Gearbox Backlash on 2007 Fiesta

[Willy]

I'm the proud owner of a 2007 fiesta zetec climate, I've owned it from new but I noticed after 6 months a noise when changing gears.

It has been back to the dealer 5 times up till now and all I get is from the tecs is either "I cant here anything" or "it may be back lash.

There seems to be a clonking noise when changing up though the gears and sometimes it's so bad you feel the car shudder.

My question is this. What is back lash? i'm guessing its movement between clutch and gearbox, my fiesta is 18 months old and only 10.000 on the clock.

This has gone on to long so will be seeing the branch manager very bl*%dy soon! :(

[Russ]

I'm the proud owner of a 2007 fiesta zetec climate, I've owned it from new but I noticed after 6 months a noise when changing gears.

It has been back to the dealer 5 times up till now and all I get is from the tecs is either "I cant here anything" or "it may be back lash.

There seems to be a clonking noise when changing up though the gears and sometimes it's so bad you feel the car shudder.

My question is this. What is back lash? i'm guessing its movement between clutch and gearbox, my fiesta is 18 months old and only 10.000 on the clock.

This has gone on to long so will be seeing the branch manager very bl*%dy soon! :(

Backlash is where there is 'play/clearance' ( normally associated by wear ) between mating parts. The gears on a car have very little clearance between the mating teeth ( they are machined to exact sizes using tight tolerances so will fit perfectly ). The clonking noise 'may' be down to the mechanism still being 'tight' but then again how easily do you change gear.......do you 'throw' the lever into gear like a F1 driver when changing or do you let the lever slide in itself. It could also be down to you lifting your foot slightly off the clutch just as the lever starts to slide to the next gear making the mechanism 'grab'. Have you ever slipped off the clutch when changing gears as this may have damaged the 'fingers' of the clutch?

[Willy]

I don't have any problems changing though the gears and do this slowly, I get this problem only when the engine warms up and recon its because the oil is thinning out.

I find its worse from 1st to 2nd but still in all gears, I pull away and take it up to 2.5 3000, off the gas, down with the clutch and a slight sound is heard, change in to 2nd. Now when I give a little gas and slowly lift the clutch there is a louder clunk and the shudder from the front.

This is also noticeable when changing down from 4th to 3rd etc.

Any ideas?

[Willy]

I've sorted out the problem by passing it onto someone else.

Traded the car in last week at a different dealer for a new Vauxhall and got £7.000 fot it.

When the sales chap took it out for a test run he said nothing about the noise.

Sorry Ford but never again.

[danny2252]

I've sorted out the problem by passing it onto someone else.

Traded the car in last week at a different dealer for a new Vauxhall and got £7.000 fot it.

When the sales chap took it out for a test run he said nothing about the noise.

Sorry Ford but never again.

fords are great cars

[homeless]

Thats a shame...all it is is the lower roll restrictor on the gearbox (bottom mount), the rubber gets soft and makes for high eninge movment when changing gear. You can space it out with 2 peics of rubber or buy a nylon type mount, which as stiffer... oh well info for the rest of you...a must for fiest ST owners!!

[Willy]

I'm Back

As soon as I got my Astra I started to miss the old Fiesta.

The Astra's now history and waiting for my new Focus to arrive.

only 5 weeks to go.