Stuck In Gear, Gearstick All Floppy

[PhotoRepair]

:( I am new to the forums but am in a wild panic. I have no idea what the problem is. Cars done 150K, new clutch last year. just had MOT and service and the gearbox just went floppy. It’s stuck in what may be third gear and the gears tick just flops about. I have read in various places of a bias spring, but The AA man couldn’t shed any light on the problem and reckoned the problem was inside the gearbox. Any clues as to what the problem may be? I would be every so grateful for any pointers. After spending £600 on it this moth already I am not most pleased with it breaking!

I can move forward but clutch up or down the gear stick has little or no resistance.

Please help, many thanks to you all

Neil

[CAR PARTS EXPRESS]

sounds like your gear selector cables have detached from the box...either snapped or broken clips have a look around the top of the box and get someone to wiggle the lever and c whats happening. If you want a price give me a call on 0191 4200168

[PhotoRepair]

The AA man said it wasnt the cables! He got me to wiggle the stick whilst looking under the bonnet, said that things were moving as they should...

So I am still stuck?

Neil

sounds like your gear selector cables have detached from the box...either snapped or broken clips have a look around the top of the box and get someone to wiggle the lever and c whats happening. If you want a price give me a call on 0191 4200168

[artscot79]

The AA man said it wasnt the cables! He got me to wiggle the stick whilst looking under the bonnet, said that things were moving as they should...

So I am still stuck?

Neil

unless im mistaken theres 2 cables to the box lift up the gearstick cover and youll see the 2 cables if they are tight i doubt they are loose there is a spring on the gearstick never replaced one so not sure wghere it is found this on the net hope these help http://www.feoc-uk.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=62566 http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=35557 http://www.digitalworldz.co.uk/153066-gearstick-spring-broken.html

[PhotoRepair]

Thanks for your help, alas all the folks ive been asking are telling me its probably not that, perhaps a sticking or ceased slector unit on top of the gearbox?

unless im mistaken theres 2 cables to the box lift up the gearstick cover and youll see the 2 cables if they are tight i doubt they are loose there is a spring on the gearstick never replaced one so not sure wghere it is found this on the net hope these help http://www.feoc-uk.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=62566 http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=35557 http://www.digitalworldz.co.uk/153066-gearstick-spring-broken.html

[mintalkin]

if the gaerlever is moveable and sloppy something must have become dissconnected,it would not move if something has seized.

[PhotoRepair]

good point, you can tell im a novice!

if the gaerlever is moveable and sloppy something must have become dissconnected,it would not move if something has seized.

[mintalkin]

its common for the ball joints on the cables to become dissconnected below the gear leaver

[PhotoRepair]

I have now taken off all the centre console and examined the gear lever and ball joints. These are all fine and good as new, working great, the cables travel up and down their sleves just fine. All greased and looking good like new. What ever it is, its at the other end. It just wont engage the gears or come out of gear. BY floppy i mean there is no notch to stick it in, all the notchiness has ceased, i just run the stick around the gears like the clutch was down and no nothces either. The spring return to the centre still works. SOrry if I have confused anyone, i did say I was a novice.

its common for the ball joints on the cables to become dissconnected below the gear leaver

[artscot79]

I have now taken off all the centre console and examined the gear lever and ball joints. These are all fine and good as new, working great, the cables travel up and down their sleves just fine. All greased and looking good like new. What ever it is, its at the other end. It just wont engage the gears or come out of gear. BY floppy i mean there is no notch to stick it in, all the notchiness has ceased, i just run the stick around the gears like the clutch was down and no nothces either. The spring return to the centre still works. SOrry if I have confused anyone, i did say I was a novice.

i reckon its time for it to go to the garage mate sounds slike an internal problem what though i couldnt say for certain selector forks pressure plate could be a costly job ide find out what youre looking at first then go from there and remember its sometimes more cost effective tio get a gearbox from a breakers and transfer the clutch etc over

[PhotoRepair]

I was kind of afraid of that and think it is something more sinister. Going to check the transmaition end tomrrow with more light and see if the bits at that end move or are jammed, just to confirm.

i reckon its time for it to go to the garage mate sounds slike an internal problem what though i couldnt say for certain selector forks pressure plate could be a costly job ide find out what youre looking at first then go from there and remember its sometimes more cost effective tio get a gearbox from a breakers and transfer the clutch etc over

[catch]

I was kind of afraid of that and think it is something more sinister. Going to check the transmaition end tomrrow with more light and see if the bits at that end move or are jammed, just to confirm.

