Struggle Selecting 1st Gear and Sometimes Gets Stuck?

[Stuart27183]

I went to Darkside a few months back and had the Sachs SRE clutch and their own billet SMF fitted - a month or so after It had bedded in I gave it a bit of stick to see how it would cope (nothing too rigorous as I mainly do motorway driving), since then and particularly now, I find selecting first sometimes a struggle and sometimes it can get stuck in first and the car will creep forward with the clutch pressed down; a few dumps of the clutch and I can release first gear and try again which normally works with a bit of a wiggle. 

 

Now, both Darkside and some research from myself came to the VW Vortex thread with a video of a man inserting a shim to stop the selector shaft play. This morning I popped the cover off the side of the gearbox to find no play at all! So, i'm stumped ! 

 

Any help appreciated! Thanks. 

[Tech1e]

Have you tried bleeding the clutch?

[poiuytre111]

It sounds like clutch drag which can either be due to the hyraulics not fully releasing or can be due to warping of the flywheel. Having once changed a clutch only to find the dragging symptom not going away because I hadn't checked and fixed the flywheel with a skim, I sympathise.

[Stuart27183]

Have you tried bleeding the clutch?

 

No. Worth a shot?

[sepulchrave]

However it will get better as the clutch wears anyway, I'd change the brake and clutch fluid with a pressure bleeder to be on the safe side.

[Stuart27183]

OK thanks. My mate has a EZ Bleed kit so will give it a go on Monday. 

[coskev]

Next time it feels hard to push into first pump the clutch pedal up and down fast a few times then see if it drops in better,if it does as above it needs bleeding.

[ste372]

Was the slave cylinder changed when clutch was done? If so I'd try bleeding it and then clutch master cylinder.

[Stuart27183]

Next time it feels hard to push into first pump the clutch pedal up and down fast a few times then see if it drops in better,if it does as above it needs bleeding.

 

OK will check this tomorrow then bleed on Monday - thanks for the advice

[silky16v]

100% no play on the shaft even new gearboxes have a slight amount of movement

Exact same setup I have and same symptoms and the shim mod fixed mine

[Stuart27183]

So, I bled the clutch yesterday - the old fluid was a bit poo coloured so glad I did this. So, it has made the gear selection better, but still having an issue this morning selecting reverse. Reset gear linkages next?

[coskev]

That's prob easiest.

Have you changed gearbox oil?

As it's common with these boxes if the wrong grade oil is used they are notchy to select gears when cold.

Did you try pumping the pedal this morn when it would not select reverse?

Not doubting your ability to bleed the system but they can be awkward to get all the air out

[Stuart27183]

That's prob easiest.

Have you changed gearbox oil?

As it's common with these boxes if the wrong grade oil is used they are notchy to select gears when cold.

Did you try pumping the pedal this morn when it would not select reverse?

Not doubting your ability to bleed the system but they can be awkward to get all the air out

 

Have not changed the gb oil no - I did pump the pedal and it did not seem to make any difference? 1st now seems to be much better (not 100% still), but reverse was a pig this morning. Pretty certain no air in system now, we used EZ bleed kit and did it twice to be sure. I will reset the linkages later, and suppose it is worth changing the gb oil.

Edited 19 January, 2016 by Stuart27183

[coskev]

Don't go to dealers for oil,just get yourself some 75W80 fully synthetic,not 75W90

If the gear change reset or oil don't sort it I would be worried the Darkside flywheel is not quite right for the Sachs clutch.

I had the Sachs SRE but with the Sachs SMF and gear selection and changes were spot on.

[hutchysrs50]

Any further recommendations for the gearbox oil?

Mines tight first thing in the morning as well.

Just gone over 100,000 so going to change my oil as well.

[Stuart27183]

Don't go to dealers for oil,just get yourself some 75W80 fully synthetic,not 75W90

If the gear change reset or oil don't sort it I would be worried the Darkside flywheel is not quite right for the Sachs clutch.

I had the Sachs SRE but with the Sachs SMF and gear selection and changes were spot on.

I've ordered some Fuchs 75W80 and the silly tool needed for the drain plug. Will update once done. Thanks for the advice. 

[coskev]

Any further recommendations for the gearbox oil?

Mines tight first thing in the morning as well.

Just gone over 100,000 so going to change my oil as well.

As above,Fuchs is a good brand.

Go on Opie Oils and type in 75W80 gearbox oil then take your pic

[hutchysrs50]

Comes up with quite a few suggestions, even the search bar suggested 3 other searches with 75w80.

I really don't know what to look for, I've changed the gearbox oil on a previous vrs but used genuine stuff.

[hutchysrs50]

Somthing like this for £17 a bottle

http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-1019-red-line-synthetic-manual-transmission-lubricant-mtl-75w-80-gl4.aspx

Or this Fuchs for £10 a bottle

http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-981-fuchs-titan-sintofluid-sae-75w-80-synthetic-manual-transmission-fluid.aspx

Is the extra price worth it for better oil or all the same etc?

[coskev]

I would go for the Fuchs

[Stuart27183]

Just been to the gym and selecting 1st and getting stuck in it and strugling like hell to get reverse! Not a happy bunny!

[vRSAnt]

I had problems with the reverse and 1st being really really notchy like this, gearbox oil change and the reset mechanism to the shift linkeages seem to have sorted it more or less for me.

Could be a bit of issue with wear and tear on the selector on the clutch also apparently I was told with high mileage cars like mine, may benefit from clutch change eventually.

 

 

(you have done the obvious thing of the reset of gear linkeages I hope). There should be a video on the forum on this, I've actually got a local copy of it actually.

( Jim Royston from DieselGeek.com shift linkeage adjustment for 2000 and newer Golf Jetta Beetle video )

[hutchysrs50]

Thanks, I'll stick the oil on my shopping list.

Will change the gearbox oil and reset the linkage at the same time and see how it goes.

Mines very very minimal really, don't notice it apart from pulling off the drive from first to second.

[Stuart27183]

Just reset the linkages- big improvement but not 100% yet. Selecting 5th and 6th is firmer now and wobbling neutral over to the right is quite firm compared to going left? So much better but not quite there yet as did get slightly stuck in first but wasnt too hard to get it out like it was yesterday. Selecting reverse seems fine now.

[fabdavrav]

Sounds like the bushes in the side to side lever are buggered.............

 

http://www.partsbase.org/skoda/fabia-fab-eu-2005-71135-selector-mechanism/

 

item number 48...................

 

http://www.partsbase.org/parts/sko-1j0711067l/