My student daughter has just bought a V-reg Micra (1999) with the 5 speed manual gearbox and we have a very basic question to ask of anyone who has such a car.
Every 5 speed gearbox that I have driven has had the gear-lever spring loaded in the 3-4 plane. This has been done in such a way that in order to get 1-2, you have to push against a spring and to get 3-4 you just move the lever back and forth. To get 5 (and reverse) you have to pull against a spring.
My daughter's Micra seems a combination of spring loading, to select 5 (and reverse), but 1-2 and 3-4 are non spring loaded and the gear-lever must be moved by hand to engage these gears. For example to change from 2 to 3 one has to "forward", "across" and "forward" the lever by hand, there is no spring assistance to move the lever to the 3-4 plane.
My question is, is this right, or do we have a fault?
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On the Primeras there is a little spring under the bottom of the gearstick (you get at from under the car) - this biasses the lever to the 3-4 plane. After 5-6 years these springs can snap (£6 from Nissan dealer). IIRC the Micra has a similar arrangement. But I may be wrong......Quick phone call to Nissan parts dept should confirm it.
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There are springs under the car that usually park the gear lever - I am sure one or both has snapped.
Got to be cheap to buy, and are easy to replace if you have a jack and axel stands - I 'repaired' one on a 1996 Micra many many moons ago
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Doh........ Beat to it by our resident expert !
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Thanks to you guys for the rapid help, I will get the car up on the ramps as soon as the rain stops!
Thanks again.
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Spospe
Depending on model you may find that there is a heatshield over the bottom of the lever (and above the exhaust). Unfortunately I am getting old and can't always remember exact details - so things kind of merge together in my memory.
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Aprilia, you are quite right, there is a heat shield (held by 5 short bolts of 10mm diameter). Undoing these bolts allows the heat shield to be slid back and the end of the gear lever is then visible.
The problem was caused by one end of a small coil spring breaking off and it was an easy, if slightly fiddly job to use one of the coils on the broken end to make a new hook and re-attach it. (I am being a cheapskate here as a new spring cannot be very expensive as it is only about 40mm long).
Once again thanks for Fossyant?s and your help, the job is done and daughter happy!
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That's not cheapskate, that's ecological. There is something terribly satisfying about undertaking a 'repair' rather than just replacing parts.
As a matter of interest, I am thinking of a Micra when my daughter finishes university in 18 months time. What have been your experiences so far?
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MW
My daughter's Micra is a 1999 1.0 litre and to date she (we) have been delighted with it. The engine is smooth and very tractable, the gear ratios well chosen and the general handling / drivability excellent. For what is now a 7 year old car at a purchase price of £1650 (with a 3 month / 3000 mile warrantee) it seems a good choice, especially as it is so rot free. Yes, I know for £1650 we could have had an "XYZ" with "ABC" options and only 3 years old, but it suits us just fine.
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All very good cars - my family have two 1.0 S that have been totally reliable for the last 4 years.
I had an early 'bubble' micra 1.3 Super S and that was a little rocket. Again totally reliable, only needed the DIY spring fix on the gear lever.
All are cam chain, and can be a bit noisy (not rattly though). Found Duckhams QXR semi syn was the best for keeping things quiet - made a big difference.
I believe there can be rust problems from underneath, but I think that's early ones - the 'facelift' model seems much better.
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Just as an afterthought, you all might like to know that the cost of this small (40mm long) coil spring from a friendly Nissan dealer is £6-61 plus VAT or £7-71 in total.
Personally I would have thought that £0-71 would have been excessive for so small and simple an item, especially as it is totally unchanged from the failed item. If it had been modified, or 'beefed-up' in some way then just possibly I could accept such a price, but to be charged this sum for something that must fail again in the same way as the original, is the pits.
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Yes, I said in my post above (second post in this thread) they are "around £6" from the dealer (sorry, I couldn't remember the exact price). They have been improved. The £7 breaks down into 50p for spring and £6.50 distribution and stocking costs ;-)
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Interesting thread this,because I've just been out in the wife's 97 1.3SR,which goes like the proverbial off a shovel,and I notice that the gearchange in her otherwise super little motor,is rather stiffer than I remember,and the throw between the gears,seems shorter.
Any ideas guys?
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Whatever it is, it is not the broken spring problem that my daughter had, as the effect there was to make the gear lever 'floppy' in the "H" part of the gate and without any spring bias to 3-4. Sorry that I cannot help any further.
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