Gearbox or clutch (1.5D)

[YorkshirePudding]

Hi people

I thought this would be the best place to post about the 2000W Saxo 1.5D SX that I have recently bought and seem to have broken!

It has done 64k miles and despite having no service history it has been running great for the past 3k miles I have put on it, the only niggle being a slightly blowing exhaust. I was due to have the cambelt changed and get my local garage to do a full service this week but something has seriously gone wrong with the gearbox or clutch.

On Saturday everything was fine and I even did 120 miles. Then on Sunday she fired up as normal but it was impossible to put into first gear, or any other gear for that matter. However, with the engine off I could select any gear (but reverse was a bit tough).

I turned the engine off, put it into first and fired it up again. She drives with no excess noise and I was able to change gears but it took some real force to do so but when I changed gear there was no crunching at all, just really hard to change. I drove it like this for literally 300m and parked up again.

I'm not very technically minded but it's weird that it was ok but has developed the problem overnight. Looking on the net seems to suggest it could be the synchromesh or something? Does this sound familiar? Is it expensive?

Forgot to add there was no clutch slip at all, biting point is a little on the low side but it always has been on diesels I've had.

[Barry123]

Mine did something similar prior to selling it. Before doing anything too drastic have a look under the car and inspect the gear linkages (if you're unsure what you're looking for, have a friend wiggle the gear stick whilst you're under the car and you should be able to see the parts which make up the linkages wiggle). Chances are you've bent a linkage a touch or one of the pivot arms that joins to the chassis has gone loose!

Inspect and report back!

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[Barry123]

I should point out that the chances of knackering all five synchros at exactly the same time is extremely small too!

[YorkshirePudding]

Hi adsayer, thanks for the replies.

I've just tried to get under the car but couldn't reach the bits you were talking about as I don't have a jack or if the car does I'm still to find it!

I can select any gear with relative ease when the engine is off, reverse does a mechanical crunch but the others seem quite free moving. They are solid as a rock with the engine on though

[Barry123]

No problem at all. I should have elaborated on the problem mine had - which was that when the engine was running it won't go into gear, and when the engine was off it was fine. The damn car actually left me stranded blocking Northallerton highstreet for about 5 mins whilst I paniced.
The jack is located in the spare wheel under the car, provided no one has pinched it!

[Stevo123]

Clutch seems to be dragging hence unable to select gear with engine running. I belive if linkages were at fault the issue would still be there with engine off - as it is not in your case strongly suspect clutch/stretched clutch cable/bent clutch release arm. You can try to shorten the cable - adjust it using a 13mm and 10mm spanner - look under battery tray and you will see it. If no good then release bearing may have collapsed.

[YorkshirePudding]

Hi guys,

Sorry for not replying sooner. I managed to get it to my local garage by driving there in second gear (was fun) and after taking it apart it was the clutch release bearing that had gone. He recommended I get the clutch done whilst it was in bits so I did and everything is great. Cost me £270 for the clutch kit, gearbox oil and labour so not ideal but I don't think that's too bad either.

Thanks for the advice

[saxo-parts]

i think its about 70 pounds too much tbh