Reverse gear cruntches

[jons_s3]

I've recently bought an S3! Fantastic car, but I've got a problem with reverse gear, which has recently (yesterday) started grinding/crunching when I try to select it (clutch obviously not disengaging fully). I've flushed and bled the hydraulics as per the instructions in the bible, but this has failed to rectify the problem. All of the other gears seem ok (although I have no comparison!) and I don't have any major problems shifting down or up.

It only seems to do it after I've been driving for a while. When I first get in the car, I seem to be able to select reverse without a noise but after 15 minutes of driving or so, the horrible noise re-emerges. Can anyone suggest what I should try next? I haven't spotted any fluid on the carpets, and the reservoir doesn't seem to be going down.

[seasider]

Hi Jonathan,

Do you select 5th gear before engaging reverse?

[jons_s3]

That was a speedy reply!

I haven't tried selecting 5th beforehand. The chap I bought it from told me to select 1st before reverse, but that didn't do any good. I'll give it a whirl now and see if it works!

[jons_s3]

I've just tried engaging 5th gear before reverse - still getting a crunch/grind unfortunately .

[GreenV8S]

First and fifth have the same effect, but it's probably better to use first because that synchro gets very little use.

I assume you kept the clutch down while selecting first (or fifth) and then reverse. If it still crunched then this shows the clutch is dragging.

Selecting reverse shows this straight away because reverse doesn't have synchromesh. It'll be wearing the synchros on the other gears though, and as they wear out you'll find it happens more and more with them too.

Best fix the clutch problem before this happens.

[doddze]

reverse can be fussy.......... i have had the gear box rebuilt and if I dont go at reverse nice and slow I can still get a crunch... I always found into third before reverse did the trick pre re build.. I think it is common on the v6 so dont panic too much

[Wildfire]

Also try to make sure the revs are nice an low. Trying to engage reverse, with the revs high is always iffy.

[foxy600]

This is a common problem, I too have crunchy reverse and 1st gears. Tried everything, the only thing that works for me is to put it in 2nd before 1st or reverse

[jons_s3]

Thanks for all of your help! Third before reverse seems to rectify the problem completely!

[bugsy]

jons_s3 said:

Thanks for all of your help! Third before reverse seems to rectify the problem completely!

Ditto on my old one but the new S3 goes straight in, no problem, wierd

[NickP_S2]

Mine crunches due to a leaky fluid resoviour... job number #109 on the ever growing to do list.