Struggle Selecting 1st Gear and Sometimes Gets Stuck?

[coskev]

Perhaps because it's a special edition it needs special oil............

[hutchysrs50]

Perhaps because it's a special edition it needs special oil............

I shall make a thread stating this and see how it goes. Advice from lesser models not required.

[Stuart27183]

Interestingly, mine is not fully cured as first assumed. Better, but been struggling a bit again with 1st and reverse this week. Bloody annoying, but suppose i will just have to live with it.........

[sepulchrave]

I changed mine yesterday, 2 liters of the exact same stuff pictured above.

Tested it out this morning on a cold start pulling off the drive and.... its still the same.

It could be normal to be honest, i wouldnt desribe it as a fault, just that first time you put it into gear it doesnt feel as smooth as it does every other time.

Will do the gear linkages next and see if that helps it at all.

 

I drained the oil from the lower drain plug and left it for a little while, refitted it, removed the fill plug and filled it untill it over flowed, it took just under 2 liters all together.

 

Look, you're not doing this right, whenever you spend any money or do anything to the car you're supposed to say how much better it is than it was before, ok?

[hutchysrs50]

Dont just look at me! 

 

He's back peddling now as well! ^ ^ ^ ^ ^  :sun: 

Edited 4 February, 2016 by hutchysrs50

[stevobeavo]

I've had the same problem on all 3 gearboxes I've had. My current ones been fully rebuilt and still does it, bit I do have some thick oil in it and the notchy gear changes doesnt disappear until at least 25/30 minutes of normal driving.

Might just be a feature lol.

[atherm3]

Hi Guys, 

 

I'm having the same problem, the gear changes are notably different when cold, also occasionally I struggle getting into 1st or reverse and have to pump the clutch/turn engine off or whatever takes me at the time. 

 

My local VAG specialist want £35 to do a diagnostic which tbh I'm not fussed about the cost unless it's something serious!

[KenONeill]

Hi Guys, 

 

I'm having the same problem, the gear changes are notably different when cold, also occasionally I struggle getting into 1st or reverse and have to pump the clutch/turn engine off or whatever takes me at the time. 

 

My local VAG specialist want £35 to do a diagnostic which tbh I'm not fussed about the cost unless it's something serious!

If you're having difficulty getting 1/R, I'd suspect clutch drag, which suggests the clutch hydraulics need bleeding as a first step, and possibly a new slave cylinder or flex pipe (if there is one).

[atherm3]

If you're having difficulty getting 1/R, I'd suspect clutch drag, which suggests the clutch hydraulics need bleeding as a first step, and possibly a new slave cylinder or flex pipe (if there is one).

Thanks, 

 

With it being a hydraulic clutch, would this cause the other issue I have? The clutch sometimes doesn't return under my foot, it's soft and feels dampened. Can be for 2-8 presses of the clutch which is annoying in traffic using the bite to move.

[hutchysrs50]

I've had the same problem on all 3 gearboxes I've had. My current ones been fully rebuilt and still does it, bit I do have some thick oil in it and the notchy gear changes doesnt disappear until at least 25/30 minutes of normal driving.

Might just be a feature lol.

My 2007 Ibiza fr was exactly the same, that had about 70,000 on it same 1.9 tdi BLT etc etc

Hopefully doing the gear linkages might help mine that little bit more along with the new gearbox oil, might help keep it going for another 100k hopefully!

[KenONeill]

Thanks, 

 

With it being a hydraulic clutch, would this cause the other issue I have? The clutch sometimes doesn't return under my foot, it's soft and feels dampened. Can be for 2-8 presses of the clutch which is annoying in traffic using the bite to move.

I've never experienced, or even heard of, that one.

[sepulchrave]

Thanks, 

 

With it being a hydraulic clutch, would this cause the other issue I have? The clutch sometimes doesn't return under my foot, it's soft and feels dampened. Can be for 2-8 presses of the clutch which is annoying in traffic using the bite to move.

 

It sounds very much like you have air in the clutch circuit, this is usually caused by allowing the brake fluid level to drop too low, the clutch pedal on the Fabia has a bottom detent mechanism to reduce the effort needed in keeping the pedal pressed, it's like a helper spring, if you push the pedal to the floor with no fluid in the system you'll find it stays there. You must use a pressure bleeder to bleed the system, pumping the pedal won't work.

[atherm3]

It sounds very much like you have air in the clutch circuit, this is usually caused by allowing the brake fluid level to drop too low, the clutch pedal on the Fabia has a bottom detent mechanism to reduce the effort needed in keeping the pedal pressed, it's like a helper spring, if you push the pedal to the floor with no fluid in the system you'll find it stays there. You must use a pressure bleeder to bleed the system, pumping the pedal won't work.

Right no bother, I'll get it sorted.

Thanks very much!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Nickiejay1991]

I had the exact same problem. Have you researched and changed the ring spacer thing on the side of your gear box.

Mine was struggling with 1st and reverse and needed to yank it out some times. Changed this ring and perfect

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Stuart27183]

If you're having difficulty getting 1/R, I'd suspect clutch drag, which suggests the clutch hydraulics need bleeding as a first step, and possibly a new slave cylinder or flex pipe (if there is one).

