Tame Tech/Dr G- Gearbox selection woes

Tame Tech/Dr G- Gearbox selection woes

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Discussion

ManOpener

Original Poster:

12,467 posts

169 months

Sunday 28th December 2014
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After a "spirited" drive today, I found myself coming off of a dual carriageway into a light-controlled roundabout and unable to engage second gear. The issue doesn't appear to be one of the gear being damaged or clutch preventing engagement, but the gearstick simply not "selecting" properly if you catch my drift. Having given it a bit of a drive around, I've noticed the following things:

First, third, fourth, fifth and sixth are all fine regardless of circumstances. No issues engaging whilst stationary or moving
Second is sometimes hard to engage, sometimes engages fine. When it successfully engages, no grinding or slip; when it doesn't, grinding as if I've missed a gear. Seems worse going down from third than coming up from first, bu not always
Reverse has suddenly become a bit stiff, but is engageable with a bit of effort.

Car is a 2006 Leon TFSI Sport, manual.

I don't know a great deal about the 'box in my car, but do know that several other 6spd VW boxes have issues with slack in the linkage making it difficult to engage some gears? Car is in for MOT in early January and I'll get them to have a look at it then but was wondering if anyone had any ideas what it could be?

ManOpener

Original Poster:

12,467 posts

169 months

Sunday 28th December 2014
quotequote all
...And strangely, having just popped out in it again, it's working almost as it was before.
Reverse is still a bit funky and the action a bit notchier than it used to be, but no difficulty engaging 2nd anymore.

Very odd.

bigvanfan

378 posts

132 months

Sunday 28th December 2014
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If it's a similar set up to the gti of the time, check the spring clip for the air inlet hasn't pulled out and dropped onto the gear change mechanism , it's happened twice to mine

ManOpener

Original Poster:

12,467 posts

169 months

Monday 29th December 2014
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Same engine and gearbox as the GTI, so I'll give that a try. Thanks!

Dr G

15,167 posts

242 months

Monday 29th December 2014
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ManOpener said:
...And strangely, having just popped out in it again, it's working almost as it was before.
Reverse is still a bit funky and the action a bit notchier than it used to be, but no difficulty engaging 2nd anymore.

Very odd.
I've heard of this (on here, actually!) but never actually seen it happen myself.

I guess if there's a foreign body rattling around the selector (it's pretty exposed and just sits there on top of the box) that would explain the odd behaviour.

There are good pics of how the selector works here:

http://www.motoiq.com/MagazineArticles/ID/3426/Pro...

ManOpener

Original Poster:

12,467 posts

169 months

Monday 29th December 2014
quotequote all
I've had a quick look and I can't see anything in it currently. Which isn't to say there wasn't at some point. However the intake clamp is still in place.
The linkages are adjustable AFAIK so I've asked my garage to adjust as appropriate when it's in for the MOT. Could be the case that whatever got in it has messed it up a bit?

I've also heard tales of the plastic collars at the top end of the linkage, under the "shifter boot" as they call it in your incredibly helpful link, disintegrating.

ManOpener

Original Poster:

12,467 posts

169 months

Wednesday 7th January 2015
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Gear selector linkage was checked during my MOT. Nothing untoward found. They've re-lubricated it. Reverse is still a bit dicky but the rest of the gearbox feels basically back to normal.

ManOpener

Original Poster:

12,467 posts

169 months

Monday 2nd March 2015
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Bit of a bump here, but just a note for anyone who might experience a similar issue.

I had the same problem, but much worse, manifest itself again on Friday. Basically 2/4/6 completely unavailable, neutral roughly where fourth normally is.
Dropped it off with my usual garage who have had a look at it- basically the end of the lower gearbox-side selector cable has frayed in its mounting and slipped out of where it attaches. They've actioned a temporary repair by trimming the frayed edges down refitting it, screwing the fitting back on tightly and fixing it in place with copious quantities of the strongest tape known to man plus a couple of cable ties, re-adjusted and now all feels fine. I do intend to get the cable replaced properly though

Dr G- they mentioned that there are two cables as part of the linkage system- one at £22 and one at £60-something, but their parts supplier didn't appear to know which one they'd need. Do you know which is which by any chance? It's not a huge expense to change both but it would be useful to just change one if/when it goes again.

Dr G

15,167 posts

242 months

Monday 2nd March 2015
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Surely just the frayed one if the other looks fine?

ManOpener

Original Poster:

12,467 posts

169 months

Monday 2nd March 2015
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Sorry, I mean that the supply company didn't seem to know which of the cables was which. The lower is the frayed one, but they just have the two listed without any reference to "upper" or "lower" and therefore we don't know if it's the cheaper one or the more expensive one. They don't carry them as stock (have to order them) so if the garage get the wrong one they can't get it refunded.

Dr G

15,167 posts

242 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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Message me your reg or chassis and I'll send you the illustration with part numbers/prices.

ManOpener

Original Poster:

12,467 posts

169 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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Email sent