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Reverse Gear Problem


steve271
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I have put the car into,I thought, reverse gear on a few different occasions and when I release the clutch I get a terrible gratting noise. When I depress the clutch and re-select reverse it is ok. I have read other posts about reverse gear selection problems but I am not sure if they reffer to the crunching as you select reverse (with clutch down) rather than when you engage clutch. Has anyone else got this problem?

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When it makes the noise for you, has the gear lever moved fully into reverse? Mine sometimes only moves about halfway in and stops so I have to go back to neutral and lift the clutch for a moment to spin things in order to realign them. Sometimes it then goes into gear, sometimes it doesn't (have to repeat). It's all because of the lack of synchro on reverse to line things up.

If you try and engage the clutch when not fully in gear it will make a noise as the dogteeth/gears catch.

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When it makes the noise for you, has the gear lever moved fully into reverse? Mine sometimes only moves about halfway in and stops so I have to go back to neutral and lift the clutch for a moment to spin things in order to realign them. Sometimes it then goes into gear, sometimes it doesn't (have to repeat). It's all because of the lack of synchro on reverse to line things up.

If you try and engage the clutch when not fully in gear it will make a noise as the dogteeth/gears catch.

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The problem is that I think it is fully in reverse gear. With other cars I have driven it is obvious if you have not been able to select reverse correctly and then you can pop the clutch and reselect etc. With this one there is not as much feel to whether it has or has not selected before you get the cruch!

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The fact that you hear a crunch surely means something isn't fully engaged inside? What I do sometimes to save going back to neutral is just to push back on the stick and let the car roll a little till it drops into place. Maybe try this if you're on a slope just to see if the stick moves?

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Mine does this occasionly, feels like reverse is succesfully selected but when you let the clutch out sounds like two gears are just just catching each other and they aren't fully meshed. I try and make sure its fully shoved into gear to avoid problems.

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Mine does this occasionly, feels like reverse is succesfully selected but when you let the clutch out sounds like two gears are just just catching each other and they aren't fully meshed. I try and make sure its fully shoved into gear to avoid problems.

Yeah I guess its just a case of getting used to these wee things then when you get a new car. Thanks for you input guys.

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Had this problem myself a lot, Reverse gear feels like its there and when i release the clutchm no mocment jsut grinding noise.

On another note, i also soemtimes have an issue moving into first gear wjeem coasting into a set of lights. feels liek it gets half way and just stops. i wait for teh car to slow a bit more and it seems to go in fine.

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Had this problem myself a lot, Reverse gear feels like its there and when i release the clutchm no mocment jsut grinding noise.

On another note, i also soemtimes have an issue moving into first gear wjeem coasting into a set of lights. feels liek it gets half way and just stops. i wait for teh car to slow a bit more and it seems to go in fine.

I get that Briggsy on my Mk6. It feels a bit stiff when pushing into first if the car is still in motion. I have to wait till the cars at a stand still if i want a smooth 1st gear selection. than hving to put a bit of umph into it

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That's because there's no synchro on 1st either ;). One solution is to let the clutch up when in neutral and touch the throttle just to build the revs up on the engine side of the gearbox, then it will go into 1st.

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That's because there's no synchro on 1st either ;). One solution is to let the clutch up when in neutral and touch the throttle just to build the revs up on the engine side of the gearbox, then it will go into 1st.

Sorry Martyn but the last cars that were without synchromesh on first gear were built in the 1960s. If your new car crunches into first or any other forward gear there is a problem: Faulty / worn synchromesh? Idle speed to high? Clutch not 'clearing'? Have you had a clutch change, if so was the correct oil put back in the gearbox? Engine leaking oil onto the clutch? the list goes on!

The problem with the selection of gears on all FWD Fords dates back to 1976 / 7 when the mk1 fiesta came out. on the bottom of the gear lever there is a plastic box which contains a joint that converts the motion of the gearstick to a push pull on a round bar. this round bar is attached to the change rod of the gearbox with an adjustable pinch bolt / clamp. The adjustment of this is critical ( and a right pain if there's any wear present ) The problem described in the first few posts sounds like the the gear lever in it's housing is hitting it's stop before the 'detent plunger' inside the box has engaged in it's grove. which will when you take your foot off the clutch cause it to jump out of reverse.

