Where have all the gears gone?

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 5:35 pm

Went out shopping today, collected the newly skimmed head for the TRD, dropped the wife and kid at home, then as I went to pull away the gear stick went sloppy.

Now I can't engage first, second or reverse - there's nothing there at all as though they don't exist, just third and upwards. Has the selector spring broken or what?

Any ideas what's happened anyone? And what's the grade of dirty hands for this one? Thanks

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 5:58 pm

Could this also happen if one of the linkages 'popped off?' Too late to check tonight..

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 6:23 pm

Post by **docchevron** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 12:24 am

Indeed, without doubt the linkage from the quadrant to the lower selector has dropped off, probably at the gearbox end.

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 5:28 pm

Well, it was the linkage at the gear box. Right under the pump mounting of course so had to take a few bits of furniture out. The lever that actually goes into the gearbox had somehow dropped into the gearbox about a centimetre and thus dis-engaged and I realised that there was a clip of some sorts missing to prevent this happening. Rummaged around and found something suitable - the old one must have broken (?)
Put it all back together, went for a test drive to thaw out and visit the retired Citroen mechanic who's about to scrap a BX16 with a dead engine and says I can take what I want.Trying to think what parts I can take quickly without freezing to death ( it's half buried in snow).
Anyway, I'm back on the road.

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 5:50 pm

toddao wrote:had to take a few bits of furniture out.

You've not resorted to squeezing in another armchair under the bonnet have you?