Technical Sticky gearbox 04 2.3 JTD

[RSD7a]

Any advice please. Out of the blue the gear lever is sticky and just feels strange in the horizontal plane. It seems to have all but lost the spring loading which usually puts it by default into the 3rd and 4th gear plane. When its cold 5th is very hard to find. When i've found 5th, coming into 4th, which used to flow smoothly and automatically across the dog leg, is now very obstructed.

I've heard this maybe a common issue but havent managed to find it using the search function, so apologies if im getting people to go over very well trodden territory.

 

[Crossingkeeper]

A common issue is the linkage stiffening up so is worth checking; link to previous thread:



https://www.fiatforum.com/ducato/296026-ducato-2006-clutch-gearbox-issues.html

 

[RSD7a]

Many thanks for the thought and the link. It seems a b@&£x.?d to get at without ramps??

 

[ecunotemu]

Its ok just tedious, Remove air cleaner housing you'll have plenty of room I find nuts are easier to get from underneath if you have long arms to stick up behind the gearbox. to polish the bore wrap wire wool around a drill bit and use a cordless drill easy peasy, refit with waterproof grease.

 

[RSD7a]

I got stuck at first base. The Air cleaner housing and the 3 retaining nuts. ..... One undid with a struggle. One tore through the rubber mount below when i thought I was undoing it. (It was locked solid and just twisting the rubber mount until it gave way). The other is locked solid too. I don't want to wreck that mount as well.

 

[Eabbus]

I did exactly the same with the first rubber mount! You can hold it with a spanner but it's blind work and can't remember what size. I greased all mine up last year, it's the water pouring onto it from the windscreen if the hose isn't in place properly.

 

[RSD7a]

Ah thanks. That's helpful to know you can hold the mount with a spanner. Meantime, being at a loss, I though I'd try a sophisticated fix and gave the gearlever some serious left-right-left waggles and right now its all back to performing fine! Somehow I guess that may not be a permanent solution ;-/ .

Yes and all this has happened about 6 weeks after i cleared a totally blocked scuttle drain, so now these things tie together. Must re-route the drain methinks.

 

[ecunotemu]

Ah thanks. That's helpful to know you can hold the mount with a spanner. Meantime, being at a loss, I though I'd try a sophisticated fix and gave the gearlever some serious left-right-left waggles and right now its all back to performing fine! Somehow I guess that may not be a permanent solution ;-/ .

Yes and all this has happened about 6 weeks after i cleared a totally blocked scuttle drain, so now these things tie together. Must re-route the drain methinks.

Its a 17 or 19 spanner I think I replaced mine with much tougher land rover mounts for about a fiver and plenty of copper paste. You should still sort it as the friction will put pressure on the cables and linkage and you may end up crunching gears or wearing selector. If scuttle was draining on top of box I'd be concerned about water ingress.

 

[Crossingkeeper]

Must re-route the drain methinks.

Yes indeed, mine was discharging onto the linkage pivot As its a rubber hose a bit of plastic sink waste pipe will extend it clear of gearbox

 

[RSD7a]

Yes indeed, mine was discharging onto the linkage pivot As its a rubber hose a bit of plastic sink waste pipe will extend it clear of gearbox

Yes what a design? Not to mention the two almost inaccessible screws on the top of the airfilter housing, just to make the start of the job interesting.

That aside, thanks to all for your wisdom and generosity towards a first time poster. All further thoughts/insights happily accepted.