Gearbox crunching..

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Hiya, I was driving my 1.9d dw8 the other day and all was great with gear change until after about 80 miles of mixed driving the gear change went from silky smooth to crunching at every change, especially 5th. I had removed the gearbox and replaced the clutch fork and thrust bearing the day before so I know there gearbox oil is good and proper Total 75/80 VB Citroen oil. Why would the gear change go from good to bad and stay bad 200 miles later ? I have replaced the gear change rods with genuine and if anything the gear change is worse, there is very little play in the gear stick. Any Ideas ? I have found the only way to get a good change is to double the clutch.

 I was toying with the idea of checking the 5th gear on the end of the box as I have read they can come lose. What is the symptoms of the 5th gear issue ? Would the gear change be bad for the whole box or just 5th ?

 Any ideas ?

[ron]

Is it a cable clutch?The symptoms are of clutch drag.

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Yup cable clutch, crappy auto adjuster.. The clutch pedal feels ok though I have been fking around with this crappy gearbox for ages.. BE4 gearbox with crap cable and crap clutch fork and crap thrust bearing !!! Badly designed crap...

  I am getting pissed off with taking this gearbox out for minor issues, does anyone else suffer with the BE4 gearbox ??

[polar]

If its crunching in every gear Ron sound spot on i wonder if the clutch fingers are worn?

[ron]

Yup cable clutch, crappy auto adjuster.. The clutch pedal feels ok though I have been fking around with this crappy gearbox for ages.. BE4 gearbox with crap cable and crap clutch fork and crap thrust bearing !!! Badly designed crap...

  I am getting pissed off with taking this gearbox out for minor issues, does anyone else suffer with the BE4 gearbox ??

Why did you change only the fork & thrust bearing?Were the fork spindle bushes good & free? Was it the right thrust brg?Why wasn't the whole clutch replaced?Was the F/wheel face smooth? PS.It's normally a very good gearbox.

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Hiya, thanks for your responses..

   I had to change the clutch fork and thrust bearing because the stupid nylon ball joint thing in the middle of the fork broke and because the thrust bearing has the tiniest tabs they broke too. then the shaft seals leaked.

  Anyway this time the clutch pedal felt strange so off came the box again and the new Sachs bearing had come apart so I replaced it with a genuine one and as a matter of course the fork as well. The clutch looks good, it is a Valeo unit so I think it was probably changed by the previous owner, I have covered 80k miles so I'm not expecting to change the clutch yet. I am not against changing the clutch but which one ? There are several different types listed..

These pressed steel forks with a nylon bush are a stupid idea and having mouse sized tabs is just asking for trouble.

  Ron, you are thinking of a different, more substantial clutch for assembly, I'm talking about a very flimsy affair, you are thinking of a decent sturdy design..

 Polar, the clutch spring fingers are worn but not excessively and they are all level and even.
 The self adjusting clutch cable is a crap design and bloody expensive..

[Civvic]

Hiya, thanks for your responses..

   I had to change the clutch fork and thrust bearing because the stupid nylon ball joint thing in the middle of the fork broke and because the thrust bearing has the tiniest tabs they broke too. then the shaft seals leaked.

  Anyway this time the clutch pedal felt strange so off came the box again and the new Sachs bearing had come apart so I replaced it with a genuine one and as a matter of course the fork as well. The clutch looks good, it is a Valeo unit so I think it was probably changed by the previous owner, I have covered 80k miles so I'm not expecting to change the clutch yet. I am not against changing the clutch but which one ? There are several different types listed..

These pressed steel forks with a nylon bush are a stupid idea and having mouse sized tabs is just asking for trouble.

  Ron, you are thinking of a different, more substantial clutch for assembly, I'm talking about a very flimsy affair, you are thinking of a decent sturdy design..

 Polar, the clutch spring fingers are worn but not excessively and they are all level and even.
 The self adjusting clutch cable is a crap design and bloody expensive..

You'd be surprised how removal and proper reinstallation of clutch cable can restore smooth change and save you lots of £££ like it did to me.

[ron]

Hiya, thanks for your responses..

   I had to change the clutch fork and thrust bearing because the stupid nylon ball joint thing in the middle of the fork broke and because the thrust bearing has the tiniest tabs they broke too. then the shaft seals leaked.

  Anyway this time the clutch pedal felt strange so off came the box again and the new Sachs bearing had come apart so I replaced it with a genuine one and as a matter of course the fork as well. The clutch looks good, it is a Valeo unit so I think it was probably changed by the previous owner, I have covered 80k miles so I'm not expecting to change the clutch yet. I am not against changing the clutch but which one ? There are several different types listed..

These pressed steel forks with a nylon bush are a stupid idea and having mouse sized tabs is just asking for trouble.

  Ron, you are thinking of a different, more substantial clutch for assembly, I'm talking about a very flimsy affair, you are thinking of a decent sturdy design..

 Polar, the clutch spring fingers are worn but not excessively and they are all level and even.
 The self adjusting clutch cable is a crap design and bloody expensive..

I used to fit LUK clutches when I was working & found them trouble free & well made.

[Civvic]

Hiya, thanks for your responses..

   I had to change the clutch fork and thrust bearing because the stupid nylon ball joint thing in the middle of the fork broke and because the thrust bearing has the tiniest tabs they broke too. then the shaft seals leaked.

  Anyway this time the clutch pedal felt strange so off came the box again and the new Sachs bearing had come apart so I replaced it with a genuine one and as a matter of course the fork as well. The clutch looks good, it is a Valeo unit so I think it was probably changed by the previous owner, I have covered 80k miles so I'm not expecting to change the clutch yet. I am not against changing the clutch but which one ? There are several different types listed..

These pressed steel forks with a nylon bush are a stupid idea and having mouse sized tabs is just asking for trouble.

  Ron, you are thinking of a different, more substantial clutch for assembly, I'm talking about a very flimsy affair, you are thinking of a decent sturdy design..

 Polar, the clutch spring fingers are worn but not excessively and they are all level and even.
 The self adjusting clutch cable is a crap design and bloody expensive..

You'd be surprised how removal and proper reinstallation of clutch cable can restore smooth change and save you lots of £££ like it did to me.

here is the link for how to reset the clutch cable.

[Civvic]

Hiya, thanks for your responses..

   I had to change the clutch fork and thrust bearing because the stupid nylon ball joint thing in the middle of the fork broke and because the thrust bearing has the tiniest tabs they broke too. then the shaft seals leaked.

  Anyway this time the clutch pedal felt strange so off came the box again and the new Sachs bearing had come apart so I replaced it with a genuine one and as a matter of course the fork as well. The clutch looks good, it is a Valeo unit so I think it was probably changed by the previous owner, I have covered 80k miles so I'm not expecting to change the clutch yet. I am not against changing the clutch but which one ? There are several different types listed..

These pressed steel forks with a nylon bush are a stupid idea and having mouse sized tabs is just asking for trouble.

  Ron, you are thinking of a different, more substantial clutch for assembly, I'm talking about a very flimsy affair, you are thinking of a decent sturdy design..

 Polar, the clutch spring fingers are worn but not excessively and they are all level and even.
 The self adjusting clutch cable is a crap design and bloody expensive..

You'd be surprised how removal and proper reinstallation of clutch cable can restore smooth change and save you lots of £££ like it did to me.

here is the link for how to reset the clutch cable.

http://pmmonline.co.uk/technical/reset-clutch-cables/