Technical Stilo stuck in third gear - Snapped metal under gaiter

[Robs Fiat]

Hi this is my first post so hello to everyone. I have a problem with my Stilo (1.8 Dynamic) Only recently when selecting third it sometimes jumped out (once a day maybe), was a bit crunchy going in too but not all the time, then 2 days ago it managed to get stuck in 4th for a few minutes, I had to pull over and all of a sudden it then became free. Thought it was a bit odd. Yesterday after a 300 mile drive to Alton Towers and back, I pulled into my street only for it to get perminantly stuck in 3rd gear! i have removed the gaiter so far, I have found a small snapped metal object... I will post a pic. Any info on the problem would be a great help, I do not no too much about cars-Novice. Thank you in advance.

 

[Davren]

Hi, Welcome to the FF.

I don't think the clip is related to the gear lever, looks more like a broken trim clip. Below is a diagram of the gear lever and cable linkage. The clips (Item 7) don't look anything like your clip.

Can you move the gear lever now? It looks as though it's in 1st not stuck in 3rd.

Is the white part in the cup holder anything to do with it? It looks the same colour as the plastic mounting block..... or have you lost a big tooth.
.

 

[Robs Fiat]

Hi Davren, Thank you for your response . Firstly the part in the cup holder was a nasty sweet from the bag of sweets the misses brought to Alton Towers, So I dont think this was the cause of the gears .

It is in third as when I turned the last corner and worked up the gears onto my street it was stuck in third and the revs matched that at around 30mph until I came to a halt outside my house. It was dark so only went out to investigate today. (Very lucky it was the last half a mile it decided to get stuck I know!)

I can get Nutural fine and third gear does in and out with the clutch as normal, no problmes there, It just wont go anywehre from nutural only up into third.... I hope this helps?

Thanks

Rob

 

[clock34]

i recently bought a 1.8 that was doing the identical thing... turned out to be seized selectors. oil up the selectors on the top of the box then sit there for a white wobbling the stick inside to get them moving.

you may need to put some force into it (not loads and loads though) and eventually it should just go back to normal.

 

[Robs Fiat]

Hi Clock

Would this be oil them up form the inside too? and Transmition oil? or do I have to go under the car to do this? I dont know too much about the gears in cars. I can swap an altinator and a couple of other small jobs, mainly swapping parts under the bonnet but thats about as far as my mechanical side goes with cars.... I hope this is the problem as I would imagine this would be the cheaper side as apose to a load of new expensive parts....

This is my Stilo, I may have to break for parts if this turns out to be expensive (full leather - panoramic roof - tinted all around)

Thanks

Rob

 

[Davren]

Check that one or both of the selector cables haven't come off their ball joint(s) and jammed on top of the gearbox.

If the cables are still attached, remove them from the ball joints and check if the gear lever moves freely, If it does, the problem is likely to be inside the gearbox.

If the gear lever still doesn't move, the problem is likely to be either a seized cable or the mechanism under the gear lever stuck or broken. The mechanism is only accessible from under the car.
.

 

[Robs Fiat]

I have just been under the car, i can see the two leavers, they both move correct, I cannot locate my tools to remove the cover to follow the steps nor have the room as the car has been lowered and where it is is parked on a busyish road and dont fancy my chances, it looks like its a problem in the gearbox or the gear stick mechanism then. Thank you for your help, I think the only thing I can do is sell and buy a working car for Monday. I wish I was a rich man....

 

[clock34]

if the levers do indeed move correctly then your problem is internal.

i found they moved but not enough to select the gears. i oiled the point where they enter the box and kept moving them till they freed up...

its looking likely your box is dead

 

[HWJTD]

Be careful not to force the stick if it doesn't seem to budge. My linkages between the stick and box seized up with wet freezing weather/dirt and the selector box broke. Everything looked ok but it was jammed down the plastic coating that protects the cable/link

As with fiat parts its an expensive one (my was a diesel, not sure if its same part). I had to get mine replaced.

 

[Shadeyman]

Hi this is my first post so hello to everyone. I have a problem with my Stilo (1.8 Dynamic) Only recently when selecting third it sometimes jumped out (once a day maybe), was a bit crunchy going in too but not all the time, then 2 days ago it managed to get stuck in 4th for a few minutes, I had to pull over and all of a sudden it then became free. Thought it was a bit odd. Yesterday after a 300 mile drive to Alton Towers and back, I pulled into my street only for it to get perminantly stuck in 3rd gear! i have removed the gaiter so far, I have found a small snapped metal object... I will post a pic. Any info on the problem would be a great help, I do not no too much about cars-Novice. Thank you in advance.

Hello Rob.

I had a similar problem, turned out to be the actual gear selector. Have a read of this thread, it may be of help to you. There's a few photo's that may help you identify the small piece of metal you found under the gater as I beleive the selector mechanisms are similar on all models ..
https://www.fiatforum.com/stilo/273148-jtd-manual-gear-selector-failure.html

 

[Robs Fiat]

Hello Rob.

I had a similar problem, turned out to be the actual gear selector. Have a read of this thread, it may be of help to you. There's a few photo's that may help you identify the small piece of metal you found under the gater as I beleive the selector mechanisms are similar on all models ..
https://www.fiatforum.com/stilo/273148-jtd-manual-gear-selector-failure.html

Hi, Thanks for your replies, I do think the little black part has come from somewhere, it is very dificult to bend back to where it was before it has snapped so I would imagine it was hard wearing for a purpose. I have had a look at your thread, it does sound like this could be the same problem although the picture of the gear section looks slightly different to the one on mine. Not too sure if it is the same type of box? With the car sitting outside no use to me and a new car on its way next week, I dont think I will have time to get this one to a garage or sorted. I am not too mechanical. Its up for sale sadly .

 

[HWJTD]

A new gear selector with fitting ended up being £300 for me, just to give you a ballpark figure