Manual Gear Stick Stiff Left/right

[WayneAli]

Hi all,

 

I've had a brief search through the forums but can't find anything that answers my question, I'm hoping someone here may be able to point me in the right direction.

 

I have a 1999 (MK1) 2.3 Galaxy, manual transmission. Up until yesterday, gear shifting has been fine, however, yesterday I tried shifting from 2nd to 3rd and the stick didn't want to move right. With a bit of a tug it seemed to free and gear changing was fine. A little later it happened again but going from 5th back to 4th.

Today on my way to work it has been sticking again, it is only left/right shifting, ie 1st/2nd to 3rd/4th, or 3rd/4th to 5th, or vice versa. And it may be worth mentioning it's not every change most changes are fine, its a somewhat random, intermittent issue, there is no fluid leaking and engine temperature seems to have no effect (it occurs hot and cold)

 

Thought I would post here for some pointers before I start stripping and replacing parts.

 

Thanks in advance, Wayne

[BrianH]

The linkage would be where i'd suggest looking - either the cable (theres 2 in total, one controls left/right, the other up/down) is either caught by something it shouldn't be or its damamged somewhere allowing water to get it, or something is caught in the linkage on the gearbox.

 

I did find some chewed up conkers on top of mine thanks to a local squirrel stashing them there, might be something as simple as that. Don't think the mk1 has the bolt issue that the mk2 sometimes has causing problems (bolt works its way loose and eventually falls out inside the gearbox)

[WayneAli]

Cheers Brian, I'll have a check in a bit (coffee is calling).

 

Thought I'd quickly post an update. Just driven home and seems more to be an issue when changing down from 4th/3rd across to 1st/2nd or coming down/across from 5th. Back and forth seem fine, it seems just trying to shift the gear stick over to the left is stiff.

[BrianH]

That to me sounds like something that shouldn't be in the selector area is getting in the way. Only real answer is to get in there and have a look about.