Technical Selecta problems,HELP!

[long dong silver]

I have only just got my 97 Punto Selecta with 12 months MOT and good service history and have been driving for a week.But for some reason i pulled over to drop a friend off and put the gear leaver to 'Park',then on setting off i put the lever in 'Drive' but the car wouldnt move,its stuck in Park mode even when its in other modes.I know this because the parking break is still on so upon accelerating the car just "revs up" and doesnt go anywhere.I really dont know what to do,plus i cant push the car anywhere because its an automatic and the parking break wont budge.Please help me ASAP! :bang:

 

[dave]

sounds like the selector cable has broke, get some one to move the selector on top of gearbox to drive, whilst you have foot on the brake, that should get you moving

 

[long dong silver]

Thanks,only im not quite shure i understand as you have to put your foot on the brake to move the selector into other modes from park anyway so i have tried that,is there another way??Any help is much appreciated,thanks

 

[dave]

you need 2 people one sitting in the car with foot on the brake, the other under the bonnet moving the selector on the box by hand

 

[long dong silver]

Oh brilliant thanks very much !Im gunna go and get it going now then.So i take it i will need a new cable,how much will this cost roughly?Also Im not quite shure where the gear box is under the bonnet,im shure ill find it but if you could explain to me roughly where it is i would be very grateful,thanks much.

 

[dave]

1 sec i will go take a pic

 

[dave]

here the bit to move is here
click pic to make it bigger,

edit dont know price of cable, but dont belive the haynes manual, you have to lower the exhaust and remove the heat shield to replace the cable, it dont say that in haynes

 

[long dong silver]

OK im gunna go and sort it out,thanks again,your a lifesaver!

 

[long dong silver]

Ive just tried what you said and even though the selector can be moved into position manually,the car still isnt in gear, i really dont know what to do,my mate reckons it sumthing to do with the automatic clutch which would explain why it doesnt go into gear i suppose,either way its a mystery and im really scared that its gunna cost me an arm n a leg! :bang:

 

[Neo-The Matrix]

I once heard that when something like this happens most likely it is a problem with the planetary gears in the gearbox.

 

[long dong silver]

That sounds expensive??

 

[long dong silver]

Just talked to a friend who is very machanically minded and he reckons its the clutch,so for anyone with the same sort of problem this could be the answer.What i want to know is,will the clutch on an automatic cost a lot to be replaced???!!!!

 

[dave]

when the clutch has gone it usally plays up first, it grinds like a bugger for a while whilst you are selecting gears, seems strange that its moving under the bonnet an not with stick, are you sure you not just moved it to netrel(sp)?

 

[jimybob]

the selecta has whats known as a 'powder clutch' pain in the ass and yes very expensive to correct if faulty, there is a terminal block on top of the gearbox that supplys power to the clutch in order for it to operate (they are electric clutches) it might be worth checking them to make sure there not corroded.

i think from memory a 'new' gear box is about £3K.!!!

give midland automatics a ring (sorry dont have number) they have repaired faulty punto boxes for me in the past.