Technical 2000 1.9td MH gearbox

[SteveBrans]

Hi, I have a problem with my W reg 1.9td Swift gearbox. I have owned it for 9 months now but have only done 400 miles due to winter then lockdown and it has started crunching gears. First it was just 5th then 5th and 3rd and now 5th, 4th and 3rd. If I wait 3secs in neutral, letting the revs drop, there’s no crunch and once selected it doesn’t jump out of gear. The gears can all be selected easily when the engine is off. Does this sound like the well known water ingress problem? Most garages I have talked to want to change the clutch and synchro on all the gears and have suggested £200 per gear (it’s 5 gear!) but can’t source the parts from Fiat anyway. I have read about others with this problem who have changed the oil, with an extra 500ml overfill for the “bolt on” 5th gear, and solved the problem. I live near Bournemouth on the south coast.
Any advice? Thanks

 

[kennatt]

Its more likely to be caused by damage to the synchromesh rings .On long lay ups rust forms on them as a result of condensation and damage is caused . Its always better to start one of these older engines every few weeks and get is warmed up and the oil splashed about in the box.Don't need to drive it just let it tick over,still splashes the oil about. Been there and paid for a recon box. But gears are getting rare now for them so good luck probably too far from you but Easygears Thornaby on tees,rebuilt mine and had a small stock of gear parts,this would be about three years ago,maybe worth a ring. The overfill was to ensure that oil got into the add on 5 gear,they suffer from starvation and just give up totally,dosent effect the other gears.

 

[SteveBrans]

Thanks for the reply, I will certainly take your advice and let it tick over for a few minutes if I am not using it for a while. I have just been given a quote from a local garage who has done a good job on my VW Touran. £1450 to replace all 5 rings etc. using new parts sourced from eBay. Would like to know what you think? I will give Easygears a ring although North Yorkshire would be a bit too long a way to go, (that’s a lot of crunching gear changes - but a beautiful county) but I am a bit nervous having read the horror stories of others trying to fix this gearbox and would prefer someone who’s done a few of these. I am sure you’re probable diagnosis will be right (it’s usually the most expensive solution that’s right) as I know it was laid up for a while, but I think I will get the gearbox oil changed first. Probably £50 in oil down the drain but worth the gamble I suppose? Thanks again