13 replies to this topic

[Mike Hill]

Just started to encounter a problem with the gearbox on my 53 vxt after having covered 16000 miles.Gear changes are fine from cold but after about 20 miles the gear changing becomes stiffer, it's particularly bad between 5th and 4th. I've just had the gearbox oil changed but that seems to have made little difference.Any ideas?

[Lps]

Whatever you do, don't force it into any gear. Gear cables are muchos expensive from Vauxhall (eh Stu!)

[Scotsdave]

Nothing wrong with a tight box Maybe a worn syncro or maybe the cables? You could try popping the cables off and moving the selector on the box to see if its still tight to eliminate the cables.

[slindborg]

As LPS said... the gear cables are HUGE cash!!!!! £500 +vat+delivery+12week lead time from GM for the pair. And they are a toss design. Ive just had a pair custom made for £130 all in and they can get them out in about 5 days max. I'd pop the ball joints off the gearbox end and try selecting gears with yours fingers... if you can do that then the box is fine, and its the cables at fault. If its the box that is stiff, then fristly try a gear oil change (to castrol SMX-S or royal purple MTX or AMSoil MTX) and go from there.

[Sticky]

I've just changed my gearbox and have the old one in the garage. The housing is broken and there is a synchro issue between 3rd and 4th hence the change but if you need any of the other bits you're more than welcome. Sticky

[Mike Hill]

Nothing wrong with a tight box


Maybe a worn syncro or maybe the cables?

You could try popping the cables off and moving the selector on the box to see if its still tight to eliminate the cables.

Might try that,but why should the cables stiffen up after 20 miles?Should the cables ever be oiled?

[Mike Hill]

As LPS said... the gear cables are HUGE cash!!!!!
£500 +vat+delivery+12week lead time from GM for the pair. And they are a toss design.

Ive just had a pair custom made for £130 all in and they can get them out in about 5 days max.


I'd pop the ball joints off the gearbox end and try selecting gears with yours fingers... if you can do that then the box is fine, and its the cables at fault.
If its the box that is stiff, then fristly try a gear oil change (to castrol SMX-S or royal purple MTX or AMSoil MTX) and go from there.

Where did you get your cables made?

[Mike Hill]

I've just changed my gearbox and have the old one in the garage. The housing is broken and there is a synchro issue between 3rd and 4th hence the change but if you need any of the other bits you're more than welcome.


Sticky

Thanks for the offer,I'm just hoping it won't come to that.Out of interest how much did the new box cost?

[two4oneuk]

I was getting a stiff change in both the VXT and vectra. Changed oil in both but not any better. Vaectra will be left as is and the VX is now crunching goion 1-2-3 and 3-2-1 needs a rebuild/new box now........

[Sticky]

I've just changed my gearbox and have the old one in the garage. The housing is broken and there is a synchro issue between 3rd and 4th hence the change but if you need any of the other bits you're more than welcome.


Sticky

Thanks for the offer,I'm just hoping it won't come to that.Out of interest how much did the new box cost?

I paid £150 from a scrapyard in Walton-on-the Naze. Had a 3 month warranty but it took me 3 1/2 months to fit it, doh!!

May have got a cheaper one but was losing the will to live after calling loads of scrapdealers who tried to pass off any Vauxhall gearbox when I was being v specific about a VX box. Originally was looking to get a 4.17 FD box but this proved impossible so I chose to replace like for like.

Sticky

[Code Monkey]

Stiff once warmed up mine did this resulted in Vxl replacing the whole gearbox, due to the selector forks failing. apparently not a serviceable item was still in warranty though so possible different if you took car to specialist and had them look into it and replace what was needed. not cheap though, in what way is it stiff, mine was in fifth and unless went down through the gears into 4th then 3rd would remain in the fifth gear plane not allowing 3rd gear selection unless gear stick pulled across to 1-2 plane as it stuck behind the reverse detent.

[Pitters]

Mike, I hope my fix works for your car, having experienced exactly the same problem on my car. I visited my local VX dealer and explained the problem to the mechanic, whilst he was not aware of this problem with VX's he advised that MGF's have this problem due to the grease in the cable assembly conjealing when getting hot and causing a stiff gearchange. I have insulated the exhaust pipe from the turbo joint to the rear box with race car exhaust wrap and applied a glass/aluminium cloth over the top of the corrugated sleeve on the gear cables. This reduces the temperature in the engine bay around the gear cable route, resulting in a free and smooth gear change- problem resolved!

[boghouse]

I visited my local VX dealer and explained the problem to the mechanic, whilst he was not aware of this problem with VX's he advised that MGF's have this problem due to the grease in the cable assembly conjealing when getting hot and causing a stiff gearchange.

This sounds like a crock of shite to me somehow...surely the grease would get less viscous/congealed as it heats up?

[slindborg]

I visited my local VX dealer and explained the problem to the mechanic, whilst he was not aware of this problem with VX's he advised that MGF's have this problem due to the grease in the cable assembly conjealing when getting hot and causing a stiff gearchange.

This sounds like a crock of shite to me somehow...surely the grease would get less viscous/congealed as it heats up?

basically our gear cables are utter sh** and they dont behave to the normal "rules" lol

I'll get the contact details etc for the ones I had custom made.