Had a 1999 Focus 1.8 Zetec, new clutch fitted, ran OK for about a week. Wife come to slap it in reverse to get off the drive, "floppy" stick wont select a gear. Phone the mechanic out, who got a younger guy to fit the clutch. Turns out one of the two selector cables coming from the gear stick, had slipped out of one of the plastic open ended connectors, [shaped like the letter C ] that went into the gear box. He put it back in and we could select gears. So he said follow me back to the garage, 6 miles away. Put it on the ramp, and had a look at it. Now whilst it was still sat where it looked like it should be, I could see the cylindrical ball on the end of the cable was just proud of the claw shaped connector. Looking at the reverse side of the ball I could see there was day light [so to speak] between it and the claw it was sat in. I said the the mechanic, here just use the shaft of you hammer and put some pressure on the slightly proud edge of the metal ball. And BINGO it snapped into the plastic retaining claw. Obviously the lad fitting the new clutch, had not put the metal ball under pressure when he reconnected the gear selector cables.

But you say the AA man checked them, was he laid on his back at the front of the car to the left of centre when he did it? If not, you need to check it out like I described above.

[PhotoRepair]

Thank, im on my out there now as i had a new clutch recently! its been a few months but im on it.. back to report soon

Had a 1999 Focus 1.8 Zetec, new clutch fitted, ran OK for about a week. Wife come to slap it in reverse to get off the drive, "floppy" stick wont select a gear. Phone the mechanic out, who got a younger guy to fit the clutch. Turns out one of the two selector cables coming from the gear stick, had slipped out of one of the plastic open ended connectors, [shaped like the letter C ] that went into the gear box. He put it back in and we could select gears. So he said follow me back to the garage, 6 miles away. Put it on the ramp, and had a look at it. Now whilst it was still sat where it looked like it should be, I could see the cylindrical ball on the end of the cable was just proud of the claw shaped connector. Looking at the reverse side of the ball I could see there was day light [so to speak] between it and the claw it was sat in. I said the the mechanic, here just use the shaft of you hammer and put some pressure on the slightly proud edge of the metal ball. And BINGO it snapped into the plastic retaining claw. Obviously the lad fitting the new clutch, had not put the metal ball under pressure when he reconnected the gear selector cables.

But you say the AA man checked them, was he laid on his back at the front of the car to the left of centre when he did it? If not, you need to check it out like I described above.

[CAR PARTS EXPRESS]

sounds like your gear selector cables have detached from the box...either snapped or broken clips have a look around the top of the box and get someone to wiggle the lever and c whats happening. If you want a price give me a call on 0191 4200168

;)

[PhotoRepair]

Nope, took pan off the bottom and the forwards back motion moves freely and is on there tight, the side to side cable is a little harder to see and I cant reach with my hand, but it seems to change possition ok and looks same of the other. Talk about a tricky one!

Thank, im on my out there now as i had a new clutch recently! its been a few months but im on it.. back to report soon

[Paul-1968]

Hi all new here and I've got a Focus 1.8 TDi old W reg done over 200,000 miles and as been a great car for me. But today my car got stuck in 5th gear and gear stick would only move forwards and backwards I had much fun ''not'' getting it home from down town don't know how but I managed it by near burning the clutch out.

Anyway after reading this thread I think it could be the gear linkage may have popped out of it's seat and it may also be the original posters problem also.

Can anyone tell me if I could be right only my gear stick now will only move forwards and backwards no side to side movement and even though it's moving it will not move out of 5th gear

Please help as I can't afford to spend on it so will have to try fixing it myself so any help would be great thank you Paul.

[Stoney871]

The linkages only clip on/off at the stick and selector ends.

I'd pull up the gearstick surround and check everything is in place.

If ok there then you'll need to have a good look around the selector on the gearbox.

Sent from my SM-G930F

[Paul-1968]

38 minutes ago, Stoney871 said:

 

The linkages only clip on/off at the stick and selector ends.

 

I'd pull up the gearstick surround and check everything is in place.

 

If ok there then you'll need to have a good look around the selector on the gearbox.

 

Sent from my SM-G930F

Hi Mod thank you very much for you help I will try what you've suggested tomorrow and report back here again thank you.

[Stoney871]

The linkages literally just clip onto ball joints and usually just need popping off (sometimes the cap needs to be pressed in to release a collar inside the linkage).

Also worth checking are the points where the 2 cables run into their sleeves, these should be secure in their slots in order to keep the sleeves from moving around.

Sent from my SM-G930F

[Stoney871]

Sent from my SM-G930F

[Paul-1968]

Hi all I found the problem to be at the engine side, the cable had popped off it's ball joint so all I had to do was remove the air filter box and fuse box to gain enough room to get to it then I drilled a small hole through the rubber mount and tie wrapped it back onto it's ball joint to hold it in place.

Took it for a spin and all was fine so thanks guys saved me having to fork out and cash just 30 minutes of my time and a tie wrap cool hope this will help anyone else having the same issue thanks again guys.

14 hours ago, Stoney871 said:

The linkages only clip on/off at the stick and selector ends.

 

I'd pull up the gearstick surround and check everything is in place.

 

If ok there then you'll need to have a good look around the selector on the gearbox.

 

Sent from my 

[Stoney871]

Always glad to help.

Happy motoring Fella.

Sent from my SM-G930F

[thebigyank]

I've got the same problem, anyone know where to get the actual clips to connect cables to the ball joint?