Gears won't go well?

[Theflyingpostman]

My Citroën AX 1995 1.5D it has only done 51,000 miles, I had difficult to get into 1st, 2nd and 3rd but not the 4th and 5th. I have to double clutch to get it in. My is solid flywheel, would that be the gearbox faulty? I can't be sure, would that be the bearing of clutch or worn clutch?

[MattBLancs]

Not sure on the method of operation on these (MA gearbox I guess?), but if clutch cable then sounds like needs adjusting to me ,

Unlikely wear of the clutch itself given the mileage (unless ex driving school or similar hard use)

Won't be a dual mass flywheel

Matt

[Theflyingpostman]

When I have read your reply, I went try to adjust the clutch cable, no sign of smooth gears go in.

[CitroJim]

How much travel is there on the clutch pedal from fully floored to it's biting point? If there's hardly any then the clutch is either worn out or the cable is massively out of adjustment...

MA 'boxes are normally tough and trouble-free and having baulk-ring synchromesh they don't wear their synchros quite so badly as their earlier siblings...

Two things that can cause it otherwise... Wrong oil... These 'boxes must only be filled with 75W/80 oil specifically for Peugeot/Citroen gearboxes and absolutely nothing else... Using the wrong oil can really upset gear selection and so can a worn rubber bush on the linkage rod bellcrank mounted on the subframe... The bellcrank pivot can also wok loose and flop around to cause vague gear engagement. The linkage rod balljoints should not be above suspicion either...

[Theflyingpostman]

Thanks for the reply, I have put 75w/80 about two months ago. My pedal is link with cable which is adjusting on the gearbox lever that adjust the pedal level, my brake, and accelerator pedal are same level as the clutch pedal. When I pressed the clutch pedal full to the floor and shift first gear, it feels like not go in and put back to neutral and shift again into 1st it went in, and I release the clutch it bite point halfway of the pedal. I did think I had a wear clutch but it not because when I put 2nd gear in with handbrake on it pull strong, so I rule out clutch plate.

[xantia_v6]

Are you sure that the oil you put in is GL4 specification, NOT GL5?

[CitroJim]

Clutch adjustment sounds about right if it bites half-way up the pedal travel...

[Theflyingpostman]

I have found the link from the gear knob to the lever rubber ball joint have excess of playing, is this normal? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184339850867

[Theflyingpostman]

Are you sure that the oil you put in is GL4 specification, NOT GL5?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Comma-MVP75801 ... 27&sr=1-24

[CitroJim]

I have found the link from the gear knob to the lever rubber ball joint have excess of playing, is this normal? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184339850867

That's a good find.. No, there should not be a lot of 'play' and excess play will certainly affect gear engagement - see my earlier post in this thread...

Are you sure that the oil you put in is GL4 specification, NOT GL5?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Comma-MVP75801 ... 27&sr=1-24

Wrong oil. Despite saying it's a GL4 specification it's fully synthetic and therefore an older gearbox may not be happy with it. Also note the list of recommendations does not include Peugeot/Citroen...

The mineral version of the Comma 75W/80 oil does...

This is the one to use...

It's my experience that 90s PSA gearboxes are very fussy of their oils...

A similar state exists with certain autoboxes that are designed to use mineral Dexron II ATF... Although later versions of synthetic Dexron are said to be backwardly compatible, they are not and I'd be inclined to think the same applies here...

If in doubt, use the genuine stuff... The Total BV oil is OEM...

[MattBLancs]

Interesting perspective, I'm using fully synthetic 75W80 gear oil in my (BE and ML) manual gearboxes - no issues to my knowledge. About 30,000 miles on said synthetic in one 'box.

Matt

[MattBLancs]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121662817118

This is the stuff I'm using - is claimed dual GL4 and GL5 specifications too

(Only bought 5 litres, but as seemed ok have this big drum in my "watched items" for next time I need more for a box oil change)

Matt

[CitroJim]

20 litres of it would last me several lifetimes Matt but good to know it works fine in BE and ML 'boxes...

I need to get some for Bluebell as goodness only knows when she last had a gearbox oil change...

I once remember driving a BE equipped Pug 306 with the stiffest gear-change ever... It had been filled with old-school EP90. Owner complained that on cold mornings it was almost impossible to engage first or reverse...

There was a time when one of the big two parts factors used to recommend an 80 weight oil for ME and BE 'boxes and that was not good either for a smooth, slick change...

Hence my thoughts on only using what I know works well...

[myglaren]

I had to drive FIL's Lada Samara from Whitby to Washington, seventy miles.
The gears were getting harder and harder to operate.
Checked the following morning and the box was dry. He had had it serviced the previous day and they had seemingly drained the box then forgot to fill it again.
Filled it up and it was fine after that.

[CitroJim]

I had to drive FIL's Lada Samara from Whitby to Washington, seventy miles.
The gears were getting harder and harder to operate.
Checked the following morning and the box was dry. He had had it serviced the previous day and they had seemingly drained the box then forgot to fill it again.
Filled it up and it was fine after that.

Now that's careless Steve! Most proper gearboxes are tough old things...

I once knew of a BE 'box (on a 405 I think) that ran dry for months just pootling around town and only failed (spectacularly) when the car was called upon to do a bit of heavy towing (rescuing a dead car)...

The driver knew there was a developing problem when the number of gears available to him gradually fell from five to one