Still trouble with selecting gears

[cavalier1990]

Howdy all

I had more or less rebuilt my gear selector linkages not so long ago due to having to slam the gear lever over to get 5th gear, I now realise that this action likely broke the little plastic ball joint in the selector mechanism, and so I thought it was likely this (general selector wear) that was giving me the gear selection problems.

After fitting it all up with new bits it was selecting all gears fine but not for long. Started struggling to get 5th again but rarely at first then it got worse, and then, for some reason, more recently I was then only getting 3rd/4th/5th. I think this was after trying to set the box up with the gear lever alignment again.

Something I'd noticed when I fitted the new selector is the whole unit was a bit loose on the big pin that goes down through the middle. Even the pin was new so I can rule that out and the bushes inside were all new, but it did select the gears so I left it. I have now stuck a washer up top to take up the slack and this, while making gears feel a bit snappier to select has not cured the selection problem. As of now I have adjusted the mechanism so that I can get 1st to 4th and reverse, it's either that or 3rd to 5th, which is obviously not ideal for driveability around town.

My attention has started turning to the big selector rod that runs from gear lever through bulkhead. I am suspecting that perhaps the plastic ball socket thingy is worn thus I can only get enough "twist" to go one way a lot or t'other way a lot but not both as intended to select the outer gears.

Has anyone ever had this worn out and replaced it that then fixed the problem? Btw I have set the gear selector up to match the box with the pin through the box and drill bit in the selector under the boot. this results in flaky changes (no reverse or 1st/2nd) so have moved it back so that I can select the forward 4 gears and reverse.

something else I noticed is that the rod that comes through the bulkhead can be moved up and down a good bit. When I say a good bit it is hard to tell if it is normal play or a bit slack/something worn. If I remember rightly there was a big rubber grommet through there so I'd expect a certain amount of play, maybe 1/2 and inch or so.

I'm also even thinking perhaps it's the little metal arm in box that selects the gears.

Cheers

Andrew

[Robsey]

This sounds like an issue I had a few years ago.

This was my repair

viewtopic.php?f=70&t=5156&p=48160&hilit ... age#p48160

[TurboDan]

You need to replace the rod, I did it on my old cav after replaceing every other bit of the linkage it was still rubbish and then figured out that this bit was completely worn:





That bit should be flat like the new one but you will find your old one is completely curved and worn.

Trust me the difference this makes is amazing. It cost me about £37 for a turbo model

[joe cavalier sri]

is there any difference with rods from a standard cav to the turbo one ?

[cavalier1990]

is there any difference with rods from a standard cav to the turbo one ?

I've enquired with autovaux about these as selector rods seem to be showing as available, but well over a ton (gulp) although will likely need to buy as it's a one off thing and I need it. As always with VX there seems to be 2 rods you can get, so I don't know what one is for what. If you look at diagram there is one with a gripped end on it (No 2) and one with a slot (No. 3). 100% sure mine is the one with gripped end.

No 2 and 3

http://ecat24.com/opel/catalog/part/1/39/348/987/9885/

Maybe the other one is for the Turbo?

[cavalier1990]

This sounds like an issue I had a few years ago.

This was my repair

viewtopic.php?f=70&t=5156&p=48160&hilit ... age#p48160

I might apply this repair too as that little pin is not that tight. I don't remember a circlip on it. It is like two little spring loaded clips that when you push it through the hole they pop out and expand at other end and hold it in. I used a pair of pliers to push them in so that I could remove the pin.

[cavalier1990]

You need to replace the rod, I did it on my old cav after replaceing every other bit of the linkage it was still rubbish and then figured out that this bit was completely worn:

[ Image ]

[ Image ]

That bit should be flat like the new one but you will find your old one is completely curved and worn.

Trust me the difference this makes is amazing. It cost me about £37 for a turbo model

i think that's the route I'm heading down Dan, it did seem quite "shoogly" when moving it about. As my linkage is out a scrap motor it's got that miles on it and plus my own from when I installed it. I think about 100k miles.

[James McGrath]

I might apply this repair too as that little pin is not that tight. I don't remember a circlip on it. It is like two little spring loaded clips that when you push it through the hole they pop out and expand at other end and hold it in. I used a pair of pliers to push them in so that I could remove the pin.

I did Rob's repair back in Feb 2012 on my LS and it's still giving nice gear changes 30,000 miles later.

[cavalier1990]

is there any difference with rods from a standard cav to the turbo one ?

