'98 Felicia gearbox problems (Help)

[DJOli]

So Hi, it's been a while since i posted on here.

Anyway. My little felly hasn't been doing too good.

I Found out what's been bothering it and it seems to be the Selectorshaft connected from the shifter to the gearbox.

I just heard from a car technician that all the joints connecting (and holding) the shaft in place are broken, and therefore the whole thing can't be fixed.

The shaft is currently being held in place by 5 of these plastic belt straps.

(refer to images)

Now. The part where i'd need YOUR help is i need to get a new thingy for my gearbox, i'm not sure whether i need a whole new gearbox, but if so, then so be it.

I don't want to order it from the Icelandic Hekla dealership due to overpricing, so general price ideas, and ideas on how much shipping (from the UK) to Iceland might possibly cost would be greatly apperciated.

Thanks.

Edited 20 December, 2011 by DJOli

[djaychela]

I doubt you need a new gearbox.

There are kits available to repair your existing linkage. Jorily sell them, but bear in mind there are two types of linkage and yours may have the newer one so need a different kit.

I don't know how much a new linkage is, but I'm sure the repair kits are cheaper.

If you know a good mechanic/fabricator they will be able to make you a much better linkage - getting the right joints at each end will do the trick, if they have access to a lathe and some metal stock and a welder then it will be easy.

[rolo]

The complete shaft is no longer available, but the bits to mend it are. The problem is getting the pins out without wrecking the joints.

The gearbox end joint is available so fitting the pin is easy, peening the ends is much easier than it looks. The shaft joint can be a problem. I bought another gearbox end and after welding a gearbox end sized bar to the shaft instead of the pin fork, fit the new pin and bolted it up, so can replace, completely, both ends in future.

The parts from vag cost about £35, thats with 2 gearbox ends and all the bits, Good luck.

Edited 21 December, 2011 by rolo

[alastairq]

hi...last winter, after straddling some rather hard ice ridges, the gearshift joint , which essentially carries the shift rod from gearlever to gearbox, snapped off.

Left with nowt but 3rd and 4th!

With the help of tie wraps, secured the shift rod up close and personal, but gearshift resembled four-on-the-floor Vauxhall Victor gear shifts.....however, I got used to the flicking wrist movement essential for a nice neat change.

This summer, the remains of the joint got dislodged...so popped into a rural Somerset village motor repairer, who...with mu assistance, removed the whole shift rod and gearbox stay.....welded up a new spigot for the gearshift joint to sit on....and banged it all back together....£25 all in.

Now sound as a pound!

However, a subsequent trip to Jorily found me buying, for a modest price, a complete, brand-new gear shift and gearbox stay unit...should the current item pack it in, I can swap the complete thing......however, I have a suspicion the car may well reach the end of its useful life long before the current bodge gives up the ghost?

[Phil-E]

If it is the one pictured above as I suspect it will be then it is the latter one and can be easily repaired with a kit that includes new rubbers for the bottom of the gear stick and new bushes for all the koints etc.

On my 96 felly it was the earlier type that needed a new joint as it was a sealed metal unit.

Phil