Gear selector / linkage

[Deangatt]

Right Il start from the start, I put a new (2nd hand but good) gearbox and helix clutch into my car as 3rd an 5th were gone in the box and a clutch just to be safe in the future, when I went to pick the car up it was very hard to get into gears espicially 1st from nutural! My mechanic told me the selector was broke on mine and he had to cable tie it to see if it would work til I got a new one he said it's the big long bar at the back of the engine. So I took it a drive and within 10 mile I went to put it into 1st and it jammed in 1st so I had to use both hands to pull it out of 1st and when I did get it out it's as if the gear stick isn't connected to anything and there's no gears but it's now jammed in 2nd gear and had to drive it home 3 miles (20mph) like that it's just going back an forward the gear stick as if there's no gears. Now before I go and buy the wrong 2nd hand parts does anyone know what this is and if you can buy the parts new? Thanks in advance guys!

[adam b]

So what has broken? The levers or the balljoint on the subframe? Seems a bit strange as they just pop on and off that it should suddenly not work after a gearbox change - i'd be talking to your mechanic to be fair as its hardly rocket science to change a gearbox and get the selectors to work afterwards

[toseland]

Right Il start from the start, I put a new (2nd hand but good) gearbox and helix clutch into my car as 3rd an 5th were gone in the box and a clutch just to be safe in the future, when I went to pick the car up it was very hard to get into gears espicially 1st from nutural! My mechanic told me the selector was broke on mine and he had to cable tie it to see if it would work til I got a new one he said it's the big long bar at the back of the engine. So I took it a drive and within 10 mile I went to put it into 1st and it jammed in 1st so I had to use both hands to pull it out of 1st and when I did get it out it's as if the gear stick isn't connected to anything and there's no gears but it's now jammed in 2nd gear and had to drive it home 3 miles (20mph) like that it's just going back an forward the gear stick as if there's no gears. Now before I go and buy the wrong 2nd hand parts does anyone know what this is and if you can buy the parts new? Thanks in advance guys!

how do you know it was good..? the gearbox that is.. 

[Poodle]

Have a look and see what's broken, i'm guessing the cable ties lol. If you know the rods are knackered get some new ones.

[Toms306]

Sounds like the selector rods are damaged, they nearly always break or bend coming off. Get a set of solid ones for about £30, excellent upgrade!

[Deangatt]

Sounds like the selector rods are damaged, they nearly always break or bend coming off.  Get a set of solid ones for about £30, excellent upgrade!

Any sites you know to get new ones off handy? That's what he said it probably is

[Toms306]

These are what I've used twice in different 306s.

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/271852980659?nav=SEARCH

[adam b]

Speak to Miles on here - he sells good ones

Funny though as i've had mine off 4 or 5 times in the last year without an issue

[Toms306]

I've had a set of miles ones as well.

Yours can't be original then, every set of 12 plus year old ones I've pulled off have broken at least one lol.

[cully]

dont pull them off! thats what breaks them
leaver them off with an open ended spanner it will lever off the inners rather than pulling off the outers and breaking the rubber bonding

[Toms306]

Was a figure of speech, I do try to lever them off lol (saves hitting knuckles when they eventually come!) but the rubber has usually deteriorated so much it just falls out anyway. I can also never lever the long one off for some reason, usually try two spanners for more depth but it still doesn't really work. When you eventually resort to 'pulling with a big crowbar' they usually bend.

I prefer the solids anyway though, whenever I do a clutch on these I stick a set of solids on. Either Miles or the Vagautomotive ones, not had an issue with either...they also have clips so can't pop off like re-used old ones can (from experience) but they come off much easier if you do need to remove them again lol.

[Deangatt]

Cheers lads some good info. That's the bar / leaver my mechanic told me was bent so think il order them ones in the link today and get the car back on the road.

[JTaylor2005]

How easy are the rods to vet at if I bought some of those metal ones? Mine aren't great to be honest haha

[Toms306]

Easy enough if you have 5 elbows per arm.

[JTaylor2005]

Brilliant haha -_- cheers. Will have to have a look at the damn things lol

[Toms306]

Lol, nah they're not that bad, I usually do them from the top with the battery box out.

[JTaylor2005]

Okays sounds not too bad will go and have a proper look now to see what I would be getting my self into if I bought a set haha

[Deangatt]

Bought a set of vag linkages will be here Wednesday or Thursday will let yous know how i get on

[Poodle]

What's vag?

[Seb_Ryan]

What's vag?

Im guessing the vagautomotive ones tom said about a few posts ago

[Poodle]

Ah yes, struggling with that reading the thread thing again. Must admit i skimmed it and assumed Tom was banging on about his golf again.

[Toms306]

Solid gear links on a Mk4 Golf? Wouldn't want all that noise coming into the cabin in a premium car, cable shift ftw...

[Deangatt]

Right lads I put the upgraded gear linkages in tonight and the gears are still really stiff in 1st and 2nd it doesn't really want to take 1st from nutural at all but will if you force it, was wonderingbif there was any other selectors or something like that it could be? I also put the helix clutch which is very bittie and near wants to move when in gear with clutch in? Thanks again I know use are prob sick of me an questions haha

[Poodle]

Have you checked the selector pivot thingy on the subframe?

[Deangatt]

I haven't checked for the fact that I don't know much about cars apart from the basic and I wouldn't know were or what to look at but I've done near everything else so I'm guessing it could probably be that because before I put the nex box in it was fine going threw the gears. Would you know were you would get a selector pivot at if came down to that?

[Toms306]

Was proper genuine gear oil used? You'll often find 1st and reverse difficult if not.

[Deangatt]

Was proper genuine gear oil used?  You'll often find 1st and reverse difficult if not.

I know I should of used genuine but I couldn't get my hands on any at the time do you think that would make that big a difference. The oil I got was new an 75w80 but was cheap stuff! It feels more to me like a selector because it's really easy to slide into 5th but 1st an 2nd is bad an 3rd an 4th the odd time

[Toms306]

Is it any better when warm? It could easily be the oil. It does make a big difference in my experience, others say not so much.

[Deangatt]

It does actually get better when it's heated now you say that! Good man will change oil in it this weekend cheer Tom

[Poodle]

Yeah i'm with Tom, get some proper oil in and try again.