Huge problem with gearbox ahhhhh help!

[mellinator2k]

Hi guys,

Today my fabia 2.0i decided to not go into any gears at all whilst the engine is running. The car goes into gear no problems when engine turned off. It does select gears when engine on but has to be brutally pushed into each gear after several attempts.

I drove it glasgow to edinburgh yesterday and all was ok.

Today at the start of another journey it started playing up, but i managed to drive 100 miles by forecefully engaging each gear.

Any thoughts as to what the problem may be or how i solve it?

I am just praying it does not need a gearbox rebuild and hoping it is a clutch/master slave issue!!!

Thanks!

Edited 21 April, 2013 by mellinator2k

[ilmor]

Did you drive through any deep water?

Ilmor

[mellinator2k]

Hi Ilmor,

No I did not mate.

As I said it drove about 100 miles fine yesterday.

Then today after 10 miles of town driving the gear changes were not easily possible unless engine was turned off.

The gears do change when engine is running if you force them, it is as if the clutch is not engaging??

Thanks

Edited 21 April, 2013 by mellinator2k

[mannyo]

probably not the gearbox, sounds more like clutch to me which will be a lot cheaper to sort. Something has happened and the clutch plate is either not releasing properly or something is jamming it on.

[mellinator2k]

What else i have noted from driving the car over the past 1k miles is that most times when in the higher rev range the gears would consistently be more difficult to select than when you were at lower revs trying to change gear. This help at all?

[mannyo]

Sounds even more like clutch, at low revs the gears are easy to engage as the shafts are all turning slowly. at high RPM the gears and shafts turning faster its difficult to find a point where they will all mesh together without forcing it.

When my dads Fabia clutch went it was exactly as you describe, except his failure was caused by a leaking oil seal contaminating the bell housing. He ended up having new flywheel, clutch, release bearing, and the leaking seal replaced.

[mellinator2k]

cheers mate, ill hope my mechanic has the same diagnosis!!! thanks so much everyone

[hutchysrs50]

I'll second clutch as well.

[Codroe23]

I had EXACTLY the same problem on my old punto turbo and it turned out to be a leak from my slave cylinder and therefore I had no clutch that had happened unbeknown to me. Lesson I learnt was not to

[Dunkuk]

You should be able to change gears without the clutch by matching the engine revs. Not easy in 1st but very easy in 5th and 4th. You just push the gearlever gently into the gear you want and move the revs up and down until it slips in. If you can do that then yet another indicator it is a clutch problem.

[mellinator2k]

Cheers guys for the feedback!!

The car is still drivable, although you do have to really force each gear (especially 1 and 2).

Defo easier to pop the gears in 3,4,5.

When in first there is a shudder from the car on take off.

All gears once engaged, stay engaged fine and as I say the car is drivable but very difficult!!!

Im hoping it is a clutch it needs only!

[mellinator2k]

Problem found and fixed.

As most of you predicted the clutch was at fault.

The clutch plate had fractured in two different places, so the whole clutch was changed at £286

Sounds like something that was gradually getting worse and worse until gears just didnt engage

At least the problem is now sorted

Thanks folks