I've enquired with autovaux about these as selector rods seem to be showing as available, but well over a ton (gulp) although will likely need to buy as it's a one off thing and I need it. As always with VX there seems to be 2 rods you can get, so I don't know what one is for what. If you look at diagram there is one with a gripped end on it (No 2) and one with a slot (No. 3). 100% sure mine is the one with gripped end.

No 2 and 3

http://ecat24.com/opel/catalog/part/1/39/348/987/9885/

Maybe the other one is for the Turbo?

Oh well I was 100% wrong about being 100% sure that no2 part was for my car. I couldn't easily trace the number as I had got box and selector from a scrap cavy, but luckily the number is on the ball socket bit under the gear selector boot, but upside down, so I took a picture of it with phone to be able to read it.

£90 bucks it's skinning me!

[cavalier1990]

I had a wee bit of a wait a minute moment with this, it's not just the big rod that is worn, it's the rubber washer thing in the gear lever that pushes the big rod side to side and back and forth.

No. 9 here:

http://ecat24.com/opel/catalog/part/1/39/348/987/9884/

Sure enough I took a video of it and is defo worn out. What I think is happened is the rubber bush wears out and then once that goes the plastic contacts the plastic of the big rod and wears that out.

I can clearly see it when I look inside it that the bush is flush with the plastic it slots into. Instead I think it is supposed to protrude a bit as it is a damper bash after all.

http://vid132.photobucket.com/albums/q1 ... 8i6eai.mp4

Bits are ordered now so hopefully that should sort it as almost everything will be brand new now!

Urg the centre concole looks rank in that video, need to get the cleaning stuff out !

[Robsey]

On my linkage, it was the ball at the end of the gear stick that was worn.

I fitted a mk4 astra stick. It fitted perfectly with no play

Release the location pin and take your gear stick out... see which part looks most worn.
The ball or the socket.

[Cabletwitch]

Did anyone ever some up with a decent home-brew solution to replacing the magic disintegrating rubber bush? I recall someone mentioning zip ties at one point, but I figure there has to be something a little less white-trash-meets-McGuyver in terms of elegance.

Any ideas?

[cavalier1990]

On my linkage, it was the ball at the end of the gear stick that was worn.

I fitted a mk4 astra stick. It fitted perfectly with no play

Release the location pin and take your gear stick out... see which part looks most worn.
The ball or the socket.

What do you use to release the pin Robsey? I'll be taking it out anyway and want to replace the gear shift boot at the the same time. I'd read in haynes that taking the gear knob off is likely to destroy it (dunk it in boiling water for a minute then pull off) so have also ordered a new one of those!

[Robsey]

Do you need to take the knob off?

There is a little springy clip wrapped around the bottom of the housing that the bottom ball sits in.
There is a rod on this that sticks into the ball - I think.

Just lever this pin out with a small flat tool such as a flat screwdriver tip.

Once the pin is out, the whole stick will lift out easily.

[cavalier1990]

Do you need to take the knob off?

There is a little springy clip wrapped around the bottom of the housing that the bottom ball sits in.
There is a rod on this that sticks into the ball - I think.

Just lever this pin out with a small flat tool such as a flat screwdriver tip.

Once the pin is out, the whole stick will lift out easily.

I was going by the haynes manual for removing gear knob, it says put in hot water for about a minute then remove. Ok will have another look at that stick thing. I think what it was is I looked down at where it pivots and seen what looked like a metal rivet pin thing that looked immovable, but will have another look, and not be so impatient this time

[Robsey]

Ah - it is all in the words.
Knob removal is the knob.

viewtopic.php?f=70&t=3600

We are really talking about the whole gear-stick, so the knob does not need to be removed.

viewtopic.php?f=70&t=1237&p=10496&hilit=Astra#p10496

[cavalier1990]

Ah - it is all in the words.
Knob removal is the knob.

viewtopic.php?f=70&t=3600

We are really talking about the whole gear-stick, so the knob does not need to be removed.

viewtopic.php?f=70&t=1237&p=10496&hilit=Astra#p10496

Panic over. I got the little clip off, I see now how it works. Result gears are fine now. I never replaced the selector rod just the rubber collar damper thingy, although it did feel like there was a slight bit of wear on it inside.

[Cabletwitch]

Hahaha, knobs!

[Robsey]

I did wonder how I could avoid the euphamisms and double-entendres.

Sadly it was just not possible.