Hard to get into 2nd gear

[sarahandthebear]

Hi all we have a 1984 1.9 5 speed westie left hand drive. A month ago we had a very hard time getting from first gear into second. It was almost impossible to get out of first into second and made a horrible scratch sound. We took apart the shifter and box under the spare wheel it was very messy and one of the guides had a gouge in it. We're assuming that was the sound changing gear. We bough new parts from brekworks but did not buy the guides. We rebuilt the gearstick bellows ect with all new parts and housing. After that it was much smoother to change gear. But it is still sometimes hard from first to second and even second to third especially when cold and sometimes maybe just once when I change to second it sounds like a crunch which I hope is not from the gear box itself. The gear stick moves easily it's just it feels like a small push is needed for second. We are going to replace the linkages next and change gear box oil and bleed the clutch but I'm just wondering is it the gearbox itself which I hope not as that's a very expensive job. Also is there any other way of testing the gear box rather then going to a garage any noise I would hear. Like I say only when going into second when cold it makes the noise then stops. Thanks guys

[slowcoach]

I'm.no expert on gear boxes, far from it, but when you say it's when cold, we certainly had a crunchy change to second until I changed the oil some years back which helped a lot.

[Oldiebut goodie]

My last gearbox was always clunky going into 2nd when cold - my solution was to put it into 1st and 2nd a couple of times before moving off. It made a lot of difference, I assumed that it was just lubricating the gears etc a bit before they were put to work. Worth a try.

[sarahandthebear]

Thanks guys. Well I'm glad you did not say it's a fault in the gear box. Changing the gearbox oil is probably our next step then. And oldie think I'll try your method of putting it from first to second a few times before pulling off