T4 Gearbox 'notchy' - any ideas?

[Dommett]

I have had my T4 for coming up 3 years now, but the gearbox has always been notchy especially in first and second, and even worse when the the car hasnt warmed up. I dont think it's got worse, but I would quite like to fix it.

I presumed it was a characteristic, but I asked the garage, and they took it for a quick drive, and reported that it was very notchy, and shouldn't be.
They suggested that I could try changing the gearbox oil, as thats the only thing they can do short of replacing the gearbox, apparantly it's not done as part of a normal service, does anyone know when the gearbox oil should be changed (if at all) and also if it's likely to make the shifting a lot smoother - its likely to cost £100+, so I dont want to waste money if its not going to make a difference.

Apart from that - has anyone else got any ideas? (its a T4 Phase I, so has a different gearbox to the standard s40)

Many thanks


Tom (23)

[ 98 S40 T4 CD ]

[pettaw]

Usually G/box oil isn't on any service intervals, but careful owners can get it changed after the first year, to get rid of any 'running in' swarf. After that, periodic changing is a reasonable idea (every 5 years or so)

[don kalmar union]

These M56 gearboxes which are a bit clonky are shared with all the manual 5cyl. cars.

You might look at refilling it with a specialist g'box oil like Redline Shockproof which is a bit expensive but very effective in protecting competition boxes.

Don.Norchi.


www.kalmar-union.com

[Dommett]

What's "quite expensive" ?!!

Do you think it is likely to make a difference though.
I realise it can help protect, but will bad oil make it feel 'reluctant' and 'notchy' ?

Thanks :-)

Tom (23)

[ 98 S40 T4 CD ]

[4 forty]

my s40 was exactly the same,only doing it in first second and reverse, it wasrectified by simple adjustment on the gear linkage, and what a difference!!

paul

[Dommett]

Oooohhh, that sounds cheaper :-D

Do you know exactly what was done so that I can ask the dealer to do it? I presume it was a T4 as the gearbox is completely different to the other S40's?

Thanks

Tom (23)

[ 98 S40 T4 CD ]

[4 forty]

tom,
it was a renault gearbox fitted to a 1.6, but it sounds like your problem is very similar, and i would imagine the linkage adjustment is similar, it certainly made a difference to mine.

paul

[Dommett]

I'm not really clued up with gearbox's so, not sure what the linkage is, but I'll mention it to the garage, see if they can do anything.

Tom (23)

[ 98 S40 T4 CD ]

The turbo boxes are very different from the NA gearboxes. NA are a mechanical linkage, turbo ones have a cable linkage. Incidently my 2.0T is not so much as clunky as percise. If you fight it and try to go diagonally across the gate (as you generally can with most mechanical linkages) it'll fight you. If you follow the gate exactly it's a lovely box. Without trying to sound condesending (as I also had to get used to it with mine) have you tried following the gate precisely, rather than fighting it?

Stu

[Dommett]

Don't worry, I dont get offended that easily! ;-)

I understand completely, and I do follow the gate precisely, and dont go diagonally. I tend to return to neutral before engaging the next gear (rather than changing gear in one movement), as I find it doesnt particuarly likes being rushed.

I did let my girlfriend drive it on a local test track, but she just couldnt get used to the gearbox, as it did require some discipline to engage the gears, like moving across the gate before moving up/down. (I'll buy her her own car!!!)

To be honest, it can feel very smooth when the cars been running for a long time, and it always feels very very tight, like the cables are very tight, which makes it quite weighty, its not like the gearbox in the 2.0 S40 I had before, which was featherlite, and you could aim it generally in the region of the gear with no effort at all.

But really 1st and 2nd when engaging it feels like it gets stuck on a notch, which sometimes requires a bit of extra force, and sometimes requires returning to netrual to start again.

Let's hope a simple adjustment may fix it (hey, I can live in hope!!)


Tom (23)

[ 98 S40 T4 CD ]