Hi there! this is my first thread and I need help! I have a seat Arosa mk1...same as vw polo 6n1

1.0L and rod type linkage!

...club Lupo seems to be dead so I thought here is my best option!

The car is an autosolo car - not a road car so doesn't have to be mot/nct, in Ireland the car doesn't even need to be registered to enter! anyway...

Me and my friend put a new clutch in that we got from a scrappy! all good!

we got the car rolling again and all gears were good but reverse just isn't there, right before the clutch went the gear linkage went so the one in the car is another one from a scrap yard ( we are both 16 and money is tight ) we have played around with the gear linkage under the car holding the gear stick etc everything that I have found from googleing! but still no luck ! we need reverse because if we mess up we will have egg on our face trying to push it back, although it's very light hahah, but what could it be? do I keep messing with the gear linkage? or is the one I have from the scrap yard too long from being stretched in the car it came out of? also where the gear linkage connects to the sub fame that connection is broken! but when got the car reverse was working fine without it being connected to that? what is the problem here? I need to get it working in under 30 days because the last round of the championship is on! thanks for reading and if you can shed any light on my issue that would be much appreciated!

Edited 25 August, 201412 yr by JohnyHDz

Welcome to the Forum.

At least you are fortunate in having the rod type linkage, as this is easier to deal with.

It can be a bit of 'trial and error' getting it just right, but there is the 'official'' adjustment and the one where the linkage joins the gearbox.

First the 'official' one:

Remove the gearlever gaiter and you will see a clamp bolt holding a cylindrical collar to the gearlever.

Below this cylindrical collar, you will see an 'L' shaped 'bracket'.

Select 1st gear.

Push the gearlever to the left as far as it will go WITHOUT pressing too hard on it.

Now measure the gap between said 'L'shaped 'bracket' and the 'stop' on the passenger side - this gap should be between 1 mm and 2 mm.

If it is much more or less than that, slacken off the above mentioned clamp bolt and rotate the cylindrical collar 'till you get the prescribed one-to-two mm gap, then re-tighten the clamp bolt.

If you still have problems and you are quite sure that the engine/gearbox is not moving about as you try to select a gear, try engaging 1st gear, then, working from under the car, slackening off the clamp on the linkage where it goes into the gearbox, get your friend to hold the gearlever in about 3rd gear position and tighten the clamp.

If you are still unable to select all of the gears, you will have to repeat the above from under the car.

It sounds as if you may have already tried this, if this is the case, what you are probably doing wrong (if anything) is that you are moving the gearlever too far between each adjustment.

Let us know if you still have problems after attempting the above.

Regards

Hello there again! Thank you for your long answer and it was helpful :) I've ajusted the bolt at the gear leaver and I've been moving the bolt under the car up at the gear box too! No help, spent a few hours on it .. Still nothing, I tried using a different linkage setup out of another car we had laying around .. Still same problem.. Reverse is forward/ first! ... I can't afford to take it to the garrage, it's quite frustrating right now :(

Are you sure it's rod linkage? Just been messing with a 1.7SDi Mk1 Arosa and that definitely has cable change, though it's still a rod at the point at which it goes into the gearbox. I thought all Arosa/Lupos were cable change. If you are under the car facing forwards, the selector rod that goes into the box has 3 detent positions front to back with the centre being neutral, back being 2/4 and forward being R/1/3/5/. There is one cable that does the forward/back and another that activates a linkage to rotate the selector rod. It can only be rotated when in the centre, neutral position. It should spring return to the 3/4 gate. Rotating it clockwise takes you to the 5th gate. Rotating it all the way anticlockwise and should get you the reverse gate and half way between reverse and 3/4 is 1/2.

You have adjustment where the forward/back cable joins the crank arm. You also have adjustment for the twisting action where the bottom of the white plastic link clips on as the ball it clips to mounts through a slot and can be moved up and down this slot once the nut is slackened.

Presumably you had reverse before you changed the clutch so you know the 'box itself is ok?

Nick

Another thought!

Have you checked that, since you replaced the clutch, the gearbox mountings are in exactly the same position as they were before you removed the gearbox? - There is a bit of movement possible before you fully tighten things up - If anything is in a slightly different position, you may be able to see the difference between the 'dirty' and 'clean' parts of the mounting, indicating where it used to be.

If you still can't get reverse, try disconnecting the coupling where the linkage joins the gearbox.

Use a pair of Mole Grips (in good condition) to grasp the very outer end of the selector shaft - DO NOT grip the part of the shaft that moves into the gearbox when a gear is selected, or you will end up with an oil leak.

As Nick has said above, you should be able to feel 3 distinct detent positions (notches) as you move the selector between (say) 1st gear, neutral and 2nd gear.

Now try turning the Mole Grips anti-clockwise as far as they will go and engage (hopefully!) reverse gear with the Mole Grips.

Remove the Mole Grips, put the gear lever in reverse position and tighten the selector clamp.

It might pay at this stage to re check that you still have the 1-2 mm gap as described above.

Now tell us that you have got reverse, BUT can't find 5th

Regards

Hi guys I got reverse today buut. ..

I had to get under the car and push the selector fully up to get it in the reverse setting. .. worked! Then the rod that turns it left to right wouldn't go on so I went to ajust it at the gear selector but the screw that let's you ajust the travel of the fear stick? That thing... when I took it out and put it back in and went to tighten It up it kept spinning and then I realised the tread in the selector... was all gone so I can't tighten it? What can I do? Use a tap to make the thread? Or use a bigger screw and jam it in there. ...hahaha lol... Thank you guys for all the help...I'm getting there!

Also I don't need fifth only need first and reverse haha

another update after a lot of messing around me and my friends swapped the gear liakge cables the shifter and the housing...took the best bits from both units! then we lined it up and tightened it all up and hey presto we got reverse going and it went forward and backwards...this was night time now...we cleaned up all the tools then reverse went again :( no idea what it could be personally i think it is the makeshift nut and bolt we made for the selector... sadface, will work at it more again tomorow

the gear linkages just will not work! I have tried everything... the cable linkage, it wont line up! ...I've learned where the L bracket thing connects to the subframe that mount is broken...is that was is causing this not to work? its very stressful...but i wont give up!..i got it to line up and it went into first then reverse last nihgt then first and then reverse again then it was really hard to get into reverse then when it did go in at the gear stick end, the car went forward? ...grr.

probably annoying everyone at this stage but part 40 is broken...is this what is causing it?

So you have a cable change setup? Or a rod setup? As tney are totally different.

cable