Hi all

 

I think my synchros have been on the blink for the last few months - grinding when shifting into 4th and then recently also griding shifting into 6th.

 

On the way home today, after accelerating from a roundabout, I tried to shift into 5th from 4th but it just grinded and wouldn't shift in.  Tried 6th, same thing.  I shifted down to 3rd and there's no difference between 3rd gear and 4th now - it seems to be the same gear (I can't tell if it's 3rd or 4th, I'm at 4500rpm at 60mph).

 

I then slowed down and tried 1st and 2nd, and again it just grinded and wouldn't go in. 

 

I made it home in whatever gear I had left (luckily no stop start traffic!).  I pulled up outside my house and had a terrbile feeling I'd not be able to revserse it onto the drive.  Sure enough, no reverse.  It'll go in reverse, it'll bite, but it won't budge and the clutch starts smelling.  It's like reverse is now a reverse 4th. 

 

When the shifter is in neutral, it's actually in gear so will stall when the clutch is released.

 

Any ideas what might be wrong? 

 

It's a 2006 VRS with 140k so if it needs gearbox tear down, then it's really not economically viable to get it fixed :'( 

I assume it's a manual?

 

I'd probably start by checking the gear lever is correctly adjusted, there are plenty of videos showing 'shifter' adjustment on youtube.

 

It'll also give you a chance to see if the gear shifters are moving freely or not. If they aren't, then you're going to need get inside the gearbox to inspect for damage.

Also check gbox oil level & clutch condition - is it engaging / disengaging the engine from box ok, too many issues for it to be related to just 1 syncro!  Stop engine select 1st or reverse clutch engaged and start disengage clutch will it drive?

 

Any obvious oil leaks - gearbox oil stinks so you'd notice it.  it's been know for low oil level to sieze the needle roller bearings  / weld a gear to the input or intermediate shaft making it stuck in gear. I was quoted £180 +vat to repair one once out of the car, so not the end of the world, a second hand / used box could also be an option, there's plenty about if your prepared to look for a decent one.

17 hours ago, Stevie D said:

Also check gbox oil level & clutch condition - is it engaging / disengaging the engine from box ok, too many issues for it to be related to just 1 syncro!  Stop engine select 1st or reverse clutch engaged and start disengage clutch will it drive?

 

Any obvious oil leaks - gearbox oil stinks so you'd notice it.  it's been know for low oil level to sieze the needle roller bearings  / weld a gear to the input or intermediate shaft making it stuck in gear. I was quoted £180 +vat to repair one once out of the car, so not the end of the world, a second hand / used box could also be an option, there's plenty about if your prepared to look for a decent one.

 

I had the gearbox oil level changed last year (allegedly! - I didn't really trust the mechanic so can't be too sure he actually did the fluids at all). The car does get through a fair bit of oil so it could potentially be low engine oil level, but then I'll have more on my hands than just a dodgy gearbox!

 

It'll go into reverse and the clutch will bite and the car will twitch ever so slightly backwards, but then it just revs, like there's too much load. The only other gear it'll successfully go into is 3rd (or 4th, can't tell which one it is as it now seems to be the same gear/ratio) and it'll drive perfectly fine in this gear.

 

Second hand I might be able to get a new box for £400 ish.  Labour will be the killer so if I'm looking at a new box, it'll be clse to the £1k mark, it's not economically viable to keep throwing that kind of money at this car when it's 11 years old, done 140k and worth 2k at the most.