Ford Ka - intermittent problem engaging/disengaging gears

Hi,

Yesterday morning my daughters Ford Ka was very difficult to get into or out of gear. This was the first time it had been driven that day and all it managed to do was get to the bottom of our cul-de-sac, turn round and get back to our house. In that short trip both my wife and daughter tried it and both had the same problem.

Once back home I tried it and, Sods Law, it was fine. No problems at all.

They say there was no grinding of gears or any unusual sounds just an incredible resistance when engaging and large force required to disengage.

If the thing was just going to be used locally I would just tell her to get back in it and see if it ever happened again, but it's not. I bought it for her (privately) a week ago and it is to be used away from home as she is at Uni. Up until yesterday morning it has behaved perfectly. Even did a test run up to her Uni. and back (150 miles round trip) with no problems at all. (goes a bit better than I expected for such a little thing).

I had the clutch and the brakes checked last Monday and the garage said they were OK.

It's a Ford Ka 1.3l K2 (with P/S and E/W) 1998.

Any ideas or suggestions as to what may have been the cause? (until some cause is found and rectified it will always be suspect and I won't trust it) It is going back to the garage for a check-up but as the problem is no longer 'present' it might be difficult to pin it down to anything. So I am hoping that one or more of you have come across this in the past and can provide some ideas which I will pass on to the garage if they come up empty handed. The garage I use is honest and won't simply say they fixed something or other when in fact they haven't.

Thanks.

Reply to
gandalf
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I am absolutly no help to you at all ... but can only add that just before my partner sold her Peugot 106.. it had exactly the same symptons as your KA.. Never found out what was going on. :-)

Mike Mike

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Reply to
Mike the caver

Tried lubricating the linkage? Not sure of Ka - but many cars have plastic parts that can get a bit gummed up. Even lifting the gear lever gaiter and oiling the ball joint makes a difference.

My old Rover 214 had a ball and socket joint over the exhaust and the difference a bit of grease made was amazing.

Reply to
John

I know the 106 had a pivot at the front of the bulkhead. The metal pin used to rust, and seize in the plastic bushes. A quick cure used to be heat the pin with the gas bottles (or blow torch), just enough to slightly melt the bush and free off the pin.

Reply to
Moray Cuthill

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