To summarise, forward gears crunching might be expensive. Not engaging or jumping out of reverse probably just a slight adjustment.

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Sorry Martyn but the last cars that were without synchromesh on first gear were built in the 1960s. If your new car crunches into first or any other forward gear there is a problem: Faulty / worn synchromesh? Idle speed to high? Clutch not 'clearing'? Have you had a clutch change, if so was the correct oil put back in the gearbox? Engine leaking oil onto the clutch? the list goes on!

The problem with the selection of gears on all FWD Fords dates back to 1976 / 7 when the mk1 fiesta came out. on the bottom of the gear lever there is a plastic box which contains a joint that converts the motion of the gearstick to a push pull on a round bar. this round bar is attached to the change rod of the gearbox with an adjustable pinch bolt / clamp. The adjustment of this is critical ( and a right pain if there's any wear present ) The problem described in the first few posts sounds like the the gear lever in it's housing is hitting it's stop before the 'detent plunger' inside the box has engaged in it's grove. which will when you take your foot off the clutch cause it to jump out of reverse.

To summarise, forward gears crunching might be expensive. Not engaging or jumping out of reverse probably just a slight adjustment.

Fiestas have'nt used the rod change since 2002 when the focus-style cable system was introduced. These cables do have an adjustment mechanism on them (at gearbox end under the cover) but are not easy to get right! One cable operates back/forward motion, the other side to side. Once you've figured which one needs adjusting then you have to decide whether you want to lengthen or shorten the cable. If you get it wrong it might be a lot of trial and error to get it right again! Oh. don't select 1st at anything faster than walking pace, it's not necessary.

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Fiestas have'nt used the rod change since 2002 when the focus-style cable system was introduced. These cables do have an adjustment mechanism on them (at gearbox end under the cover) but are not easy to get right! One cable operates back/forward motion, the other side to side. Once you've figured which one needs adjusting then you have to decide whether you want to lengthen or shorten the cable. If you get it wrong it might be a lot of trial and error to get it right again! Oh. don't select 1st at anything faster than walking pace, it's not necessary.

Shows how out of touch I am Clutchman LOL. I remember certain british leyland FWD cars having a cable arangement as you describe. They were quite the worst design I've ever seen, cheep & nasty and a nightmare to adjust. Lets hope FMC have done a better job

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I get this, tho it feels sometimes the stick hasnt settled into teh reverse position right on teh gear stick, have to knock it back int oneutral, de cluth, then give it another go.

Also got teh exact same problem with my Fiesta 6.5

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Shows how out of touch I am Clutchman LOL. I remember certain british leyland FWD cars having a cable arangement as you describe. They were quite the worst design I've ever seen, cheep & nasty and a nightmare to adjust. Lets hope FMC have done a better job

Probably as out of touch as I am with engines! Nearly all the manufacturers are using cables now, fine till they break. Then you have to wrestle with them for hours and they cost close on £100 a pair! Done a few on Focus, horrible job!

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after an hour of driving testing out exactly what’s going on with gears, it seems that i also get the crunch a bit in 2nd as well, im not to worried about it as yet as it hasn’t made me miss the gear yet, apart from reverse :)

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  • 2 years later...

The problem might be caused by two different things. It is caused either by a problem in the linkage or you have a synchromesh problem.


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the problem i have is when i put it in reverse and start to reverse it jumps back out should i take it back to fords?

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the problem i have is when i put it in reverse and start to reverse it jumps back out should i take it back to fords?

I had the same on my fiesta. Not a fault just a quirk.

Was advised by my dealer not to engage reverse too quickly, hold down clutch for a few seconds before selecting reverse and you should be OK.

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As Alex says, sounds like normal operation. Also 1st and 2nd have a device to stop you putting it into gear at a to higher speed, it's to protect the gear box from damage.

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If you try going down from second to first at too high a speed the first gear has increased resistance to warn you.

Same going into reverse, it's all about protecting the box.

If you continually have problems with engaging reverse try pumping the clutch pedal a couple of times in neutral and try again.

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