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Difficult first and second gears when cold + clutch

Our Peugeot 306 (1.4 petrol, 1998) has recently been more difficult to get into first or second gear when cold.

Recently we had the front lower suspension arms replaced, then a day or so later, had a pool of gearbox oil under the card. Turned out the drive shaft oil seal had gone. Took car to garage to have it fixed (about 1 mile or so down the road). Gearbox was refilled with oil.

Around the same time, we've noticed that it's more difficult to get into

1st/2nd gear - most noticably when you first get into the car. You basically have to push quite hard (1st is worst). After driving for a while (not sure if related to the number of gear changes, or just warmth of gearbox, maybe 5-10 minutes), it gets easier - probably to normal (at least normal for this car!). 3rd, 4th and 5th gears seem unaffected, and I'm pretty sure it does it even when engine not running.

I've also noticed the clutch slipping very occasionally (not every time it's driven, and sometimes never for a week or so). Usually in the higher gears, and usually not directly following gear changes - just acceleration. eg. on M25 in roadworks, 40 limit in 5th (and been in

5th for ages). End of limit - put pedal down to accelerate to 70 and it'll increase revs a few 100 rpm, and then drop down again after a second. Not immediately after putting pedal down - maybe a few seconds. Normally, then everything is fine again for the rest of the journey.

I'd assumed the garage just used thicker gearbox oil than before when refilling, hence thicker when cold, better when warm. But following an earlier thread on here, which other people seemed to think it was the clutch, I thought it worth mentioning. There's not any unusualy noise when the difficult gear change occurs - just push hard, and the normal clunk as it engages. No grinding etc.

Any thoughts as to what it might be?

Thanks

D
Reply to
David Hearn
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wrong gearbox oil, probably. but if the clutch is dying, then it may be dragging as well as slipping, which keeps the shafts turning, therefore the synchro has to work more which of course prevents the gears meshing till the speeds are correct. since the lower gears are used more than the higher (frequency of engagement, not time) the synchro is always more worn, usually second gear goes before any other.

mrcheerful

Reply to
mrcheerful

Hi David, I've got a 306 as well and I have noticed the same problem, only since my clutch was changed recently.This entails replcing the gear oil as well .. I was thinking it might be that the clutch cable needs adjusting ( although it has some sort of automatic adjuster I think ) Do you press the pedal all the way to the floor ?

Simon

Reply to
srp

Check the clutch operating mechanism. Don't know the car but if it's hydraulic have it bled-maybe new cylinder(s) required. If cable, check it runs easily through the outer sleeve and is not kinked. Wonder if the garage snagged it during the drive shaft job? You describe two symptoms- clutch drag and clutch slip. Unusual. Drag- when the driven plate has a coating of oil and doesn't want to release, contaminated with engine oil via a worn crankshaft bearing seal. Damaged or worn splines on the driven plate can do it too. Slip- when the friction surface has worn and the spring has lost it's clamping force, or in your case-maybe the release mechanism is holding on-like having your foot resting on the clutch pedal. Difficulty in selecting first or reverse from cold isn't unusual, though it should be easy when warmed up. If the clutch is in good nick and wasn't giving trouble before the work, it points to damaged/misaligned release mechanism. DaveK.

Reply to
davek
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Just read your original again and see you had lower suspension arms replaced before all this started. That's probably when the drive shaft seal was damaged.(But you'll never prove it). I'd bet the mountings were removed and the engine/gearbox unit lowered so far that the drive shaft popped out. The monkeys butchered it in trying to get it back. All points to damage to the cable and/or release mechanism. You might need a new clutch-those specialist centres are very good. DaveK.

Reply to
davek

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