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My wife has an old VW Lupo (03) which has had a new clutch in a little while ago....anyways the car was left parked for 3 months and now the gearbox is extremely stiff....The clutch actually works and you can drive it etc but the gearbox is really really stiff.
I was wondering if the collective hive knowledge could help me? Is this something that driving would loosen up again or do I need to take it to a garage and spend some more money?
Due an oil change?
Has anyone checked the oil level in the gearbox since the clutch change?
Depends on the clutch/gearbox design and the mechanic but it is feasible that some or all of the gearbox oil has been lost during the clutch change.
Could be just the cables that connect the gear stick to the gearbox that needs adjusting.
I bet on cables too
Thanx everyone....my post was probably a bit missleading....What I meant was that the clutch has been changed in the past and I would not have expected this to be an issue. It's just that the actual gear lever / gearbox is very very stiff.... So perhaps as it has a cable to the box is it possible that cable just needs some lube? Might it be corroded due to 3 month park ...etc
any other advice please?
Gear lever is cable operated, so could still be that if it had been sat for ages.
Without the engine running, dont touch the clutch pedal, can you move the gear lever and note how it is?
With the clutch depressed, does it seem any different?
If not, it could be the selector linkage / cables are partially seized.
With the engine running and clutch depressed is it any different?
If you take it for a drive (20 miles) does it loosen up once the car has warmed up?
If it doesn't change regardless its probably the linkage / cables. If its better when its warmed up then it could be low / cruddy gearbox oil.
Many thanx Bigyinn. I'll check that tonite
Most VAG group manual transmissions can be removed without draining them, so I doubt the garage drained the tranny to change the clutch.
Follow Bigyinn's advice and get back with an update.
Marko
Thanx Marko/Bigyinn...If it does turn out to be partially seized cable linkage is this something that will sort itself with regular use or does it need a trip to the local garage for some attention?
It may loosen up with use, it may not. Its really difficult to say.
If you're not mechanically minded, its probably worth getting a local trusted independent garage to have a quick look.
If you can see the linkages on top of the gearbox, you could spray some WD40 on there and working it in by changing gear and see if it eases. You could do the same on the gearlever end. Often the leather / rubber gaiter that goes around the gearlever can be carefully prised up to expose the mechanism at that end, again spray WD40 on the joints and cables.
If the WD40 does work in freeing things up, get some spray grease and spray on the joints to disperse the WD40 and soak in the grease.
I'd agree with Bigyinn, more than likely cables seizing or seized up due to sitting around a while. I'd hope that with some use over a week or so they would free up.
Hope they don't need changing, they'll be a few quid more to replace than you bike shifter cables!