Gearbox experts - need help diagnosing an intermittent issue.

[Stonedofmoo]

Hi guys, I'm getting a persistent issue with my A4 and I need help diagnosing if it's a clutch or gearbox problem.

Essentially if I attempt to engage 1st or 2nd gear *quickly* from neutral or from reverse I lose the ability to select those gears. By that mean it's not even like it crunches, or it's hard to select, there is just a solid block on the shift on either 1st or 2nd, there is no sensation they even exist. When this happens I can select reverse or 3rd/4th just fine but that's it.

Typically a combination of selecting reverse, lightly holding the clutch pedal or generally praying does the trick and 1st/2nd reappears.

This is getting more common so I need a solution. I thought it might have solely been a clutch issue as its the original on 131k miles and I think the DMF is getting tired (judders on pulling away), but just now it happened and I tried switching off the engine to try and isolate the issue, and the gears still were not selectable.

Any ideas?

 

[Stonedofmoo]

To help others in future I took it to a gearbox specialist that tested it and diagnosed a worn baulk ring along with the corresponding synchro.

Total cost to remedy is unfortunately twice what I paid for the car so I've sourced a second hand gearbox to go on instead and we'll see how that works out along with a new clutch and dmf