Dodgy Gear selection

[skidmark1]

Has anyone experienced their gear stick stiff when moving it from side to side, it wont return to the neutral position (between 3rd and 4th) when released out of gear, goes in and out of gear ok when you can locate them but with a struggle. Also I notice that you do not have to lift the gear stick surround to get it to go over to reverse, so if not concentrating it is easy to put it in reverse rather than first. 1.9 CDTI Sri 150, 07 plate
50k on the clock

[skidmark1]

do you think its a problem with the gear stick or the gear box itself??

[Critch]

sound like gear linkage mate

[Damo77]

I have exactly the same problem mark, so will be watching this thread and hoping its not serious and expensive (only had this car 8 months and its bleeding me dry ) 55reg 120bhp 6 speed box

Hope some peeps on here can shed some light on it

[skidmark1]

read a bit on site and some say lower the oil level from 3.2l to 2.4l to help with smooth gear change, but this has a problem of like having a worn selector gate or the spring gone from the stick itself, if that makes sense.

[Aikon58]

Was it a local car Rob ? it could well be worn,having to change gear's a lot down here i find.
If it doesn't get any better,i will give you a phone number of a vauxhall mechanic i some times use,who might be able to help.

[Damo77]

Yep same symptoms

The gear selection is smooth between gears but it feels like a spring has broken off the base of the gearstick and stopping the gearstick from auto-centering.

Just found that mine is the M32 gearbox (6 speed) and having googled it, it seems that the M32's are made of chocolate.

From what I've read the 32 in the gearbox name is derived from the max torque level it is designed to handle - 320 nm. Think the 150 puts out 320 so its right on the level so I'm guessing adding a box or a remap takes the 1.9 way over the safe line and so therfore gearbox is stressed beyond it's intended capacity. (so not good for my next plans for the car then REMAP/tunning box ) even though mine is only the 120 version

Would be great if this was just a matter of a small adjustment needed but not having seen the underside of the gearstick area I've no idea where to start looking/fiddling

Off abroad next weekend for around a month as well so not going to get much chance to look either .

Touch wood someone who's had this happen to them and had it fixed can put us on the right track

[skidmark1]

car is completly standard apart from a tow bar fitted by first (last) owner does not look like its done a great deal of work.

[roswell]

Have a look under the gaiter there is a electical connection far to close to one of the rods this may have got tangled / trapped under the rod.

[Damo77]

Cheers for that Roswell think I'll try get the gear gaitor up and have a look and see what I can find

Rob not sure if this is of any help to you (not sure what gearbox you have??) but just found a HOW-TO for adjusting the cables on the F40 gearbox

Link to the HOW-TO

Think, I'm going to have to brave the weather and get my hands dirty

Hope it helps matey
Damo