Hi all,
For the first time the other day, the car decided to crunch its gears (no it was not me). Coming up to a mini roundabout, I had decided I was going to stop. So, just befor the car comes to rest, I selected 1st but it was as if I had not depressed the clutch, so I mangaed to select first but not after a good crunch and grind (wince).
It had not done it for about a week until yesterday in the same scenario.
All other gears are OK, if a little noisier than other polos. Had the gearbox oil changed 5000 miles ago for 75w/90. (total milage 101000)
What could this be? Something expensive like a worn clutch or 'box or is it just a cable out of adjustment?
Roberson
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My manual lists the following for crunchy gears:
Clutch fault (unspecified).
Worn or damaged gear linkage.
Incorrectly adjusted gear linkage.
Worn synchroniser units (gearbox).
Incorrect clutch cable adjustment.
Clutch disc sticking on gearbox input shaft splines.
Clutch disc sticking to flywheel or pressure plate.
Faulty pressure plate assembly.
Clutch release mechanism worn.
The obvious thing to look at first is the clutch adjustment.
Ian
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Hi all,
I must admit, I was a little worried when it first happened, but maybe things are not that bad after all. And yes, I was rolling at the time , even though it was not that fast.
I think what caught me out was the fact that it has allways been very good for synchronising its gears and has therefore never crunched in the past. Second and first combined can be stiff and notchy in winter but what would you expect in sub zero temperatures. As far as i am aware, volkswagen fitted synchomesh on all forward gears since they became watercooled in the 1970s
BMC where a fan of unsychronised first gears, and this remained untill the Farina died in 1971 (as Wolsely) But first gear synchromesh on Leyland products were weak for years afterwards, if you beleive what Autocar and Car magazine wrote.
Indeed, I dont think there is a synchromesh on reverse as the manual specifically states, that this must only be engaged when stationary. And to prevent 'noisy' engagement, wait with the clutch depressed for a few seconds before attempting to engage.
Ill chech the cable first just to make sure, but its probably just a tired gearbox.
Thanks once again
Roberson
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Before you panic too much, were you still rolling when you tried to select 1st gear?
if the car is moving 1st gear is almost impossible to select without a lot of force, and then it makes a crunch - as if you did not press the clutch.
Sadly I do not know why this is, but if it hasnot done it since, and doesnt do it from standstill, there is your answer.
Dave.
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I would echo Escort Man's comments, on every car i've driven 1st gear is hard to select unless you are stationary - i wouldn't worry
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on every car i've driven 1st gear is hard to select unless you are stationary -
First gears are generally straight cut - as is the reverse gear.
auto.howstuffworks.com/gear2.htm
whereas the rest are helically cut.
auto.howstuffworks.com/gear3.htm
That's why first and reverse gears are sometimes harder to engage.
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Also, often there is no synchromesh on reverse, so you can only select it when stationary. On 'proper' cars [ducks], there is no synchro on first, either, so again only selects when stationary.
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I thought "crash" gears on first went out years and years ago. Even my 1964 Triumph has an all-synchromesh gearbox. Are Polos really so primitive?
I'd have said a much more likely explanation was the clutch dragging a bit from a mal-adjusted cable, or the clutch plate or splines sticking a bit.
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Hi again,
"Crash" gears did go out years and years ago. And no, Polos are not that primative. (The first car to have fuel injection and catalyst across the range as standard) This is why it comes as a surprise!
Ill check the cable for play, but a cant do much about the internal components.
(somethings a miss: Howcome my 16:03 message comes before escort mans 00:28 one?)
Roberson
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Would think gear synchros.ie clutch between gears.shouldnt select first or reverse without stopping.
--
Was mech1
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Turn the engine off, put your foot on the cluth then engage 1st gear and see if the car judders, it shouldnt but if it does this could indicate clutch adjusment. It should be ok
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Hi,
Steve.o, thats what I thaught is was, probably combined with mal-adjusted clutch.
Slimer, Im not sure if I fully understand what you want me to do :-{
Thanks
Roberson
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sorry Robertson, me being dumb!
Put the car into 1st gear with cluth down (engine off ) then with you doing this start the engine. If the car judders it could indicate cluth adjustment, as said in a previous post, most cars are hard to engage in 1st gear, not just VW who do good gearboxes
thanx
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To check synchro...find a quiet car park and engage neutral at very slow speed, release clutch, blip the throttle then depress the clutch and see if it goes into gear more cleanly. If it does suggests that the synchro is getting a bit lazy.
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I don't think you can deduce anything until you are certain that the clutch is adjusted correctly. This is a matter of reading the book and setting cable length, lever stops, pedal movement, or whatever method it says.
You can then test to see whether the clutch is really freeing off or not. You should be able to feel the point at which the clutch pedal first starts to operate the clutch itself, rather than just taking up slack in the linkage. There should till be plenty of floor space under the pedal for actually disengaging the clutch. Try it at idling speed and see whether there is any tendency for the gear to crunch. If it crunches even after pausing a second or two it suggests a dragging clutch.
If that is OK, you can try it on the move at increasing speeds. A crunching when moving suggests the synchro cone is wearing. If that is the only fault you can live without it. Or you could practice helping the synchro action with a throttle blip in neutral.
When I was learning with a car with no synchro on first gear I was taught to double-declutch from 4th into 1st as a way of appreciating the inter-relation of engine and road speeds in different gears.
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