HDI Gearbox

[mattgreene]

Another question!!! my hdi, has a stiff gearbox, are these prone to getting tired, shes now done 161000 miles!! i was thinking that it could be the top engine mount has dropped and that's putting the gear linkages on a funny angle, or could it be sometimes my clutch feels funny almost like its sticking down, such as the pressure plate is seizing up!!?? Any ideas possibly shine some light on it would be appreciated.

[JamesG]

Could be just due a clutch change.

Is your pedal stiff?

If so may be good to start off at replacing the clutch cable

[mattgreene]

I wouldn't have said the clutch is overly stiff, ive replaced the cable about 3 months ago, yeh i did wonder maybe it needed a change, im gonna have a stage 2 in the new year, so ill see how long it sticks that before it slips then ill replace it with a paddle clutch. Just wondered if its something as simple as a engine mount or seized linkages or something??

[JamesG]

Well before I did mine had same problem as your saying,

Changed both clutch and clutch cable in unison and voila pedals a lot smoother and easier to change gear

[mattgreene]

Like i say i might as well have some fun with the stage 2 then ill change it when it starts to slip, thanks for your help chap

[mcglynn]

just a quick heads up my clutch is stiff, showing signs of wear etc (high biting point)

put a stage two limited torque map on (around 240 ftlb) and slipped, put 200lbft on it and still slipped, youd be aswell saving for a good clutch now!

[mattgreene]

ok cheers for that ill bear that in mind then was probley thinking of getting on of these
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TORQUE-FAST-RO...2575ea1684

[mcglynn]

I would steer well clear, havent heard much about them tbh. You'd be better sticking with companies like cg, helix or sachs for a paddle clutch bud.

[mattgreene]

fair enough, are they around the same money or are they massively more expensive??

[mcglynn]

For a standard stage two people seem to go for a sachs partner clutch and then if it starts to slip upgrade the friction disc to a paddle one. Sprung or unsprung. For the sachs clutch kit its around £100 and if your only using the thrust bearing and pressure plate maybe sell the friction plate.

Then you can use the paddle ftiction plate which cost around £150-£250 dependant on what you go for.

[mattgreene]

Ah not too bad then, must admit was expecting more, im guessing then, the sachs clutch is just a uprated pressure plate until a paddle clutch plate is fitted, then its almost a solid drive!!!!

[mcglynn]

Its just a good oem item, which can stand a stage 2 map on its on more often than not. But if you want to go heavy stage two then you'd be best with either an uprated pressure plate or an uprated friction plate.

[Dum-Dum]

Sorry the thread is TL;DR but is it the boxthat its stiff or just the clutch.

If its the box change the oil.
If its the clutch pop off the pedal damper (these stffen up) and / or change the clutch cable.

[Ruan]

Yeah, is it the gearstick that's tough to move, or just the clutch.

Sounds to me like a combo of naff pedal damper (thing with a spring on the pedal - remove clip and flick off, enjoy new feeling clutch pedal) and naff clutch cable. HDi clutch pressure plates tend not to go stiff like others I've found.

[E_KEL95]

Ive seen a few people talk about that thing behind the pedal what all needs undone and is it worthwhile doing..?

[mcglynn]

Its a clip and spring, stops the pedal sticking down. Sometimes you need to flick it the final way up if the springs still on..

[mattgreene]

The clutch is fine, and ive removed the pedal damper, its the gear stick, it just seems as if you have to force it into gear, im not sure if it clutch drag.

[Poodle]

Is there a change in engine noise when you press the clutch pedal down?

[mattgreene]

nope, unfortunately else i could be sure of clutch drag, im wondering if its as well just to drop in another gearbox tbh

[Poodle]

Is it full of oil at the moment? Theres a slim chance it could have leaked out, worth a quick check if it'll save you the cost of a new 'box.

[mattgreene]

When this nasty weather passes, im gonna drain it out, and see what colour it is (if its shiney) then refill with 2 liters of fresh oil, deffo worth a try

[Ruan]

It'll be fecked gear linkages or the plastic ptfe ball at the base of the stick broken or similar.

[Dum-Dum]

How sloppy are your gear linkages? is it as hard to get into every gear or are some worse than others?

As ruan says Id guess the nylon ball in tube on the end of the main linkage could be a good start for fixing or giving a good last of spray lube.

Obviously there is a chance that it is the clutch going but its probably not the case.

[mattgreene]

Ah its interesting you say that, i didnt know that they had a rubber ball on the linkages, i thought it was only the 206's ill deffo have a look at that today, mainly its 5th to 4th, and 2nd to 3rd which is the bad ones, all the gears are sloppy tbh.

[mr_fish]

Ah its interesting you say that, i didnt know that they had a rubber ball on the linkages, i thought it was only the 206's ill deffo have a look at that today, mainly its 5th to 4th, and 2nd to 3rd which is the bad ones, all the gears are sloppy tbh.

Niall did a guide on how to change the bush on the gear linkage rod

Here > http://306oc.co.uk/forum/thread-13929.html

[mattgreene]

Thanks for that ill have a go at that and see if that makes a difference then

[Dum-Dum]

So its only the forward gears that are bad then.

Do your linkages feel slack?

[mattgreene]

Yeh it seems like it thinking about it, not overly a lot of play in the linkages, theres what i would call acceptable play on the gearstick