Does anyone else think the BE3 gearbox is rubbish?

colski · Post by **colski** » 21 Jan 2011, 18:11

Having had a peugeot 306 1.9td and now a Citroen Xantia, I have found one of the worst things about the cars are the gearbox's.

Notchy, stiff, and sometimes crunchy, I just think they are simply awful boxes and really let down what is otherwise a good car.

I have to use brute force to get mine into first gear, however if the car is moving forward slighty it goes in as easy as can be.

Also to avoid crunching into reverse I have to select a forward gear then into reverse.

What do you all think, anyone else have the same experiences?

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 21 Jan 2011, 18:16

I've driven many BE3 boxed cars and you shouldn't have to almost force the
gearbox into 1st gear. This doesn't sound right at all. Only Xantia alternative
would be the 2.1TD, the later Hdi or Activa with cable selection which are very
light and precise. Or get an Auto?

Could be worn bushes on the rods running onto the gearbox in the selector?

Andrew

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 21 Jan 2011, 18:19

Nope, all mine are fantastic gearboxes, very responsive.
Might be someone's filled yours with the wrong oil.

jgra1 · Post by **jgra1** » 21 Jan 2011, 18:22

Colski.. they are generally ok I have found.. I must have had 10 of them or more..

your 1st problem sounds more like clutch? the normal BE3 issue is the 3rd gear syncro wearing.. which I am sure is a weakness of the box..

Mine 135K xanita one has become a little notchy on all gears so I am going to check the oil level soon..

mind you

the be3 is the only box I have eve broken in all 30 of my cars. (although that figure is skewed by the amount of PSA;s in there)

I threw part of a pinion out of the side of the box once at 15mph....

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 21 Jan 2011, 18:25

Thinking about it, I've got a 234k miler with a BE3 and it's gearbox is
every bit as good as the 70k one I also run in another car. Something
is definitely wrong at your end. The pivot arm bushes on the selector
for the thrust bearing on the clutch can sag and allow poor gearchanges
too.

Andrew

lexi · Post by **lexi** » 21 Jan 2011, 18:27

The last Y REG hdi of mine had a notchy 3rd gear which is a cable stretching. The others have been fine. You probably know that the light oil is a must.

Is is supposed to be a very strong box going by the accounts of members who have stripped them ?

colski · Post by **colski** » 21 Jan 2011, 18:33

Oh great! I was hoping you would all say thats totally normal and to just live with it.

Once i'm driving the gears are ok and I don't have any problems with 3rd, its just getting into 1st, and reverse.

Also find changing down to second is quite notchy

When the gearbox oil was changed last year, total 75W-80 was used.

Post by **RichardW** » 21 Jan 2011, 18:50

Right oil, sounds like the clutch is dragging....

Deanxm · Post by **Deanxm** » 21 Jan 2011, 18:55

i would agree, unfortunatly.

D

lexi · Post by **lexi** » 21 Jan 2011, 18:55

At the age of car and the mileage combined it could be time to overhaul the whole release mechanism........even though main box internals could be fine.

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 21 Jan 2011, 19:09

It could be one of the infamous rods worn over the extremes of the
reverse/first plane?

When you're driving the car, most of the time it's the higher gears which
are predominantly used and even a slow speed first selection may be easier
to engasge with the car moving. I'd say check the easy things like these first:

Item 11 and 12:

Andrew

colski · Post by **colski** » 21 Jan 2011, 19:31

Thinking about it, it does seem to of got worse when the clutch clip was replaced.

Before that went, the clutch had a high(ish) biting point, however, when the car was picked up from the garage, the biting point was much lower.

Unfortunately, if the gearbox is on its way out, the car will have to go, as I don't have the time and money for this car anymore. Its costing me too much to keep going.

dieselnutjob · Post by **dieselnutjob** » 21 Jan 2011, 19:32

colski wrote:Also to avoid crunching into reverse I have to select a forward gear then into reverse.

Classic symptom of a clutch that isn't fully releasing. I bet your clutch pedal is low. Adjust it before it kills the transmission.

howiedean · Post by **howiedean** » 21 Jan 2011, 19:56

colski wrote:Having had a peugeot 306 1.9td and now a Citroën Xantia, I have found one of the worst things about the cars are the gearbox's.

Notchy, stiff, and sometimes crunchy, I just think they are simply awful boxes and really let down what is otherwise a good car.

I have to use brute force to get mine into first gear, however if the car is moving forward slighty it goes in as easy as can be.

Also to avoid crunching into reverse I have to select a forward gear then into reverse.

What do you all think, anyone else have the same experiences?

I've not had the same problems as you have described, some people have suggested that it sounds like clutch drag?
The issues I've had previously although not serious is that they seem more noisy than the MLT5 gearbox. I went from a 110bhp xantia to a 1.9td xantia and the gearbox felt horrible by comparison, whining slighly.

Regards,

Howie

addo · Post by **addo** » 21 Jan 2011, 20:29

This is a slightly controversial approach, but many people here have augmented the correct Total oil with a PTFE paste additive called Nulon G70. While that's locally made, I suspect there will be a UK equivalent.

Alan S was another exponent of this procedure.

French Car Forum

Does anyone else think the BE3 gearbox is rubbish?

Does anyone else think the BE3 gearbox is rubbish?

Re: Does anyone else think the BE3 gearbox is rubbish?

Re: Does anyone else think the BE3 gearbox is rubbish?