5th GEAR,HELP NEEDED!!!

[Valver]

Driving home from Essex last night doing about a ton in 5th no probs, then I notice that every time I accelerate/decelerate the gear lever is moving backwards and forwards making a nasty knocking, grinding noise like the gearbox is going to fall out !!! Does anyone know what this is, is it a common problem ? Is it serious and how much will it cost me ? Only seems to do it in 5th and there is no probs changing gear ?

Thanks for any help you can give

Mike

 

[SteveJJH]

Mine moves around alot, i think the gearbox is not long for this world.

 

[Valver]

How much does yours move around. Mine never used to budge until last night, now it looks like your in first when your in 5th. I thought it would progressively deteriorate but it went all of a sudden and the noise is a bit worrying too. Could it be the linkage or something come loose ? The cars only done 64K is this a bit premature for the gear box to go, I know they arent that tough but would have thought youd get 80K out of one ??

Thanks again !!

 

[SteveJJH]

Mines done 64k too. the gear change is quite tricky and the stick moves when you come on and off the throttle in any gear. I have heard of 16v gearboxes going very early (usually on tuned engines) theyre not the strongest of boxes. Im not really an expert, but there must be a lot of experience out there cnsidering how often replacement gearboxes come up in the "wanted" section on here.

 

[Valver]

Thats why Im hoping its not the box, it doesnt move in any other gear and the gear change itself is fine in all gears, no problem at all. Im far from an expert but would have thought first gear would be the one to go if its the box, not 5th ? Its not been tuned at all either !?

 

[Matbrown]

Check you engine mounts.



Mat.

 

[Valver]

Ok cheers, is this easy enough for me to do ? Are there up-rated engine mounts availible ? Final question, is it expensive ?

Thanks again !

 

[Ben H]

Check the engine/gearbox rear mounting link ("dog bone"). Theres one engine mount supporting the drivers side of the engine to the strut turret; another holding the gearbox to the other side of the car and a third (the dog bone) sits at the back of the engine/gearbox and stops it rocking back and forth. If the dogbone goes, the engine/box will rock back and forth, causing a bang or two - although some fore/aft movement in the gear stick is usual.

 

[Valver]

Excellent, cheers mate. I know a bit of play is normal but this is silly, it really does look like its moving down a gear on its own and the noise is a tad worrying, sounds like it is a bust dogbone, is it hard and expensive to do ? Ive done a few simple things before, can anybody with a bag of spanners do it ?

 

[Nick Read]

Sounds like the dogbone mount has gone. Get a standard one from Renault or an uprated stiffer one from Hill Power or BB

 

[Fast Al]

My gearbox went bang yesterday now no reverse gear, only got 60k on the clock, being collected 2mrw or investigation.

Al

 

[Rajk]

I paid a mechanic 70 quid to have mine changed - 35 for the dog leg and 35 labour. I thought this was reasonable.