Hi All,

My Punto Mk2b (05 Reg) appears to have developed a bit of a nosebleed...

During a drive yesterday I was unable to put the car into 3rd gear and there was a strong smell of oil inside the car. Thankfully I was able to drive around the problem and limp the car home, but during this time 3rd gear came back(??). I did notice that the clutch appeared to stick and lag when disengaging, and the oil smell seemed strongest as I was pulling away from a standing start.

Having stood the car in a garage overnight, the oil leak appears to be originating from the clutch/transmission join with the engine block (please see pictures attached). I do also notice that there is a smaller leak leading to a smaller puddle of oil under the sump (which was recently changed). The oil level in the car appears to have not dropped on the dipstick.

Any ideas what this may be please? Thanks in advance for any insight!

Sniff the oil. Transmission oil smells very different (much more unpleasant) to engine oil.

An alternative is that the clutch hydraulics have failed. Brake fluid feels strangely soapy between finger and thumb.

If transmission oil, check the level -- undo 12mm allen headed plug on front face of block (car on level ground) -- you should just be able to feel oil with your pinkie without bending it or inserting at a sharp angle.

My suspicion is that you'vea damaged gearbox input shaft bearing (common on Italian assembled FIRE gearboxes of that era) and that that has, in turn, taken out the seal, which is contaminating the clutch plates.

Box out job. but can be done without stripping the entire gearbox. (Maybe something in the guides.) At least one eBay shop selling repair kits.

chillyjack said:

Thankfully I was able to drive around the problem

Click to expand...

driver around , you mean ignore and cross your fingers right?

Thanks for the advice fingers99! :worship: And yes atom0007 that was most definitely the case, especially going around a very busy roundabout on a Sunday afternoon...

So I've now managed to take off the plate which encases the flywheel (thin black plate held on a couple of larger and smaller bolts) to find that the problem appears to be deeper within the transmission. The plan is now to swap out the gearbox for a second-hand refurb and replacing the seals. Does anybody have any advice on the removal of the gearbox and any good supplies for refurbed units please?

are you sure its not brake fluid that is leaking

its gonna be hard to remove gearbox without having car lifted up, atleast i couldnt do it

https://www.fiatforum.com/punto-mk2-2b-guides/140010-how-fit-new-clutch-mk2b.html

Thanks for the link flisko, seems like a pig of a job looking quickly over the steps!

To answer the first question, I don't believe it is brake fluid going by the smell of it. It is more of a very unpleasant smelling oil as fingers99 described for the transmission oil.

I'd not swap out the box, rather take a long hard peek at the input shaft bearing and seal.

Rather than buy a "reconditioned" gearbox (often it'll just be a pressure washed one from a scrappy ) you might investigate having yours rebuilt.

But the difficulty in engaging 3rd is quite possibly just a result of oil on the clutch plates, rather than a syncro issue.

fingers99 said:

I'd not swap out the box, rather take a long hard peek at the input shaft bearing and seal.

Rather than but a "reconditioned" gearbox (often it'll just be a pressure washed one from a scrappy ) you might investigate having yours rebuilt.

But the difficulty in engaging 3rd is quite possibly just a result of oil on the clutch plates, rather than a syncro issue.

Click to expand...

they are doing that? nice scam

It's very common. The only place to buy a reconditioned box from is a full time, sign over the door, lengthy guarantee, gearbox reconditioner.

Otherwise, take your chances with an honest scrappy -- the box will only be dirty!

Thanks again fingers99. I'm going to take a risk with a 2nd hand gearbox and have the clutch replaced with a new part. Fingers (no pun intended) crossed!