Stiff gear change

[Stickboy]

Hello

The gear change on my Octy has been stiff for sometime. My regular garage have tried to free it up without changing any parts, but to no avail. They've recommended chaging the gear selector, cover and rod and have quoted £320 for parts and labour (inc VAT). My questions are:

1. Does this sound like the correct course of action?

2. Is this a fair price for such work?

Thanks

[Guest BigJase88]

Have they changed the gearbox oil?

That would be my first step! Or even checked theres oil in it

Gearbox oil changes have worked wonders for

Me in the past! Really need to do my octy

[Stickboy]

Thanks, Jase. No, they've not suggested it.

Just to give a bit more info on my gear shift. It's stiff on the horizontal and doesn't centre. So when changing between 2nd and 3rd I have to move it all the way.

[Guest BigJase88]

You need to reset the gear selector!

Simple to do yourself theres a how to video on youtube which talks you through how to do it

Hope it works for you and id recommend some fresh oil too

Edited 15 May, 2012 by BigJase88

[Guest BigJase88]

Just type in gear selector reset vw on youtube and it should be the first video.

Edited 15 May, 2012 by BigJase88

[Stickboy]

Thanks again. I've tried the linkage adjustment, but it made little difference. I did notice that one of the plastic splines under the springs, on one of the rods, was stuck onto the linkage rod, not sticking out at an angle like the others.

How much should I expect to pay for a gearbox oil change?

[Guest BigJase88]

Not a great deal half an hours labour and the cost of the oil

£80 or so?

[GeeVRSman]

2l of genuine oil costs £11 from TPS. a garage would prob charge you £40 tops to change ya oil. i used to charge £20 labour for gearoil change at the garage.

[Guest BigJase88]

I stuck millers in mine at £40! Gotta have the best

[GeeVRSman]

if its good enough for the engineers at vw/audi its good enough for my car.

[joeboy]

I found my car would not select 3rd gear sometimes, I changed the oil, I aligned the shifter as on the youtube video and it still did it but a lot less. I found in the end that in the linkage there is a shaft with a clip on the end that just pushes off and that little shaft runs in two plastic bushes that had worn and so caused side play in the linkage, I took the bushes out and just put one turn of black pvc tape around each bush and pushed them back in and applied a good coating of copperslip over the shaft and clipped the shiny clip back on, its like a new car again.

Edited 16 May, 2012 by joeboy

[Stickboy]

I decided to have another go at resetting the gear selector and the locking collar on one of the spings won't stay in place when the springs are compressed. Can this be easily replaced? Or should I go with what my garage has suggested doing?

[brockite]

it sounds like i may have the same problem but none of the answers seem right, i can select 1st through to 5th no probs and reverse, but the left to right movement in neutral is stiff i hope i have explained the symptons a bit clearer :think:

[joeboy]

Dont worry about the springs not locking back, Just lock the gearbox up with the pin and put the 5mm pin in the stick. Then flick the srings back and relaease them again. Try not to move any of the linkage when you flick the springs back and release them. Check the little white nylon slipper and the arm its on for slack. I just preplaced the 2 bushes and the slipper for about a fiver. My box is much better now, it was that bad before I was looking for another one. I replaced the oil with skoda stuff and changed the 2 bushes in the arm and the slipper.

The white nylon slipper slider thing does not have an arrow to it on the skoda microfiche but it is available for £2.78 its just under the arm assembly no. 47 on the parts list for the linkage.

The 2 bushes are 98p each and worth getting while you are there.

Edited 25 May, 2012 by joeboy

[kentphil1]

Do you have the part numbers for these parts at all? - would be handy for other people who have the same problem but not such a good parts dept man to find them. Glad you made an improvement.

[joeboy]

Sorry I have thorwn the bill. But they are easy to find from my description and pricing.

Edited 25 May, 2012 by joeboy

[palival]

Sorry for hijacking this thread. Please let me know skoda Octavia mk 1 .9 TDI  gear lever part number. I need to change the entire lever due to sleeve problem. Please refer the picture.