Astra Diesel gear change problem

Can anyone advise? Intermittently I suddenly find I can't change gear or get into gear - there is enormous resistance to the gear change. I have forced it - and then it is often OK. The only common factor seems to be it happens after a period of slow driving with lots of gear changes - but it still doesn't explain why the problem can suddenly go away - one or two gear changes are alomst impossible, then it's OK. It came to a head on Saturday. I was in a slow moving queue for 45 minutes, then suddenly I couldn't get into gear. With a big sffort, trying everything, it went into reverse - then trying to get out of reverse the gear lever popped out of its housing. I was in a contraflow and caused a massive back-up of traffic. When the breakdown vehicle came, the guy put the gear lever back, ands the car has been fine. But of course it had cooled down. The garage at the last service thought that adjusting the gear linkage would solve the problem. But obviously not. It is going back in - but when I take the car in there will be no problem, because the engine will be cold - and even if I drive it for an hour with lots of gear changes, I don't think that will guarantee the problem happening. Any ideas, anyone? It's an Astra diesel 1.7 LS DTI ECO 4 2002.

Reply to
Bluenose
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Low oil. Clutch out of adjustment. Worn linkages.

Any or any combination of the above.

Reply to
Conor

Conor beat me to it - have you checked the gearbox oil level?

Si

Reply to
Mungo "Two Sheds" Toadfoot

Thanks for comments - how concerned should I be that the dealer adjusted the gear linkage and presumably checked the oil as part of the annual service without it making any noticeable difference?

Reply to
Bluenose

It's the "presumably" you should be concerned about, I think. I'd either ask them if they checked it or just get it checked again anyway. If they were supposed to check it they'll say they did even if they didn't.

Si

Reply to
Mungo "Two Sheds" Toadfoot

The car is with the dealer today. They've just phoned to say they can't replicate the situation (I'd already told them it was completely erratic as to when it happened, so driving it round was a waste of time) and the only thing they can suggest is that it might be a tooth on the synchromesh and they could strip the gearbox down, at a cost of around =A3800 - but they couldn't explain why that would affect reverse as well as first and second. So if I can't find out what the problem even might be from them, I'll probably have to change the car, because I can't risk a repeat of last Saturday's breakdown.

Mungo "Two Sheds" Toadfoot wrote:

Reply to
Bluenose

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