Jolly sailor

Thanks for the advice guys. On closer inspection it tuned out to be the bolt on the selector arm. I'll just mention a few things that may be of benefit to others in a similar predicament. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS DON'T FORCE IT IN TO GEAR AND DRIVE IT, YOU'LL JUST DISTROY YOUR GEARBOX AND GEARS If you have the Haynes manual then use it to help you remove the battery, coolant expansion tank and all the plastic shield's and cowlings and things. slacken off the near side wheel and and also the hub nut "you'll want some thing on the end of your wrench to give an extra bit of leverage. then get the front end as high as you can on a set of axle stands. Put a jack under the gear box and remove the four 16mm bolts that hold the gear box to the engine mount and lower it down a couple of inches. removing the gear selector cables requires some patients because old ones become brittle and brake easily "although when I first looked at mine a couple of years ago one of um had been held on with insulation tape for at least 3 years!" Release the reversing light sensor and undo the six bolts that hold the selector unit in place and then lift it out. it's now that you'll see what happened "It's now time to go fishing for the bolt head" I got one of thoughs magnets on a long coiled wire. Dip it in to the gear box and have a root around. If your lucky and find the foreign body that's it, all you have to do is replace the bolt in the selector unit, if your not then its a good job you put the axle stands under the car. I didn't find it with the magnet. Remove the near side wheel and remove the hub bolt, undo the anti-roll bar linkage and unbolt and separate the ball joint and pull the wheel assembly away from the drive shaft. Then separate the drive shaft from the gear box (the manual was a bit vague about this I found the only way to do this was to put my foot against the gear box and yank it out)I'm not sure that this is all that good for the drive shaft though. undo all the bolts that hold the gear box to the bell housing and starting at the front of the box start prizing it apart. although i undid all the bolts there seemed to be some thing holding the box to the bell housing at the very back next to the bulk head, however I was able to force the front part open about 30mm then with a torch a 2.5mm Allen key and a pair of long nose pliers I was able to retrieve the bolt head and have a quick check to make sure every thing was alright. Then with a G clamp I closed it up and put it all back together again. The sheared bolt in the selector shaft had to be drilled out with a small drill and removed with a stud extractor. It was at this point I found it was a M7 bolt you will have trouble finding one of these I'm trying to source a titanium one of the net Bang it all back togeather and Bobs your uncle. :lol:

When my P reg TDi galaxy's cold, first gear is stiff and difficult to select. while out in it on Sunday I pulled up to a junction gave the gear stick A good push to locate first (there was no noise or noticeable difference in resistance). The gear stick went floppy and the car was stuck in neutral. When I got home I checked the gear stick and the selector cables which are all working, the Haynes manual I have has no section on gear boxes!. Has any one had any expense of this? The selector arm is bolted on top of the gear box but I'm afraid to remove it in case of alignment issues. any suggestions much appreciated.