 

So, this has come back to haunt me! It is being a real pig to get into first again and start to drag and soon as i come to a stop and is very diffucult to get out of first - i can then get it back in but its a struggle. Driving me mad! Really do not want to have to pay a garage to sort it but with only having the odd weekend free at the moment I just do not have time to investigate the problem more - I have done everything I think I can now.

 

Any suggestions on who to take it to who is good and is likely to be able to cure it? I have done the following: clutch bleed twice with an EZ bleed bottle, check for main selector shaft play and none there as far as i can see, then reset the gear linkages and also changed gearbox fluid. All these things helped but i am back to square one now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[coskev]

Your 100% sure the shaft wouldn't have pushed in slightly?

[Stuart27183]

Your 100% sure the shaft wouldn't have pushed in slightly?

 

I did defnitely 'finger' it lol and could not budge it so just put my new cap on. Maybe i am being thick but it did sound like the most likely culprit. At a brick wall with it now..............

[FromTheDarkness]

Just to add, that for some reason opie sells cheaper on ebay, than their site.. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fuchs-TITAN-SINTOFLUID-SAE-75W-80-Manual-Transmission-Fluid-MTF-75W80-1-Litre-1L-/161044251434?hash=item257efc432a:g:dJ0AAOxyOypSaRqF

[KenONeill]

It sounds very much like you have air in the clutch circuit, this is usually caused by allowing the brake fluid level to drop too low, the clutch pedal on the Fabia has a bottom detent mechanism to reduce the effort needed in keeping the pedal pressed, it's like a helper spring, if you push the pedal to the floor with no fluid in the system you'll find it stays there. You must use a pressure bleeder to bleed the system, pumping the pedal won't work.

 

 

So, this has come back to haunt me! It is being a real pig to get into first again and start to drag and soon as i come to a stop and is very diffucult to get out of first - i can then get it back in but its a struggle. Driving me mad! Really do not want to have to pay a garage to sort it but with only having the odd weekend free at the moment I just do not have time to investigate the problem more - I have done everything I think I can now.

 

Any suggestions on who to take it to who is good and is likely to be able to cure it? I have done the following: clutch bleed twice with an EZ bleed bottle, check for main selector shaft play and none there as far as i can see, then reset the gear linkages and also changed gearbox fluid. All these things helped but i am back to square one now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My thought that you actually have a problem with the slave cylinder or the hydraulic pipe seems pretty much confirmed now. If there are signs of wetness or oiliness on the pipe, I'd change that first, and otherwise change the slave.

[Stuart27183]

My thought that you actually have a problem with the slave cylinder or the hydraulic pipe seems pretty much confirmed now. If there are signs of wetness or oiliness on the pipe, I'd change that first, and otherwise change the slave.

 

Thanks Ken - I will have a look for wetness after work. Spoke to Unit18 and they say more than likely its the gearbox as have done many like this and especially as I have already tried the common fix's. He seemed fairly certain that it will be a box rebuild - said that the mainshaft bearing on the inner side of the box will be foobarred. Note that the creeping did actually start last summer when the car was fairly standard and with the original clutch and DMF in.

 

Thanks for the advice and I will update the thread once a solution has been found.

[coskev]

Oh well,look on the bright side you might aswell get a LSD fitted while its in bits!!!!!

[stevobeavo]

Thanks Ken - I will have a look for wetness after work. Spoke to Unit18 and they say more than likely its the gearbox as have done many like this and especially as I have already tried the common fix's. He seemed fairly certain that it will be a box rebuild - said that the mainshaft bearing on the inner side of the box will be foobarred. Note that the creeping did actually start last summer when the car was fairly standard and with the original clutch and DMF in.

 

Thanks for the advice and I will update the thread once a solution has been found.

This has just jogged my memory. Ali said the same thing to me when mine was making horrible noises and it was the input shaft bearing on its way out. I couldn't afford for it to be rebuilt at the time so he said look out for it being difficult to get it in gear and it will then worsen to the point of loosing gears all together.

The company they use are excellent. They come with a 2 year warranty too.

[Stuart27183]

Oh well,look on the bright side you might aswell get a LSD fitted while its in bits!!!!!

 

I know I know I keep thinking the same thing! However, my bank account/other half would go mental......................just do not want to pay for a box rebuild if it is only the clutch m/c. But, I will just leave the car with Unit18 for a week and get it sorted; then cry at the bill and decide If I can justify whacking a Quaife in aswel. 

[Stuart27183]

This has just jogged my memory. Ali said the same thing to me when mine was making horrible noises and it was the input shaft bearing on its way out. I couldn't afford for it to be rebuilt at the time so he said look out for it being difficult to get it in gear and it will then worsen to the point of loosing gears all together.

The company they use are excellent. They come with a 2 year warranty too.

 

 

Ah yes, that is another good point - as it seems to be worsening it will most likely go pop sometime soon and I will be in the **** then....................

[coskev]

I know I know I keep thinking the same thing! However, my bank account/other half would go mental......................just do not want to pay for a box rebuild if it is only the clutch m/c. But, I will just leave the car with Unit18 for a week and get it sorted; then cry at the bill and decide If I can justify whacking a Quaife in aswel.

Yeah but she won't know how much a gearbox rebuild is

It's just another part of your knackered box that needs replacing