A while ago I bought a 2003 Multipla 1.9JTD, with a mere 72000 miles on the clock and a full FIAT Service History.
(There are many reasons why I did this, although most of my friends urged me to get my head checked at the time and even moreso now!)
Anyway, right from the day I bought it, I suspected something not quite right in the engine department, as it felt like there was a mount loose or broken. Despite having it up on my local mechanics' ramp, and the nearest FIAT Dealership muppets (they really are as useless as I had hoped they weren't!), no-one could find anything wrong, so I lived with it.
A couple of months back, I was driving to a customers' site and I noticed the snatching (which was always more noticeable in 5th gear...) seemed to be getting worse and the movement in the gear-stick getting more and more noticeable.
That was just before it started to jump out of 5th. Nice.
Then an awful grinding noise ensued which led shortly after to 5th gear buggering off to meet it's maker, somewhere in Turin I believe.
Thanks to the RAC I was able to get myself and my striken Pig-on-wheels home and I set about finding a replacement 'box, which I was lucky enough to find.
Once the old box was out I decided to take a sneaky peek inside to see the carnage and here's what I found: (This is the bit you really need to take notice of!)
On the end of the gearbox (and I believe this is pretty much the same with all the 5-speeders from FIAT) is a plate covering the 5th gear pinion. If you remove this plate (on the Multipla it's easily accessible via the N/S wheel arch) you will find a locking retainer nut, which holds the 5th gear shaft in place.
Mine was finger tight. In fact it wasn't tight at all, it was hanging off the end of the shaft.
The part of the nut that was supposed to be hammered into the end of the shaft to lock it in place looked as un-beaten as a freshly laid duck-egg and it was at that precise moment in time that I cursed shoddy Italian workmanship and vowed never to own anything mechanically Italian ever again.
So, if you'd like to avoid a £2000 plus repair bill (FIAT prices) or about 12 hours covered in crap and dirt to fit a £450 second-hand gearbox, then here's what I suggest:
Jack your car up and remove the F/N/S wheel.
Undo the 5 or 6 bolts holding on the end plate of the gearbox. You might want to drain the oil first...
Check the tightness and security of the nuts.
Refit the end cover.
Top up the gearbox oil.
Put your wheel back on and lower the car to the ground.
Enjoy your car!
It'll take you no more than 20 minutes and it could be the be best 20 minutes you'll ever invest in this headache-inducing and bank-balance-emptying car!
Peace.:bang:
(There are many reasons why I did this, although most of my friends urged me to get my head checked at the time and even moreso now!)
Anyway, right from the day I bought it, I suspected something not quite right in the engine department, as it felt like there was a mount loose or broken. Despite having it up on my local mechanics' ramp, and the nearest FIAT Dealership muppets (they really are as useless as I had hoped they weren't!), no-one could find anything wrong, so I lived with it.
A couple of months back, I was driving to a customers' site and I noticed the snatching (which was always more noticeable in 5th gear...) seemed to be getting worse and the movement in the gear-stick getting more and more noticeable.
That was just before it started to jump out of 5th. Nice.
Then an awful grinding noise ensued which led shortly after to 5th gear buggering off to meet it's maker, somewhere in Turin I believe.
Thanks to the RAC I was able to get myself and my striken Pig-on-wheels home and I set about finding a replacement 'box, which I was lucky enough to find.
Once the old box was out I decided to take a sneaky peek inside to see the carnage and here's what I found: (This is the bit you really need to take notice of!)
On the end of the gearbox (and I believe this is pretty much the same with all the 5-speeders from FIAT) is a plate covering the 5th gear pinion. If you remove this plate (on the Multipla it's easily accessible via the N/S wheel arch) you will find a locking retainer nut, which holds the 5th gear shaft in place.
Mine was finger tight. In fact it wasn't tight at all, it was hanging off the end of the shaft.
The part of the nut that was supposed to be hammered into the end of the shaft to lock it in place looked as un-beaten as a freshly laid duck-egg and it was at that precise moment in time that I cursed shoddy Italian workmanship and vowed never to own anything mechanically Italian ever again.
So, if you'd like to avoid a £2000 plus repair bill (FIAT prices) or about 12 hours covered in crap and dirt to fit a £450 second-hand gearbox, then here's what I suggest:
Jack your car up and remove the F/N/S wheel.
Undo the 5 or 6 bolts holding on the end plate of the gearbox. You might want to drain the oil first...
Check the tightness and security of the nuts.
Refit the end cover.
Top up the gearbox oil.
Put your wheel back on and lower the car to the ground.
Enjoy your car!
It'll take you no more than 20 minutes and it could be the be best 20 minutes you'll ever invest in this headache-inducing and bank-balance-emptying car!
Peace.:bang:
