Technical Odd gear selection problem/floppy gear lever on 1.2 8v?

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Technical Odd gear selection problem/floppy gear lever on 1.2 8v?

Taipan

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Hi All

My Son pulled out of our road and changed to 2nd gear and then lost all gears. Looking at the car I cant see any of the cables are broken? The lever move backwards and forwards easy enough but doesnt want to go side to side?

I went under the bonnet and moved the gearbox leavers around that the cables are attached to and the gear level moves about when I do so? Moving the gearbox levers moves the gear lever forward and backwards but again not side to side.

I managed to select 1st (or 3rd?) by moving the levers at the gearbox and and then when you pulled the gear lever inside the car backwards it changed gear normally but then was all floppy again?

So is this likely to just be one of the gear slector cables? Thoughts?

Many thanks.
 
Hi All

My Son pulled out of our road and changed to 2nd gear and then lost all gears. Looking at the car I cant see any of the cables are broken? The lever move backwards and forwards easy enough but doesnt want to go side to side?

I went under the bonnet and moved the gearbox leavers around that the cables are attached to and the gear level moves about when I do so? Moving the gearbox levers moves the gear lever forward and backwards but again not side to side.

I managed to select 1st (or 3rd?) by moving the levers at the gearbox and and then when you pulled the gear lever inside the car backwards it changed gear normally but then was all floppy again?

So is this likely to just be one of the gear slector cables? Thoughts?

Many thanks.

The gear selectors are easy to pop off the ball joints - but dont remove them out of the mounts

When both joints are free - you need to move the gearstick to see which cable is "bound up"
or if they are both free

Might be worth a little tug on the cables to ensure that it aint broken inside

Failing that - it could be a selector issue

ziggy
 
I just undid the cover for the gear lever and they havent fallen off that end. If I find say reverse using the gearbox levers I can take it out of reverse using the g/lever inside teh car but its floppy again after that. Move teh geaxbox end about and select a gear and I can again take it out of that gear but then floppy.

If I put it in neutral using the gearbox levers the g/lever inside teh car then moves side to side as normal and in neutral.

Using the gearbox levers I do seem to be able to select every gear.

So it does seem I'm only getting one way of movment using the gear lever inside the car?
 
The gear selectors are easy to pop off the ball joints - but dont remove them out of the mounts

When both joints are free - you need to move the gearstick to see which cable is "bound up"
or if they are both free

Might be worth a little tug on the cables to ensure that it aint broken inside

Failing that - it could be a selector issue

ziggy

At the gearbox end they are just a push fit right? The top one looks new(er) than teh lower one?
 
Thanks Ziggy, it was the lower cable. Looks apretty easy DIY too?

2015_01_18_14_28_07.jpg
 
That'll be why it was floppy and hard :)

its rotten snapped

As for a DIY task - i am led to believe it is
I believe most people take the whole selector mechanism from a scrappy car and fit them as a lump instead of fighting with the cables themselves

They are abit weildy, and resist sitting where they should, but should do it easily

Ziggy
 
Thanks Ziggy, it was the lower cable. Looks apretty easy DIY too?

2015_01_18_14_28_07.jpg

If you've taken the bottom off the selector and accessed at the gearbox end you've pretty much done everything you need to do to swap the cable yourself.

There are thin metal shim style clips that secure the cable sheath both ends easy to see inside the bottom of the selector unit, once remove the cables are free to simply pull out. When you put the new one in make sure it has a smooth run any sharpe bends or kinks will quickly wear the replacement cable.
 
Taipan, If you push the unbroken end of that cable as far as it will go into the 'container' does the broken part become visible at the other end?

I am wondering if i can inspect the condition of that joint on my car by undoing both ends. With the gear box end disconnected I can only see a long rod.

Up till now i have been wondering if this cable is actually a true wired cable but your broken part seems to confirm that.

Can anybody else provide this information? Can i inspect the condition of the cable joints by disconnecting both ends of these cables? Do these cables generally fail at these connections between the solid rod and the cable?

Cheers
 
Not sure off hand as I've put it back together until the new cable turns up. I will look then, but suspect it doesnt as I was moving levers and looking for borken/snapped end.
 
Not sure off hand as I've put it back together until the new cable turns up. I will look then, but suspect it doesnt as I was moving levers and looking for borken/snapped end.

Thanks it is bothering me quite a bit I cannot know the condition of this cable:( My car has 215,000k, on it. I might have to just get a new one and be done with it.
 
Taipan, If you push the unbroken end of that cable as far as it will go into the 'container' does the broken part become visible at the other end?

I am wondering if i can inspect the condition of that joint on my car by undoing both ends. With the gear box end disconnected I can only see a long rod.


It is a 'true wired cable' as you say but both ends have a long metal bar before the actual cable which is crimped into the end of that bar. So no you can't see the ends of the cable on or off the car

However if it ain't broke don't fix it

Our HGT snapped a cable at about 86k miles but my other multijet is still fine on 112k miles as is my grande on 102k miles, no matter how many miles/KMs is doesn't mean these cables are likely to fail

ImageUploadedByFIAT Forum1421624101.938724.jpg

Flickr Album here https://www.flickr.com/photos/puntohowto/13724094294/
 
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It is a 'true wired cable' as you say but both ends have a long metal bar before the actual cable which is crimped into the end of that bar. So no you can't see the ends of the cable on or off the car

However if it ain't broke don't fix it

Our HGT snapped a cable at about 86k miles but my other multijet is still fine on 112k miles as is my grande on 102k miles, no matter how many miles/KMs is doesn't mean these cables are likely to fail

View attachment 148615

Flickr Album here https://www.flickr.com/photos/puntohowto/13724094294/

Thanks for letting me know.
 
Here's the pictures of the cable and as has been said no you wouldn't see it.

2015_01_19_12_22_28.jpg


2015_01_19_12_22_39.jpg
 
Here's the pictures of the cable and as has been said no you wouldn't see it.

2015_01_19_12_22_28.jpg


2015_01_19_12_22_39.jpg

Thanks for doing that for me. My one was rusty when i got the car and the other one had snapped on the previous owner, so I not going to stop thinking about the cable until i get a new one and cut the old one open.

I will probably get the more expensive cable from parts world for 55 pounds which looks to be an original fiat part.

http://www.partsworld-uk.com/product/NS_Gear_change_cable_-_Punto_Mk2_Mk2b_55234098
 
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Just a little footnote - we did one at work last month for the same fault and each cable is over £100 from Fiat........ Which was a bit of a bugger because I'd scrapped a mk2 the previous month.
 
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