I was just checking the transmission oil level on my Skoda Felicia (1998,
1.9 VW diesel engine, AEF engine code). I check it periodically because a slight transmission oil loss was picked up a year or so ago on service. To check the level (sez the Haynes manual), you have to disconnect the speedo cable, pull out the small plastic drive gear from the end (about 10cm long), and then reinsert the (wiped) drive gear back into the transmission to use it as a dipstick.Unfortunately the Haynes manual does not say "Be careful how you reinsert the drive gear, because there is just enough of a gap in there for it just to miss its seat down inside the transmission, fall off to one side, and disappear down into the transmission, completely out of sight and out of touch even if you ram your finger right down inside the hole". 'Cos then I might not have done it.
B*ll*cks b*ll*cks f*ck sh*t *rse *rse c*nt w*nk *rse.
Suggestions? Tow to garage of choice to take the transmission off and rescue it? (possibly with the front wheels up during the tow?) Not something I fancy trying to do myself on the drive (the only place I've got available). How much am I going to be looking at for this cr*p? Car is worth around the GBP400-600 mark, for what it's worth. Probably worth more to me as a reliable (but bloody noisy) going concern that we've owned for some years, and had done to it everything it ever needed.