(another) Fiesta Gearbox Issue

[JamesZS]

Right, it seems that I'm not having a good week.

I went to drive home last night from a mate's and noticed that my gearbox appears to have gone into self-destruct mode... the impression I get is that it now thinks it's a pneumatic drill.

I'm having difficulty selecting 1st and when I do get it into gear and pull away it makes a clunking noise. It then does this occasionally when i change 1st-2nd and 2nd-3rd.
The noise then reoccurs if I downchange from 4th-3rd. It's worst when I change 3rd-2nd, when it jolts the gearstick and makes a hell of a clunking noise.

Reverse is now a nightmare and will often grind, even with the clutch fully down and the car stationary. To then get it into first after this is a challenge to say the least.

My two guesses are either the Syncro Box? or something on the clutch worn.

Can I ask to see if any of you have possible diagnoses?
Does anybody know off-hand the rough cost of reconditioned parts I may need?

Edited by JamesZS on Monday 7th April 23:02

[ZZR]

JamesZS said:

Right, it seems that I'm not having a good week.

I went to drive home last night from a mate's and noticed that my gearbox appears to have gone into self-destruct mode... the impression I get is that it now thinks it's a pneumatic drill.

I'm having difficulty selecting 1st and when I do get it into gear and pull away it makes a clunking noise. It then does this occasionally when i change 1st-2nd and 2nd-3rd.
The noise then reoccurs if I downchange from 4th-3rd. It's worst when I change 3rd-2nd, when it jolts the gearstick and makes a hell of a clunking noise.

Reverse is now a nightmare and will often grind, even with the clutch fully down and the car stationary. To then get it into first after this is a challenge to say the least.

My two guesses are either the Syncro Box? or something on the clutch worn.

Can I ask to see if any of you have possible diagnoses?
Does anybody know off-hand the rough cost of reconditioned parts I may need?

Edited by JamesZS on Monday 7th April 23:02

Is the clutch release bearing still in one piece? Sounds clutch related. Does the car pull forward when your on a level surface in 1st gear with the clutch fully down?

[JamesZS]

ZZR said:

Is the clutch release bearing still in one piece? Sounds clutch related. Does the car pull forward when your on a level surface in 1st gear with the clutch fully down?

No, it doesn't move forwards when the clutch is down.

It took an interesting development this afternoon, when I took it to Ford to have the problem 'diagnosed'.
I've been driving the thing really carefully for a day and a half, to get me to work and back. The chap jumps in it, takes it out for a Road Test and within a minute came walking back round the corner saying "that's an interesting piece of equipment you have there".
It had made a 'ting' noise and has now lost all drive.

You can change through the entire box, which is now clunking more than before (it sounds like a load of nuts and bolts in a blender)... but the whirring and clunking still stops when the clutch is depressed.

The guy grunted and ummed a bit but couldn't narrow the problem down any more than "it's something that's gone, but it could be anything between and including the flywheel and CV joint".

It's now stranded at my local Ford garage awaiting their inspection tomorrow (incidentally, it's a lovely 10 mile walk from Trowbridge to Bradford-on-Avon to my house).
Due to their lack of courtesy cars they cant sort me one out, and due to my age I can't rent one from Enterprise... but that's all irrelevant (plus i can't get to work, so i get a day or 6 off).

Back on Topic: Does this problem sound familiar to anyone? What would the general opinion as to the fault likely be?

Edited by JamesZS on Tuesday 8th April 23:41

[ThatPhilBrettGuy]

He's right though, it could be a number of things from a bit of gear chipped off and bouncing around in the box, the diff etc etc. It'll probably be obvious when it's all in bits on the bench.

[JamesZS]

I popped up today to have a look at the car... They have a chap who's got the car 10ft in the air on ramps, with the gearbox, clutch and diff on the bench.

I quote (my best attempt at understanding the thick eastern European accent anyway): It's not the diff... look (moves the diff)... These are all fine (points at gears)... clutch is fine. I don't know. (I bash my head on desk).

For some reason the drive is being lost apparently between the input shaft and the other shaft with the gears on (please excuse lack of technical terminology).

The plot thickens...