Stuck in 3rd Gear

[uniB]

Hi everyone,

I had an interesting drive back from the lake district last night - I dropped down from 4th to 3rd to overtake some lorries and now, in 3rd gear it remains. I managed to make it back to Sheffield in 3rd all the way but it was a bit hairy.

I've done a search but can't find anything exactly the same.

You can just about move the gear lever to neutral but it remains in 3rd gear where ever the gear lever is. If you try and select any other gears whilst travelling it met with resistance - I s'pose like trying to change gear without pressing the clutch peddle. The clutch works in that you can disengage the gear by pressing the clutch (so got home by setting off in 3rd the couple of times I had to stop - the clutch didn't like that!).

Not sure if it's anything I can try to look at myself or if it needs picking up and taking to the garage. It's outside the house at the moment so not really in a position to do anything major.

Anyone know what the problem is likely to be?

It was all going so well as well, great drive over to the lakes on Friday and apart from an LPG problem when the engine is cold it was running fine

[Aidan]

check if it's a selector shaft or cup and ball issue by going under and removing the two bolts holding the rear bush plate to the gearbox and dropping the cup off the ball, carefully so as not to split the boot, if the metal part the ball is on has broken or come off the splines cos the nut has undone then it may be a simple fix, if the splines are shagged then you'll need a new gearbox selector shaft at least and probably a new ball, if the ball is firmly attached and you can't select gears at the box then if it's a 4 speed it'll be broken 3rd/4th synchrohub and or selector fork, if it's a five speed then broken 2nd 3rd relay lever or fork

[uniB]

Thanks Aidan, I'll have a look as you suggest.

[Joninlondon]

Hi uniB
Just had exactly the same thing happen coming hone from cotwolds... I called the AA as diesel not powerful enough to drive home safely in 3rd... Any update on what the problem was? Cheers

[uniB]

Sorry to hear that, I'm amazed I managed to make it home actually!

Having had the linkage off I confirmed it was the 3rd/4th synchrohub or selector fork (no idea which) it's pretty common I've since found ou with these boxes. I'm afraid there's no way round it other than gearbox out and replace with a recon or second hand one. Aidan is the man for rebuilding but when I spoke to him he couldn't to it for weeks due to having too much work. I've picked up a box locally for next to nothing that I'm asured is OK - as I can't afford a recon at the mo I'll have to give that a go which I'll be doing next weekend - if it lasts me for a few months I can have a save up to get the old box reconditioned. I'v heard that The VW Engine Company might be good to deal with, haven't spoken to them yet but they have the 1.9 version listed for £625, maybe they'd have a diesel box too, they're number's 0208 692 3326

Good luck, hope you get it sorted

Hi uniB
Just had exactly the same thing happen coming hone from cotwolds... I called the AA as diesel not powerful enough to drive home safely in 3rd... Any update on what the problem was? Cheers

[Joninlondon]

Hi thanks for the reply!

Well the AA managed to fix mine at the roadside! Apparently it was a loose selector nut which holds linkage. He tightened it up, and the gear started working perfectly! He advised to get a "New looking device" fitted to the nut, e.g. nylocil to stop it happening again... Well thumbs up to AA - saved me a trip to the garage. Cheers Jon

[uniB]

Good news Jon!

[ianirp]

Hi
thanks for your thread regarding 'stuck in 3rd gear' I have an 89 T25 autospleeper camper, and after a weeks holiday in sunny Tenby, exactly the same thing happened when i went from 4th to 3rd. We did manage to get it out of gear with the help of the roadside recovery, by taking it out of 3rd with the clutch pedal 'just at biting point'. Due to the fact that with a bit of attempting to mimik the problem at the roadside, and after many attempts with no problems, it happened again, the decision was made that we would be best off making the rest of our 3 hour journey home on the back of a tow truck! (due to the fact we had 2 young children, and mobile signal on the route home would be intermittent in the event it broke down again).
I will get it looked at and post the result. i am encouraged by the reply stating that it was only the nut, but have a feeling that it might be the dreaded new gearbox, but we shall see.
Thanks again for the the original posting, and subequent answers, it has in the interim given us a bit of an idea of the possible outcomes.

Regards
Ian

[uniB]

Hi Ian,

I hope it's just the selector shaft - as it does actually come out of gear with a bit of work I s'pose it's a little more hopeful although mine did have spells of getting stuck in 3rd and then reluctantly working again before it completely went.

Good luck with it!

Dav

[ianirp]

Regarding my post a while ago about 'stuck in 3rd gear'. Just to let you know, it was the 3rd and 4th gear syncro that had gone. (or something terminal anyway!). After reading some previous threads, i contacted one of the mentioned persons, Aidan Talbot. Aidan specialises in gearboxes and after speaking to him, it was obvious he seriously knew his stuff. Although he knew his profession inside out, he still took the time to explain to me in 'laymans terms' what the fault may be, and the possible options available to me.
To cut a long story short, I took the camper to Aidans new premises at LLanfyllin. (which luckily he had only just moved into and was only an hour or so from where we live). Aidan stripped and rebuilt the gearbox, and his original diagnosis was correct, giving us a cardboard box with the replaced parts in as proof. Aidan also produced a very in depth multi page summary of what he did, what he found, and what he did about it, and a total breakdown of the cost.
Aidan also contacted his now local garage, just down the road from him, to see if they would be prepared to take out and replace the gearbox, which they truly did, and also between them arranged for it to be transported between them.

All in all, apart from driving it there in the first place, which we incorporated in a day out with my wife following behind to take me home again, it was an effortless process with a satisfactory outcome. In true SOS style, Aidan and the local garage managed to speed up the turnaround time to get the van back to us at the 'final hour' to enable us to manage to get to Vanfest. I would definately recommend anyone with a gearbox issue at least considering Aidan, as we were very impressed with the job he did on our camper.

Now the exhaust has gone today, which is leading me to write another query. Soon i will hopefully be able to return some advise!!

Ian