Sticky manual gear lever

[Atik]

Tried a quick search and couldnt see anything relating to my issue /pan

The gear lever doesnt spring back to neutral position from 1st or 2nd. Its been sticky for a few weeks and pregressively getting stickier. From 5th and reverse, it springs back but struggles to do so. I would suggest that the feel of the lever doesnt spring back to neutral from 3rd or 4th, but as it just falls into neatural anyway, its not an issue, but it doesnt spring itself into position.

Any ideas on what I am looking out for. I first thought it could be something catching the mechanism under the gear lever trim, but its all clear there.

The car changes gears smooth (except the bitchy cold changes) and drives spot on.

Thanks in advance.

[Nick Mann]

There is a shimming area just backwards of the gear lever, with a 10mm nut clamping the ball in place. It may be that is a little bit too tight, or there is some dirt getting in? Try loosening that nut and see if it gets better. If it does, stick a couple of sheets of paper in with the shims.

I'm trying to remember if the selector arms on the gear box are sprung or not - I don't think they are? If so, the problem must be at the gear lever itself.

[Nutter_John]

Nick has hit it on the head , losen the nut and slap some grease in there as well

[steelie600]

Also my answer but it may benefit from removing the lever altogether and cleaning all the old crappy grease off and applying some new shiney grease, worth doing worth doing properly and all that

[GalantOnly]

I had the same symptoms, but it was 1. and 3. gear... The problem was the sticky cables

[Atik]

Ok, well it should not require greasing up after a year should it? I only had the manual conversion in Feb 09.

Will take this new info and have a go at this on the weekend :)

[chris g]

Aaah.. the problems of the manual gearbox...

So much maintenance needed to keep it 'bullet-proof'...

[Atik]

/lol

Lets put this down as a massive unknown gearbox fail just to ruin Brad's statistics /yes

[elnevio]

There are lies; damn lies; and Brad's statistics! /STP

[Atik]

Actually, now that you mention it, my gearbox fell out of the car yesterday! Just fell out, no warning or anything. So next time Brad brings up his stats, I can bring up this awesome gearbox fail:evil2: /nag :flamed: /Devil5 /popcorn :smug: /Nuuu /STP

[elnevio]

Really?


That's now the 42nd one I've heard of in the last 12 seconds - very worrying...

[Atik]

/lol


[Looks like some Committee members have nothing better to do today?]
:D

[steelie600]

Ok, well it should not require greasing up after a year should it? I only had the manual conversion in Feb 09.

Will take this new info and have a go at this on the weekend :)

was the shifter greased up at that point tho??? my betting is the grease is as old as the shifter.

[Atik]

I assume it was greased up, hehe. If not, I blame Richy Rich :p

[steelie600]

Aye blame the clayhead

(Crewe term for Stokies)

[Atik]

Finally got around to this today. Undid the 10mm nut loosened and added some grease to the ball and closed back up, but leaving the nut loose enough for the ball to freely spring back to the middle. Feels good again.

Thank you all :)

[funkstardelux]

nothing like a nice manual stick thats springs back :)

[bradc]

Ohh sh1t, another broken manual gearbox fixed for virtually nothing.

[mattnz]

Yeah, manual gearboxes are all good until something goes wrong and you are forced to slightly loosen a bolt.

[Atik]

Update: This didnt last very long and went back to sticky about two weeks later.

Now I've swapped to the red car, it still does the same thing. About a month ago, the retaining clip thing at the bottom of the gear lever snapped off which meant that the selector cables dropped off the lever, leaving me stranded on the side of the motorway with no gears! The AA man zip-tied me back up and its been keeping me going since.

Took a can of WD40 to the gear lever this last week, and its sorted the squeaky and sticky shift. I even have a spring back to neutral gear lever! So it would appear that the problem was maybe the cable had started to seize up in its sleeve? Makes the car a joy to drive again.

Just got the rear rumbling to sort now and I'll be a happy bunny!

[Humpty's Revenge]

Update:
Just got the rear rumbling to sort now and I'll be a happy bunny!

Not enough curry........../Hyper

[Atik]

Hahahahahahaha /lol