Difficult to select 1st/2nd gear

[domV8]

Hey guys -

beginning of the year the gearbox had to come off so the garage could change the rear main seal, but when the car came back - 1st and 2nd gear were difficult to select (1st gear mainly).

I want to get it sorted - is there some kind of "selector plate" or similar which might have come out of alignment..?

AFAIK the gearbox itself was never stripped, just moved so the rear main could be accessed - can anyone suggest an obvious culprit that I could get the garage to investigate/remedy in order to try and get the gears to be easily-selectable once more...?

Many thanks,


Dom

[darkcat]

does the lever feel like its hitting something? or does it rattle more than it did?

My best bet would be one of the bolts/bushes isnt tight enough. I dont think there is any sort of gate.

At least its 99% likely that your gearbox is fine :-)

[domV8]

darkcat said:

does the lever feel like its hitting something? or does it rattle more than it did?

No rattles, it's just *extremely* difficult to get in, although it does feel like its only got a very thin "channel" to get into...

Have to push the clutch very hard, and then push the gearlevel hard to first, pushing it hard against the left-hand side as I do so. Sometimes it won't go in at all (seems blocked? Is this the "hitting something" you mention?), and I have to disengage totally, let the clutch up, then try again (bit like a double-declutch)...

Forgot to say, car is S-reg serpentine engine with T5 box...

Really annoying - just seems like something is not lined up and letting the gearlevel run freely down it's "channel" into first (and second, although not as bad)...

Dom

[rusgb]

Mine has been like this for the past 7k miles. As you say, just jam your foot all the way down on the clutch, double clutch or second gear lift-off, that's the only solution I can find. I also have some issues feeding into 3rd when on a blast. Seems a bit better for me when the car is warmed up a bit.

[Rossco2010]

I had similar issue for a while - 1st was impossible, 2nd really stiff and 3rd ok. It went on like this for a good few weeks before it finally gave up.

Turned out my clutch slave cylinder was on the way out - finally gave out and I had no clutch at all.

Definitely woth eyeballing it, just in case - cost me an 8 (yes 8) hour wait for the AA to find that one out.

[Jonny_uk]

Definatly sounds like air in slave cylinder, or seals starting to go. i would bleed it through first, if it doesnt help change the cylinder

[Chocaholic]

Same thing has happened to me. Gears were getting increasingly difficult, particularly reverse. Got to a point last weekend when I couldn't engage anything. With the clutch pedal fully in, and trying to get into 1st gear, the car would move forward. Quick trip on the back of a flat bed to my local specialist, and the diagnosis is Clutch master and slave have both gone. Ordered one of each from Racetech - always A1 service IMHO.