frozen gear cables

meexi · Post by **meexi** » 30 Dec 2009, 11:53

where we stay we had -12 temp drop two nights ago and both our cars in a garage had frozen gear change cables, I am thinking that when we had the floods in Nov that water has got in to them and then we have never had warm days to dry them out (global warming i dont think so)

HDI · Post by **HDI** » 30 Dec 2009, 13:11

Amazing the problems that can occur in very low and very high temperatures ! I had the doors freeze to the bodywork on a Merc some years back , what a pain that was !! I now wipe a thin smear of silicone over the door seals just before the first freezing weather of the season.

Nothing compared to the poor Russians though. It's so cold in some places over there in Winter that oil can solidify in the sump unless they use sump heaters and special Arctic grade oil. Hoses and steel can become brittle too !!

deian · Post by **deian** » 30 Dec 2009, 13:34

and they still managed to make the worse cars ever and try to sell them to us... the lada!

maybe put a little fan heater underneath the car to melt the gear cables and dry out the water, i wouldn't melt/warm it up too fast though

Post by **myglaren** » 30 Dec 2009, 13:44

I'm sure our Scandinavian members will confirm that it is normal there for cars that aren't parked in heated garages to have a connection to an electricity supply that keeps the engine warm at night. The flats I lived in hat "hitching posts" for every parking place. I've been singularly unsuccessful in finding an image of them, must be one somewhere in my old photo's.

A lot of cars have timed pre-heaters that will warm the engine compartment and the cabin.

We also never used the handbrake in winter, just left the car in gear as the handbrake would often freeze on. Also we used to park with each wheel on some old news paper or similar to prevent the tyres freezing to the ground.

deian · Post by **deian** » 30 Dec 2009, 13:56

Sounds like a lot of cuffuffle, the silly thing is, once the car is started and moving after the night time it will probably work great!

vince · Post by **vince** » 30 Dec 2009, 19:10

myglaren wrote:I'm sure our Scandinavian members will confirm that it is normal there for cars that aren't parked in heated garages to have a connection to an electricity supply that keeps the engine warm at night. The flats I lived in hat "hitching posts" for every parking place. I've been singularly unsuccessful in finding an image of them, must be one somewhere in my old photo's.

A lot of cars have timed pre-heaters that will warm the engine compartment and the cabin.

We also never used the handbrake in winter, just left the car in gear as the handbrake would often freeze on. Also we used to park with each wheel on some old news paper or similar to prevent the tyres freezing to the ground.

Hell fire that sounds cold over there....

Post by **myglaren** » 30 Dec 2009, 19:14

Was damned cold in winter and blazing hot in summer, extremes of -40°C to around +38°C. They don´t seem to get those extremes lately though.

VertVega · Post by **VertVega** » 30 Dec 2009, 21:07

Just another ordinary winter weekend is expected up in North

VertVega · Post by **VertVega** » 30 Dec 2009, 21:23

meexi wrote:where we stay we had -12 temp drop two nights ago and both our cars in a garage had frozen gear change cables, I am thinking that when we had the floods in Nov that water has got in to them and then we have never had warm days to dry them out (global warming i dont think so)

It helps if you apply some grease or other lubricant under the gear shift link cups.
This pic is for a manual and BE3, like mine.

flying clutchman · Post by **flying clutchman** » 09 Jan 2010, 19:37

Not such a problem with the rods, it's the cable operated gearchange thet's more of a problem. If they do get water in them (i.e.floods) then they will freeze solid. New cables are about £90 a pair. Will cure it though!

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