Xantia gears gone mad

i3 · Post by i3 » 08 Dec 2010, 23:41

Hey all,
driving the xantia today and managed to mash the gears, literally, the gear stick now feels sloppy (sorry for the lack of better word usage). As some of you may know already, its a xantia vsx 2.1 td manual. I was making a turnin a side road, put in reverse, and heard some sort of an unusual clunking noise and had no reverse. Tried then to put in first and go forwards, but it would try to pull off slightly, then stall. It felt like the car was very very weakly trying to pull forwards, whilst in reverse! Got help pushing it to the side of road to park up. Before i left it, to go home to sort something out, thought may as well try the gears see what's happening. Managed to pull off (uphill!) in 1st changed to 2nd and then throughout the gears. What it seems like is, now only have two gears now, both of them being forwards gears; 1st, 3rd and 5th gears are now just 3rd gear, and 2nd 4th and reverse are now 4th.
What on earth is going on??? Someone please tell me its not the gearbox...already had that changed about 7months ago! The clutch seems fine by the way
thanks

HDI · Post by **HDI** » 08 Dec 2010, 23:53

Sounds like a gear selector problem, one of the selector linkages may have become disconnected. I don't know the box on the 2.1 so can't say for certain what the selector arrangement is.

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 09 Dec 2010, 00:04

Doesn't the 2.1 use cables not rods like the 1.9TD does?
Stretched or snapped cables perhaps?

Toby_HDi · Post by **Toby_HDi** » 09 Dec 2010, 00:08

Xac wrote:Doesn't the 2.1 use cables not rods like the 1.9TD does?
Stretched or snapped cables perhaps?

Yep,

2.1TD uses the ML5T box. Cable operated gears with hydraulic clutch.

Post by **RichardW** » 09 Dec 2010, 07:36

Sounds like one of the cables has come adrift or snapped. Be prepared for a shock when you see the price of new ones.....

Post by **CitroJim** » 09 Dec 2010, 07:42

It's very rare for selector cables to fail suddenly or for that matter, the MK1 selector assembly to give any problems.

Firstly, before anytyhing else, take a good look at the top rear of the gearbox and identify the ends of the two gearchange cables. The inners of the cables end in balljoints and snap onto balls on the gearbox selector arms. Checks the cables are well anchored to the balls and also check that the cable outers are properly clipped into their support cradle. Both cable outers end in feurrles and these slip through holes in the cradle and are secured with big forked spring clips that hold the cable outer very securely in the cradle.

Knowing the gearbox has been disturbed recently for a clutch job, I'd almost wager the person doing the job failed to secure the cables ends prioperly and one of the clips has jumped and allowed the cable to hop out of its cradle. The clips are a bit of a knack to get seated correctly.

As I say, I'd be amazed if the cables or the selector itself has failed.

i3 · Post by i3 » 09 Dec 2010, 13:11

ah Jim... was waiting for you to pop by here.. thanks

i3 · Post by i3 » 09 Dec 2010, 15:26

ok...had a look Jim....one of the cables is snapped. its the one one the right side as am looking down the engine bay from the front of car. its snapped about an inch out of the clip. is there any difference between the two cables? looks like am going to need a replacement. hope it doesnt cost a lot. will have to ask Chris how much i will have to pay for one.
thanks

Post by **CitroJim** » 09 Dec 2010, 16:47

That's an unusual failure Isa. You are very unlucky.

On a MK1 the bad news is that you need to replace the entire gear lever and cable assembly. That is up until RP7998 (Early MK2) on later vehicles, the cables are individually replaceable.

So, you need to know your RP number (stencilled in yellow paint on the Drivers side bulkhead) and the RP number of Chris's breaker to see if they're compatible wit each other.

Whatever, it's a nasty old job to either swap the mechanism or the cables, you are looking to need to drop off the entire exhaust system and the heat shields to gain access

New, the MK1 assembly costs an arm and a leg. The MK2 cables are about £60 each new from a dealer.

Can you and Chris please supply RP numbers and see how it pans out?

Post by **CitroJim** » 09 Dec 2010, 16:57

Isa,

This is where the RP number is. In yellow in this example. The white is the paint code.

i3 · Post by i3 » 09 Dec 2010, 17:05

was just about to ask you where

Jim, when you say need to replace the entire gear lever and cable assembly, forgive my ignorance, but take that means more than just replacement cables are needed?
ive been reading on how to do it on a pdf, think its from haynes service...? in there it gives info on removing and refitting cables...so just assumed that could replace them,,? however, would rather go with you Jim, than haynes, so what else exactly do i need?
thanks

Post by **CitroJim** » 09 Dec 2010, 17:42

i3 wrote: that means more than just replacement cables are needed?

Yes, on a car prior to RP7998 it means replacing the gearstick and the unit underneath the gearstick in the transmission tunnel with the cables sticking out of it as a complete unit.

This means removing the exhaust. On a car after RP7998 the exhaust still has to come off but the bit below the gearstick has a relatively easily removable cover for access to the cables.

Hopefully both yours and Chris's have RP numbers below 7998 and then it's just a straight swap of the complete gear selector unit...

KevMayer · Post by **KevMayer** » 09 Dec 2010, 18:54

The gear selector cables on my Activa failed in this way. One of them came loose from a crimp at the gear box end. I couldn't get reverse or 5th.

Luckily it was fixable using a blob of metal putty.

I had the whole gear stick/cable unit out (hadto remove the exhaust and heat shield).

The gear selector worked ok after this.

I priced a new unit and I think it was about £145 from Citroen. GSF or EuroCP didn't do it.

i3 · Post by i3 » 09 Dec 2010, 19:13

Jim the yellow number said 7547cj...
have sent it to Chris, waiting for a response from him....
so aswell as the cables, am needing the gearstick, with the unit underneath the gearstick right? Jim, from what have read on the pdf, and based on what youre saying, it appears as though the pdf must be based on the mk2, although it does say on the front cover that its for 93 to 98 cars, k to s reg...
so, what will need to be done differently from what the pdf says?
thanks

i3 · Post by i3 » 09 Dec 2010, 19:36

Jim, am posting the pdf that was looking at, if you could please look at pages 3/4 when you have a few moments, and tell me if the procedure described holds for this job.
thanks

sorry forgot to add the pdf link... here:

http://ftp.psyborg.rpg.pl/xantia/haynes/xantia07a.pdf