My poor 2.8Q is definately falling apart

[AndyMac]

Was on the A3M this morning on the way to work and try to change down from 5th to 4th to overtake and get horrible graunching from the gearbox and then can't select any gear. Cruise over to the side of the road and the gearbox is really stiff and the only selectable gear is reverse, which works fine. Of course didn't renew my AA cover 3 months ago as I haven't needed them in 5 years of membership - Doh!
So £140 later and I'm being towed to the garage. They think it could just be the linkage.
The gearbox is only 5 years old as the original eventually imploded.
Just replaced the cheapy ebay front control arms for proper Meyle ones in May (plus 2 new tyres, distorted not worn), June had me forking out for 2 new CAT's as they'd disintegrated, July was ABS controller and now this. If it's the gearbox again I'm looking at £1,200 for a fitted recon & new clutch. Anyone know if it's likely to be just the linkage?
Had noticed that changing from 5th to 4th was getting tricky recently, but all other gear changes were fine.
Find out tomorrow how many kidneys I'll need to sell to keep it on the road. I know I should have traded it a year ago but I've invested too much now - big mistake. Ironically I'd just changed the rear diff oil at the weekend, so I think the gearbox got the hump and threw it's toys out of its pram.

 

[aragorn]

Maybe its low on oil?

i'd expected to have been able to find some forward gear even if the linkage was miles out, given you could find reverse?

1200quid is mental money! I'd be going 6 speed for that. I also wouldnt be buying a recon box unless i was REALLY sure of its origins.

Its not unknown for dodgy places to give the box a steam clean and some paint, and then claim its a recon...

 

[AndyMac]

It was a unit from Gearlink in Salisbury so I'm pretty confident it was properly done.
£1200 was the whole job fitted and with new clutch. I'll see what they say

 

[jcb]

will it select when the engine is off?
what does the clutch feel like?

 

[Jonion]

I'd look at the possibility of clutch failure first.

 

[AndyMac]

Clutch feels and works fine. It's definately the linkage/box. When you put it in neutral it doesn't feel like it's in neutral, there's little lateral movement. It feels like someone's holding the gearstick and preventing you selecting any gears

 

[AndyMac]

Well the old girl is back on the road. turned out to be some sort of rubber thing within the linkage that had kinked and was preventing gear selection. All fine now and only £250 (5 hours labour, but free courtesy Polo), so better than I had feared.

 

[Foxmeister]

Bet that was a relief!