Stiff gear change

[jjad]

The gear change on our 1990 GTL seems a bit stiff sometimes. It feels easier when there is no tension on the washer that the rod goes through above the rocker cover (like on Petak's photo here https://www.renault4.co.uk/forum/attachments/p1020145-jpg.13421/), so perhaps some lubrication is needed? (I'm hoping it's nothing more serious.) Can anyone advise what lubricant should be used on the gear level mechanism?

Thanks

 

[Cornish4]

Just a spray with WD40 or similar to clean the rod where it passes through the bush, and then a light spray with same to lubricate it. Hope this works Jonathan.

 

[jjad]

Thanks Brian, I'll give that a go. Hopefully it will make it easier to change gear!

All the best, Jonathan

 

[laxeian]

In addition to Brians advice I have also cleaned and greased pivot ball on the bottom of gearbox lever itself, under the little gaiter, don’t know if recommend but does smooth gear change a little, also made a tube (really just a rolled up cut to size bit of the insulation I used, but 3-5mm packing foam is equal) which I pushed into bulkhead tube around gear lever, fitted from inside, just popped off plastic trim, inserted tube around gearlever and popped trim back on, to me both improved feel of gear changes.

 

[jjad]

Thanks laxeian, I'll give that a go too. Hopefully all this will help

 

[JdeW]

And of course never use a petrol based grease or lubricant on your R4 precious rubber parts, use a silicone based instead

 

[jjad]

So not WD-40 on anything that looks rubber then?

 

[JdeW]

WD-40 (Water Displacement - 40th Attempt) is actually an anti-corrosion agent made up of various hydrocarbons.
It isn't a real lubricant. I would use it sparingly.

 

[angel]

If you remove the shift lever completely and clean and degrease really well both the lever and the bush inside the tube under the dashboard, you will find that lever operation will be really smooth. No lubrication is needed, it only attracts dirt that turns to muck, hence the stiff lever feel.
There is also a chance that the plastic bush in the dashboard tube is worn and the lever slides on its rubber support instead of the bush itself. The only cure here would be to replace the bush.

 

[jjad]

Thanks everyone. I've taken apart the gear lever rod, and there is very little resistance when going through the bulkhead, but it's still difficult to change gears using the rod that comes directly out of the gearbox (when the car is stationary of course).

Any ideas?

Thanks, Jonathan

 

[jcarruthers2]

Hi Jonathan

Are the gear change bushes in good condition? There is also a sliding adjustment for the top bush alignment, where it passes through the inner wing to inner wing cross member, you just have to slacken off the nuts which hold the studs in place. In addition, might your clutch cable need adjusting? Symptoms are: Difficult to get in first and reverse in particular.

 

[jjad]

Thanks. I think the bushes are OK. It's difficult to change gear even when the gear lever rod is disconnected and you are manually changing gears using the upright rod sticking out of the gearbox.

Yes, it's probably worst getting into first and reverse. Feels like you have to push quite hard to get into first. When driving, raising the clutch pedal and putting it down again can help; would that indicate clutch cable adjustment? There certainly doesn't seem to be much travel on the clutch pedal.

Thanks, Jonathan

 

[jcarruthers2]

Hi Jonathan

If the pedal is also hard and over-responsive when you lift your foot off of the pedal, my first port of call would therefore be to check the clutch cable adjustment. Jack up the car and place on stands. Manually check for play by tugging the threaded end of the cable. There should be 2-3mm play in the cable. If not, slacken the two 10mm nuts on the threaded part of the cable and adjust accordingly. The result should be a smoothly responsive lifting off the pedal and a smooth gear change.

If the attempt at adjustment does not make any difference and the pedal is still stiff, I would take the cable out completely and physically and visually check it for wear and whether it is seized or partially seized. The metal inner is prone to rusting up. You can spray WD40 down between the inner and outer using the straw and working the inner free by pushing both metal ends to and fro.

If beyond repair, I have a new old stock cable spare.

 

[jjad]

Thanks, I'll try that, although the clutch pedal isn't stiff, it's just that there's not much travel (but perhaps it's always been like that?).

As changing gear is difficult when the car is not moving (and when the clutch pedal is not depressed) wouldn't that rule out the clutch?

Thanks, Jonathan

 

[laxeian]

On a slight tangent, just from reading other threads over time, could it be that the stiffness you are feeling when driving car now after it sitting and being used little when changing/selecting gears could be that the actual clutch operating rod that goes through bellhousing is binding a little and could do with a little lubrication?

 

[jcarruthers2]

Hi Jonathan

If the pedal is not stiff, the cable is probably not seized and all it needs is adjustment.

 

[jjad]

Thanks.

Showing my ignorance here, but should there be a difference in how easy it is to change gears:

1. when the car is stationary, engine off, clutch pedal not depressed
2. when the car is stationary, engine off, clutch pedal depressed
3. when the car is stationary, engine idling, clutch pedal depressed
4. when the car is moving, engine turning, clutch pedal depressed?

Thanks!

 

[angel]

If all is well inside the gearbox, with engine off, all gears should engage smoothly. Depressing or not the clutch is irrelevant.
Having removed the horizontal shift lever, how would you describe that the gears are not easy to shift by the gearbox lever? Does the lever move freely but gears are hard to be engaged fully? Or do you feel the lever hard to move in all directions?

 

[jjad]

Thanks Angel,

I would say that the lever itself starts to move easily, but meets quite a lot of resistance at a certain point; once it gets past that point it is easier again.

 

[jcarruthers2]

Hi Jonathan

Check to see if the resistance is met where the gear lever rod passes through the cross member. See if the rod is not passing through the cross member centrally. Ie with a radial fraction of daylight. If you notice that the rod is notching up as you select a particular gear. There is scope to adjust the bracket as the studs sit on a sliding bracket.

As an afterthought, there are two gear change selector springs which often snap or come adrift. One is connected near the bulkhead, rod to stud on rocker cover. The other, gearbox end, lever rod which comes out of gearbox to metal bar bolted to chassis lower end and cross member at the top.