How do you know if your gearbox is on its last legs?
Answers:
Let's see: If your car is iddling at a higher speed when cold, as most do and is correct, then it will be more difficult to engage reverse. This is by no means a sign of a gearbox about to expire. Many new cars are like that. Your problem is an extreme and magnified case of this.
1)Do this test: before starting your car from cold, put it in reverse and press the clutch all the way in. Now start the car with the handbrake all the way up. Does it feel like it doesn't want to start? Or starter motor working hard? Or car indeed trying to move backwards? If so, then there is a problem with your clutch - may be very easy, ie bleeding of the system(like bleeding brakes). To check whether it needs bleeding or a leak fixed, try pressing the clutch in and out say five to ten times before starting the car first thing in the morning.
2)If above doesn't show up anything unusual, then get the gearbox oil changed with the CORRECT QUANTITY AND TYPE. A lot of problems occur because of over-filling and/or incorrect type of oil - yes there are vast differences in gearbox oil types.
Finally, a gearbox on it's way out announces itself by way of loud noise and/or general difficulty in changing gears/gears jumping out/rattling gear lever at speed, etc. Type of noise could be grinding, whining or really anything unusual changing frequency with speed of vehicle and going quiet when pressing the clutch(removing workload from gearbox).
I hope this helps you. You shouldn't worry too much. It sounds like it may be easy and cheap to fix. Good Luck.
it doesnt work,!
I wouldn't follow advise on the web, take it to a transmission specialist. Gearboxes are difficult to diagnose. But from what you're saying, that would be a good sign.
your gearbox has legs WOW
it may have a nasty smell to it, or it may be slipping out of gear easily, or your engine could be sounding as though it is really struggling, my advice would be to take it to a garage or somthin if you dont know what you are doing you could really bugger up your car.
yea my dad's car is like that it's been like that for years now though.
I have similar trouble with my vehicle since I bought it, reverse can be very difficult to get into often requiring me to try it several times before it goes in.
It's been like this for the last 2 years and has not caused me any major problems other than taking me tweice as long as normal to park.
it could be oil,if the gear crunches then the teeth on the reverse gear are wearing,if it pops back out then the return spring on the gear knob,but it sounds like the clutch could be on the way out.
press the clutch a couple of times before trying to get the gear,if goes in then the clutch could be going.
reverse gear does not have a syncromesh so its harder to engage on all cars. Get the clutch checked, if thats ok, live with it, just depress the clutch for a few seconds before you engage reverse. I doubt the gearbox is on the way out. If you think about it reverse gear is the least used so it wont wear out first.
Sounds like your selector rods slightly out of alignment. Thats no big issue. The only other thing that can cause that is a sticky clutch but you'd feel that occasionally when trying to select forward gears as well.
lots of clunking noise, slipping or jumping the gears.
The answers post by the user, for information only, UKQnA.com does not guarantee the right.