Lost 2nd, 4th and 6th gear (4.3 Vantage)
Lost 2nd, 4th and 6th gear (4.3 Vantage)
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Discussion

davek_964

Original Poster:

11,346 posts

206 months

Friday 2nd June 2017
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When I left home this morning, everything was working normally. But half way to work whilst accelerating up a dual carriageway I tried to change from 3rd to 4th and simply found a neutral. I eventually found a gear and carried on.

However, shortly afterwards I realised I still didn't have 4th - and then realised I didn't have 2nd or 6th either. So basically I've lost all the gears where the gearshift moves backwards. Reverse, 1st, 3rd and 5th all work fine.
When I try 2nd / 4th / 6th there is no feeling that it is trying to go into gear - the gearshift moves but doesn't feel like it's engaging (or even trying to) the way it normally does - so I assume that this is likely to be a problem with the gear linkage rather than the actual gearbox.

I assume I need to take the centre console off to check that end, and then also check the gearbox end. Any tips on how / where I should be looking?

davek_964

Original Poster:

11,346 posts

206 months

Friday 2nd June 2017
quotequote all
Just found this :

https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/aston-martin/3...

Guess that's my weekend job planned!

davek_964

Original Poster:

11,346 posts

206 months

Friday 2nd June 2017
quotequote all
Any tips for getting the centre console off on a 2006 Vantage? The link I posted does have instructions for 2007 but I can't match them to my console (for one thing, I haven't found any screws!).

ETA : Found a video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgDWu6i3qPc

I've felt through the gaiter surrounding the gear shift and can only feel the rod on the LHs - so it seems that the linkage on the RHS has probably become detached from the gear shift for some reason.



Edited by davek_964 on Friday 2nd June 08:00

leerandle

831 posts

138 months

Friday 2nd June 2017
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Try Redpants website. I think it has the removal of armrest and gear surround etc

http://www.redpants.lol


davek_964

Original Poster:

11,346 posts

206 months

Friday 2nd June 2017
quotequote all
Thanks - think it's actually his video I've linked to. Makes it look dead easy, so might take it apart before I go out tonight.

davek_964

Original Poster:

11,346 posts

206 months

Friday 2nd June 2017
quotequote all
Had enough tools in the car to dismantle the console over lunch - at least to allow me to lift it and see the linkages.

Both are connected. The RHS linkage is for left / right movement of the gearshift and is working fine. LHS linkage is for forwards backwards and is also working fine. So it will require a bit more diagnostics!

The link I posted above was from somebody who had exactly the issue I've got and found it was a snapped cable. So I guess that's the most likely - I just need to find it!

gavinporter85

2 posts

123 months

Friday 2nd June 2017
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The cable will have come un clipped from the top of the gearbox 9 times out of 10. seen it many times

davek_964

Original Poster:

11,346 posts

206 months

Saturday 3rd June 2017
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gavinporter85 said:
The cable will have come un clipped from the top of the gearbox 9 times out of 10. seen it many times
Thanks. How easy is it to get to?

davek_964

Original Poster:

11,346 posts

206 months

Tuesday 6th June 2017
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Ok, fixed it this evening. For anybody else who has the problem :

First, I borrowed some ramps from a friend which worked well and saved jacking the car. I am going to order some :

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KRGZVP6/ref=wl_it_d...

Once the car was up, removing the undertray was simple.

If you are lying under the car with your legs sticking out the back, then there is a fairly large gap next to the gearbox on your right (passenger side of a RHD car). This is where the cable gets to the gearbox, and where it clips in. You might be able to see what you're doing if you have a lift - on axle stands or ramps you can't see at all and it's all by feel. Reach up - the cable is quite high in that gap, almost as far over as you can get on your RHS (so as far as possible to the LHS of the car) - and critically you will need to angle your arm towards the front of the car to feel the part of the cable that has the adjuster - which should be clipped into the U-shaped housing on the gearbox.

Mine was out of the housing and the cable was running under the bottom of the U-shaped. From the borescope I used, I thought it was the front of the adjuster (I.e the end nearest the front of the car) that clipped onto the housing but while I was struggling to get that in line with the bracket, I accidentally clipped it in place! It's actually the very back of the adjuster (gearbox end) which clips in and you can hear it click as it clips on place.

An easy fix in the end - from start to finish took about an hour, and that included me struggling to actually find the cable. The only real cost was a significant amount of skin from my forearm!

Mansfield

198 posts

136 months

Tuesday 6th June 2017
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Thank you for posting your findings and solution to get it fixed.

It's posts like this that can really help in the future, much appriciated.

thomasx4

69 posts

138 months

Tuesday 6th June 2017
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Same ramps I think but a bit cheaper wink

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HEAVY-DUTY-PRO-4-TON-HOM...

davek_964

Original Poster:

11,346 posts

206 months

Tuesday 6th June 2017
quotequote all
thomasx4 said:
Same ramps I think but a bit cheaper wink

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HEAVY-DUTY-PRO-4-TON-HOM...
Thanks!