What just broke?

[TheAardvark]

Hi,

Just taking my '05 Boxster out for a spin... accelerating away from roundabout, tried to change gear, something went 'snap' and now I can't change gear.

Clutch seems to still work (as in it engages and disengages), so guessing either the gearbox is completely knackered or I've somehow sheared the gear lever away from the gearbox????

Anyway of telling definitively (without opening everything up)?

Merry Christmas, huh!

Green Flag are on their way...

TIA,

Will

[Heartworm]

TheAardvark said:

Hi,

Just taking my '05 Boxster out for a spin... accelerating away from roundabout, tried to change gear, something went 'snap' and now I can't change gear.

Clutch seems to still work (as in it engages and disengages), so guessing either the gearbox is completely knackered or I've somehow sheared the gear lever away from the gearbox????

Anyway of telling definitively (without opening everything up)?

Merry Christmas, huh!

Green Flag are on their way...

TIA,

Will

Don't panic yet, could just be the gear linkage, relatively simple fix!

[TheAardvark]

Sorry if this is a daft question, but what exactly is a gear linkage?

[Magic919]

From the seated position, you have the engine behind you and the gearbox is behind that. The gear lever is not directly attached to the gearbox, as you couldn't reach it. You have a few arms and rods, I expect (the gear linkage).

[Trev450]

Its what connects the gear lever to the gearbox.

As above, sounds as if it could be this in which case is not a huge issue.

[thegoose]

There are 2 cables (not rods) from the selector (and gearlever) to the gearbox. About £250 for both cables and 2/3 hours to fit I think. You'll probably find your change is a lot nicer (lighter) afterwards.

Of course if you're really lucky it could just be the fitting on the end of the cable has popped off and can be popped back on again (not sure if a Green Flag guy would get too involved in checking though).

[TheAardvark]

OK - sound promising... definitely in keeping with what I experienced - started to pull back on the lever, placing force on it, then it went 'pop'. Can still move the gear lever, it just isn't having any impact on things at the business end...

Here's hoping, sounds like a fix for that is about 10x less than a new gearbox!

[nxi20]

On the gearbox end of the cables are plastic ball joints that clip over the balls on the gearbox actuator arms; if you tie-wrap them to the arms they won't pop off again.

[TheAardvark]

So it was/is the cables linking the gear lever to the gearbox. One of them has sheared off. So, not great news, but not disastrous either!

[kitchens2]

One of the guys on the Spyder forum has the exact thing happen to him last week it was the cables sorted out under warranty ,so no hefty bill as nothing to do with the gearbox you will be happy to know.

[smiffy555]

Just had the same happen to me!

£500 to fix at OPC - so glad I've for warranty cover