a bit sand paper. Grease everything with a heavy lube.. L.M grease or a high pressure grease and that should cure the fault.

It sounds easier said than done. But really is one of those have a go.. D.I.Y jobs.

Let me know if I can help any

Click to expand...

Thanks for the above, this seems to be the problem with my '03 2.3jtd. Perfect moving the gearstick up-down but is stiff left - right. initially i could lift the reversing selector slightly to get it into 1st and 2nd, it is now harder to get it into 1st - 2nd, but now selecting reverse has become VERY difficult.

I have just had a 'feeble' go at getting the pivot point off but it didn't seem to shift. So i am seeking a little bit of advice.

1, How much force , difficult to gauge, can be used in hammering the pivot point off. basically not being a mechanic but as a superior bodger i am wary of causing more damage.(beginning to learn giving everything a thwack doesn't always work)

2. is where the pivot point arm moves the rod going into the gearbox connected or is it free floating.

Any help gratefully received.

I remember it took lots of penetrating oil soaking and a three foot long bar and a big hammer to get mine off - it was siezed solid. Try to get the pivot turning a bit first with it saturated in oil at the top and bottom. It's easier to take off the aircleaner for better access. Then work it back and forth with the long bar and hammer so the oil gets worked down into the bearing surfaces. Eventually, it'll turn freely and you can lift it off, thoroughly clean all the bearing surfaces and reassemble with plenty of molygrease or copper grease in there. Re-route the scuttle drain pipe that dumps water onto that swivel joint, too. I can't remember exactly the details of the pivot point, but I'm pretty sure it's well and truly fixed to the gearbox shaft as it has to raise and lower it.

As posted earlier in the thread, I did take Bencey's advice and lubricated my pivot, and found that the gear action was then much smoother and easier.

Mine wasn't completely seized so I didn't need to bar it off, but just wanted to reiterate Bencey's point about removing the securing nut before trying to shift it!! (on my van the nut was hidden under a black plastic cover)

Crossingkeeper said:

As posted earlier in the thread, I did take Bencey's advice and lubricated my pivot, and found that the gear action was then much smoother and easier.

Mine wasn't completely seized so I didn't need to bar it off, but just wanted to reiterate Bencey's point about removing the securing nut before trying to shift it!! (on my van the nut was hidden under a black plastic cover)

Click to expand...

Definitely take the securing nut off first. Just in case someone gets the wrong idea, I used the three foot long bar as an extension to the hammer to move the pivot arm back and forth, as there isn't room to get in there with a hammer. Don't whatever you do use the bar to try to lift the seized pivot or you'll snap off the pivot in no time!

Thanks for the replies, right then a good thwack is in order

Looking at this http://eper.fiatforum.com/eper/navi...ODE=0&EPER_CAT=SP&DV=1&WINDOW_ID=1&GUI_LANG=3 number 16 being the pivot point the 'arm' connecting to the gearbox rod shows a hook that looks to slot into place without being mechanically attached.

And thanks for the reminder about moving the scuttle drain pipe., silly place to put it :bang:

I'll have another go today.

But where is the 13mm nut that is mentioned? Wouls that be no 14 in
the link that 1stafford provided?

PapaD said:

But where is the 13mm nut that is mentioned? Wouls that be no 14 in
the link that 1stafford provided?

Click to expand...

It's No. 19 in the diagram; located under a black plastic shroud No. 17

Hi everyone,
I cannot apply 4th gear. I can move the pivot by hand, and although it wouldn't hurt to apply grease it sure isn't seized. The only thing left to check for me is the wire; can I apply forth gear by the pivot if I disconnect the gear linking wire. But how do i remove it from the ball connector on the pivot?
best regards,
PapaD

...ok got them off. I used 13mm and 17mm fixed spanners for the small (pivot) and large (shift) ball joints, respectively, and just popped them off like beer capsules.
And the shift cable was a bit tough to pull when removed, very high friction inside. I will remove it and see if I can grease it. But I still can't get 4th gear into place by hand... I will grease everything up, reinstall it and hope that 4th gear will work when the gearbox is being rotated. But I have a bad feeling about it. :-(