Hi have a Skoda fabia MK1 1.2 and the gears have all gone. Gear selector seems to be working as the cables to gearbox are moving. Clutch feels normal but car just revs when in any gear including reverse. No previous signs of clutch slipping and no hydraulic leaks. Its done 70000. Son was driving and said he changed from 5th to third as slowed down to pull into our drive. Said it felt difficult to get into third  then no drive at all. Any help most welcome or where to start looking. Just got it through the MOT and was hoping not to have to do anything else to it for a while

Alasdair

You need to make sure the selector mechanism on top of the gearbox is actually connected to the selector shaft and not just floating about, it sounds like the gearbox is stuck in neutral.

Thanks for the reply. Gearbox selector shaft is still connected to selector mechanism on top of gearbox and moves up down etc when selecting gears so I assume it may be an internal problem. Either that or the clutch has not re engaged  but not sure how that could happen . Pedal feels fine and doesn't sink to the floor. If I manually move the selector mechanism cables on top of gear box it moves the selector shaft up and down etc but still no drive at all just revs.

Alasdair

It's not a driveshaft come off or a CV joint failed is it? I had an Audi fool me that way once. 

 

If you stick it in a gear with the car turned off and rock the car, can you feel the engine compression?

 

 

12 minutes ago, StevesTruck said:

It's not a driveshaft come off or a CV joint failed is it? I had an Audi fool me that way once. 

 

If you stick it in a gear with the car turned off and rock the car, can you feel the engine compression?

 

 

Did think of that. Had an old landrover 110 that snapped a drive shaft and wouldn't move.

I Replaced front wheel bearing last week for MOT but everything seems in place and drive shafts seem solid. It did feel like it was trying to move very slightly when reving but could have been imagination as it was on a hill which would point to complete clutch failure but no sudden noises or bangs just before it stopped driving and no burning smell either and no previous signs of a slipping clutch. Will have a closer look tomorrow in daylight. I am thinking its either a gear selector shaft problem or the clutch pressure plate/ release bearing has failed sudddenly or master/slave stuck which isn't impossible but very unusual. I will jack both sides up and see if I can turn wheels when in gear. I assume turning one should make the other turn if the gears are engaged. It just feels as though its either in Neutral or there is no friction on the clutch. No oil or fluid leaks either. Got me stumped

Alasdair

Are you sure the driveshaft hasn't pulled out of the diff on the side where you did the wheel bearing?

No don't think so. Its been on the road for about 10 days plus an MOT since I did it and everything looks in place. Just wondering if the gear selector shaft is broken internally? or the  clutch is completely non existant.(Never had a clutch fail like this before slipping or any warning but who knows) Going to get it moved undercover tomorrow  and have a proper look. Will try and see if its actually in gear but no clutch or if its stuck in neutral even though the selector seems to work. 

Alasdair

It's not unknown for a driveshaft to fall off the gearbox if the bolts haven't been refitted properly. 

 

I wouldn't bother jacking it up and spinning wheels in the first case, just drop it in a gear and rock the car.

 

If the clutch has totally lunched itself, I'd Normally expect some bad noises when it's sat idling. 

Weird coincidence that this happened right after the front wheel bearing job.

1 hour ago, StevesTruck said:

It's not unknown for a driveshaft to fall off the gearbox if the bolts haven't been refitted properly. 

 

I wouldn't bother jacking it up and spinning wheels in the first case, just drop it in a gear and rock the car.

 

If the clutch has totally lunched itself, I'd Normally expect some bad noises when it's sat idling. 

I just replaced front wheel bearing and didn't touch the drive shaft/gearbox end. As said cars been fine f0r 10 days. Theres no noise when idling and the pedal hasn't dropped or changed pressure. The gear linkage seems to be operating and the gearstick is smooth into all gears but car feels like its in neutral. There have been no CV noises etc either and no sign of clutch slipping before loss of gears. Reckon it might be the gear selector shaft inside the gearbox. 

Hi there, Quick update. Car is on level ground now and if in first gear is just trying to move forward very very slightly (about 1-2cm) when revving and slight noise from I assume clutch area . Slight rumble but no major noises The higher the gear the less it moves Nothing in 5th . Rocked it back and forward and drive shafts moving but no resistance in any gear. Could this be a completely failed clutch pressure plate or something jammed to stop the clutch disengaging? Not sure how to check

Alasdair

2 hours ago, Alasdair1 said:

Hi there, Quick update. Car is on level ground now and if in first gear is just trying to move forward very very slightly (about 1-2cm) when revving and slight noise from I assume clutch area . Slight rumble but no major noises The higher the gear the less it moves Nothing in 5th . Rocked it back and forward and drive shafts moving but no resistance in any gear. Could this be a completely failed clutch pressure plate or something jammed to stop the clutch disengaging? Not sure how to check

Alasdair

Another point. Was trying to change gear with and without out clutch depressed and seems to engage. Grinding noise without clutch depressed when going into reverse so gear box seems ok and its actually shifting into gear but no drive so looks like a clutch related problem? Will try and bleed cluch system to see if that helps.

Pressure bled clutch and fluid was not good. Almost green/brown in colour. Kept bleeding till I got nice clean fluid through but still no joy or any air. Pedal goes to the floor and comes back ok. Could it be the slave actuator being stuck in the out position and not fully returning ? Don't think the clutch is adjustable.

 

On 06/11/2024 at 14:06, Alasdair1 said:

Pressure bled clutch and fluid was not good. Almost green/brown in colour. Kept bleeding till I got nice clean fluid through but still no joy or any air. Pedal goes to the floor and comes back ok. Could it be the slave actuator being stuck in the out position and not fully returning ? Don't think the clutch is adjustable.

 

UPDATE. Got the car finally into workshop on a flat level concrete floor. It will move forward in first very very slowly. The drive is so weak you could stop it with one finger at mid revs and also same in reverse but still no drive.  Wont move at all in 2nd -5th Bled clutch and today took slave cylinder out and it seems ok. I can push it in without restriction so rod not seized in out position. (going to replace it as the rubber internal gaitor is split). I can also push lever that operates clutch with a lot of force and it springs back so clutch spring is still good. Still to check drive shafts which seem solid and rotate when pushing car back and forward. but reckon its either Diff or clutch so first planning to check shafts etc. and make sure there still connected and not broken or damaged and if there ok its gearbox out time unless I am missing something. Never had a problem like this. Normally when a clutch fails it slips before hand or totals the bell housing/flywheel and weird thing there was no noise before it happened. If anyone has any ideas what else I could check I would very grateful. 

Alasdair