Technical My gearbox problems

[trackdayqueen]

They like to drive down narrow country lanes (often at speeds which aren't particularly safe either).

It's all of the gears, but mostly 2nd and 3rd. They checked the cables, so it shouldn't be that.

Well I guess you could go to another dealer. But seriously I really wouldn't worry about how they drive your car too much. Best not to think about it.

If it's all of the gears it sounds more like either a clutch or cable issue. I really don't know what to suggest. Surely your only option is to take it back to the dealer and see what they think.

 

[Advanced Driver]

For the last few days I've been trying to work out how frequent it is. It has been fine for every journey apart from one of them. I think that's mainly down to the hot weather.

 

[trackdayqueen]

For the last few days I've been trying to work out how frequent it is. It has been fine for every journey apart from one of them. I think that's mainly down to the hot weather.

It is beginning to sound like you don't have a problem. The hot weather would make absolutely no difference, so it isn't that.

 

[Advanced Driver]

It is beginning to sound like you don't have a problem. The hot weather would make absolutely no difference, so it isn't that.

Surely the temperature's going to change everything slightly like the viscosity of the oil?

 

[trackdayqueen]

Surely the temperature's going to change everything slightly like the viscosity of the oil?

How would an increase of say 8 degress in ambient temperature have an effect on oils and the like which are at far higher temps?

 

[Advanced Driver]

How would an increase of say 8 degress in ambient temperature have an effect on oils and the like which are at far higher temps?

Well it makes a very big difference to a cold engine.

I assumed that it was the weather because that's the only thing that changes. If I leave my car in direct sunlight then the gearbox will often feel very different for the start of the journey.

 

[trackdayqueen]

Well it makes a very big difference to a cold engine.

I assumed that it was the weather because that's the only thing that changes. If I leave my car in direct sunlight then the gearbox will often feel very different for the start of the journey.

But it'll make no difference once the engine has warmed up. Oil temperature in the engine will reach about 80 C when it's warmed up. A difference of a few degrees in ambient temperature is not going to affect that.

Best to never ever assume.

So in what way does it feel very different if you've left the car in the sun?

 

[Advanced Driver]

So in what way does it feel very different if you've left the car in the sun?

Sometimes goes into gear very smoothly, with no resistence or noises at all. Hasn't happened much though. It needs to be very hot, and obviously doesn't help when the car is in the shade.

I trying to find a way to mount a camera near my gear stick. The sound on cameras is usually rubbish, but if the video is good enough then it may show the problems. I'm not sure what I can stick it to though.

 

[trackdayqueen]

Seriously get it to the dealer.

 

[LeanMeanRacing]

For something as important as the gearbox, I would definitely go to a dealer - perhaps a different one if you have had a bad experience in the past?

We would all return a faulty kettle to the shop, so for something costing more than £8k, it needs to go back.

 

[LeanMeanRacing]

A faulty clutch can cause obstruction when you try to change gear, since the drive from the engine is not being totally disengaged from the gearbox...

AD - From reading your description, I would suspect the clutch too. I had a similar problem with my ITR at Croft circuit - I couldn't select a gear unless the engine rpm was very low. When we stripped it down, part of the friction plate had broken off. [driving home from the NE to the Midlands was quite a task!].

 

[Advanced Driver]

AD - From reading your description, I would suspect the clutch too. I had a similar problem with my ITR at Croft circuit - I couldn't select a gear unless the engine rpm was very low. When we stripped it down, part of the friction plate had broken off. [driving home from the NE to the Midlands was quite a task!].

Strangely enough higher revs don't seem to make the problem any easier to reproduce. I have tried giving too much revs between changes, and giving no revs between changes at high speeds, but neither will reliably reproduce the problem.

The other thing that seems really strange is that the problem seems to move between gears. Earlier today I had the problem on 3rd and 4th, but 2nd was fine. Then I change to 2nd at a roundabout, and 2nd has the problem, but 3rd was fine. If it was the clutch I would expect the problem to be consistent with all gears. It does happen with all gears, but not always at the same time, and some gears are always worse than others. Although having said that I have never had a problem with reverse (I always select a forward gear before selecting reverse as there is no synchro), and I can't remember any issues with 1st gear. As 1st and reverse are ok that would rule out the clutch wouldn't it?

 

[LeanMeanRacing]

Perhaps something is broken but is moving around, causing an intermitent gear selection problem?

 

[Advanced Driver]

Perhaps something is broken but is moving around, causing an intermitent gear selection problem?

I did consider that. I don't know whether an oil change would clear it out and maybe reveal the broken bit(s)? A DIY oil change would probably cost me approx £20, I don't know whether that would be worth trying as it is relatively cheap and easy.

 

[LeanMeanRacing]

Take it to a dealer and ask to sit with the technician whilst they conduct the road test.

Before they accept the car, they should walk around it and note down any exisiting cosmetic damage on a form. Inspect it again when you collect it.

Trying to diagnose a fault like this without experiencing it first-hand is difficult.

Keep us posted and good luck

 

[Advanced Driver]

Take it to a dealer and ask to sit with the technician whilst they conduct the road test.

Before they accept the car, they should walk around it and note down any exisiting cosmetic damage on a form. Inspect it again when you collect it.

Trying to diagnose a fault like this without experiencing it first-hand is difficult.

Keep us posted and good luck

Yes, that's what I have been doing, sat with a technician three times now, and it seemed be at its best. I also drove it with them myself once, and although there were a couple of occassions where it was slightly notchy, it would be hard to diagnose it as a fault.

I don't think this dealer ever notes down cosmetic damage and it is so difficult to see everything. I took my old car to a dealer once and I think they only put one small scratch on the paperwork, but this car was approx 7 years old, and covered in various stone chips etc., so the paperwork was meaningless. Fortunately I wasn't too worried about that car because it already had so much damage, but my Panda is in very good condition.

 

[LeanMeanRacing]

My mistake - I thought that you hadn't been to the dealer through fear of how they would treat your car.

Does someone on here live nearby? Perhaps they could drive the car and experience the fault?

 

[Advanced Driver]

Does someone on here live nearby? Perhaps they could drive the car and experience the fault?

I started to make a mental note of the frequency of the problem and out of about 7 hrs of driving this week I have had the problem for about 30 mins, which was probably about 2 out of 15 drives. So I suppose it could take approx 7/8 test drives to reproduce the fault. I think this has been a particularly good week though.

 

[Advanced Driver]

Do you think it would be a good idea for me to try changing the gearbox oil? Do you think there is a chance that it may fix my problems or would I be wasting my time? Changing the oil would be a lot easy for me than it is to visit my dealer. At the moment my gearbox seems to be faultless too. I wouldn't say it's anything special (not as spongey as a GP I had as a courtesy car), but I certainly weren't any faults today.

 

[trackdayqueen]

Do you think it would be a good idea for me to try changing the gearbox oil? Do you think there is a chance that it may fix my problems or would I be wasting my time? Changing the oil would be a lot easy for me than it is to visit my dealer. At the moment my gearbox seems to be faultless too. I wouldn't say it's anything special (not as spongey as a GP I had as a courtesy car), but I certainly weren't any faults today.

I reckon you'd be wasting your time changing the gear oil, as that's not going to be causing the problem in itself.