Clio Sport 182 Gearbox (2004)

[goodwin91]

Good afternoon

My son's beloved Clio Sport 182 (2004) has a problem with the gearbox (stuck in gear and it won't come out). So we are looking for a second hand gearbox. Please can anyone help at all?

2004
Clio Sport 182
Blue
91k miles

We are thinking of selling the car once this has been sorted. It has become too expensive for my son to run unfortunately, which he is not happy about

Any help would be hugely appreciated. If we struggle to find a second hand gearbox, would we have much luck selling it in it's current state. I can post more details if required. We really don't want to scrap it!!!

Thanks

Richard

 

[botfch]

Take the undertray off and see if you can get it out of gear by wiggling the selector about.

 

[Smartie93]

Can you still drive it in said stuck gear? Basically does the clutch still work and the gearbox still spin the wheels?

Definitely check the linkage as mentioned above, it's fairly vulnerable on the underside of the car.

 

[goodwin91]

Hi
Thanks for your reply. Sorry, I should have said, the link arm snapped whilst my son was driving it. Just before it happened, 2nd and 4th became loose. If we press the clutch in, we can push the car.

Nightmare!
Thanks
Richard

 

[Smartie93]

Wow! That's impressive. I've just had mine in bits and that's a chunky piece of steel. Did it break at the weld?

I've seen a few come up on the Clio sport for sale page on facebook recently if you haven't looked there?

 

[goodwin91]

It snapped in the middle. I think it’s the link arm, it was hanging on the floor under the car. (I’m no mechanic!).
I will have a look on the FB marketplace. Fingers crossed. The garage have said they’ll fit it for 250, so will be worth doing if I can find one.
Thanks
Richard

 

[Smartie93]

It's definitely part of the gearbox that's broken rather than the linkage?

Are you able to post a picture?

 

[goodwin91]

I’ll just pop over to the garage and take a photo. It’s not on a ramp, but will do the best I can.
Thank you

 

[Mbeau]

I have three spare linkages from Clios I have broken. Is it the part pictured below? Where are you based? I am assuming if the linkage is broken then it's just stuck in gear as can't be changed, hence when you depress clutch it can still be rolled.

If you get underneath and wriggle the linkage at the gearbox end it should go into neutral, unless there is another problem. I have never heard of the linkage snapping. It could have just come apart as the two ends slide together and clamp up. Hope that helps.

 

[Smartie93]

I have three spare linkages from Clios I have broken. Is it the part pictured below? Where are you based? I am assuming if the linkage is broken then it's just stuck in gear as can't be changed, hence when you depress clutch it can still be rolled.

If you get underneath and wriggle the linkage at the gearbox end it should go into neutral, unless there is another problem. I have never heard of the linkage snapping. It could have just come apart as the two ends slide together and clamp up. Hope that helps.

View attachment 1477332

I suspect the clamp bolt hasn't been done up for some reason and the linkage has slid apart like you said.

 

[goodwin91]

Unfortunately the car is still locked inside the workshop. I won’t have access until Monday.
The mechanic definitely said it wasn’t a part of the gearbox that was snapped, that it was the arm. He was trying to hit the end of it with a hammer to force it out of gear. It felt totally jammed.

 

[botfch]

Sounds like the mechanics fucked it then it’s only a thin piece of pipe.

 

[Mbeau]

That does not sound very good! Be better if the rod was connected back up and then the clutch depressed to see if it will go in gear. Hitting it will solve nothing 🙈

 

[goodwin91]

Yes that's definitely the part in the photo. We were hoping we would just have to replace that. The mechanic has tried to wriggle the linkage at the gearbox end it doesn't go into neutral.

 

[Smartie93]

The hammer to get it out of gear is worrying, maybe it is more sinister than the linkage.

He was trying to hammer the rusty piece in this photo forward and back, not into the gearbox (up and down)?

 

[goodwin91]

He was trying to hammer it where the blue arrow is. So the motion was going towards the front of the car........but it wouldn't move.

 

[Mbeau]

That is what you would move, but not with a hammer!! I wonder if it has got jammed in 1st, 3rd or 5th and as your son has changed into 2nd or 4th it has pulled the linkage apart? Did the car not make and strange noises or lock the wheels?

Where are you based?

 

[goodwin91]

Both the RAC bloke and the mechanic have said it snapped, they didn't say it came apart. Which is very odd.
I have just spoken to the mechanic. He put a heavy screwdriver on the part first, then hit that with a hammer. He said he didn't want to try any harder in case something broke. He also spoke to a nearby gearbox specialist, who seemed to think it may have jumped 2 gears, causing it to stick. Again, I am no mechanic, so please bear with me! I do appreciate all of your help, very much, thank you. My son said that the gear stick became loose in 2nd and 4th just before it happened.

 

[goodwin91]

That is what you would move, but not with a hammer!! I wonder if it has got jammed in 1st, 3rd or 5th and as your son has changed into 2nd or 4th it has pulled the linkage apart? Did the car not make and strange noises or lock the wheels?

Where are you based?

Near Witney, in Oxfordshire.

 

[goodwin91]

That is what you would move, but not with a hammer!! I wonder if it has got jammed in 1st, 3rd or 5th and as your son has changed into 2nd or 4th it has pulled the linkage apart? Did the car not make and strange noises or lock the wheels?

Where are you based?

Sorry, no strange noise, apart from a bang when it snapped or came apart. The wheels didn't lock.

 

[Mbeau]

Was just in case you were up the road as could of had a quick look for you. Bit far unfortunately.

 

[goodwin91]

Thank you that's kind. Do think think a new gearbox is my best option?

 

[Mbeau]

Sorry, no strange noise, apart from a bang when it snapped or came apart. The wheels didn't lock.

Can't help but think the linkage has come apart. I would have thought between the RAC and mechanic(?) that they would have noticed that. Were the two parts of the linkage dragging on the floor? Very hard to diagnose without seeing it.

 

[goodwin91]

Yes the 2 parts were dragging on the floor. I can certainly get a photo on Monday.......

 

[Mbeau]

Thank you that's kind. Do think think a new gearbox is my best option?

Needs someone that knows what they are doing to diagnose the issue. Could be a cheap fix if just the linkage has come apart. There are some knowledgeable Renault specialists on here, but would need to see it. Gearbox replacement is worst case and expensive.

 

[goodwin91]

Looking at the photo, would the clamp end be towards the front end of the car or the back?

 

[goodwin91]

there was about 1 foot worth of linkage from the from end, if that helps.

 

[Mbeau]

The longer part of the linkage is connected to the gear stick end. The shorter part is the gearbox end.

 

[goodwin91]

The bit where the mechanic was trying to hit had about 1 foot of linkage attached to it. Hopefully once I get a photo it will be become clear.
I assume, if it has actually snapped, I could ask them to replace the linkage and then try and get it out of gear.
It’s quite annoying that they are adamant the gearbox needs to come out for them to diagnose the problem.
They are a trusted garage.