FIAT Punto - gearbox issues

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
View Threaded
Sun 11 Nov 2012 14:54
FIAT Punto - gearbox issues - cazmutley

Hi, i could really do with some advice please. We recently discoverd a hole in the gearbox, so i bought a secondhand one and my son replaced it for me. As long as the car is up on ramps we can select gears and everything works ok, put it down on the floor and .... nothing no gears at all. My son has stripped and checked the whole car 10 times now and still the same problem,its got to the point the we hate the car. Any advice gratefully recieved. We have a fiat punto active 1.2 8v 2004. amny thanks carol

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 11 Nov 2012 15:13
FIAT Punto - gearbox issues - gordonbennet

I assume you mean there is no drive when the car is lowered, started and running.

Does it change gear as such both lifted and on the ground, just that drive isn't being transmitted?

Two possibilities off the top of me head, broken final drive or other fault in the new gearbox or broken clutch on your engine not transmitting drive...we assume the drive shafts are the correct fit.

Does the car transmit drive to the wheels raised at all, or without starting the engine when a gear is selected does the other wheel turn with car raised, and if so does stopping the far wheel turning cause the engine to be turned over...in other words check the drive system backwards by turning the engine over via the wheels.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 16 Nov 2012 20:00
FIAT Punto - gearbox issues - cazmutley

HI sorry for taking so long to reply, i wanted to check with my son before replying.this is what he has told me if it makes any sense to you at all.

when up in the air only the 1 wheel turns (passenger side),

if you jack the sides up individually they will both work.

Again when in the air gears work and select ok, on floor can't select any gears at all.

when in gear hardley any resistance with the engine off

The only thing we have changed is the gearbox no chance to drive shafts etc.

New clutch fitted less than 2 weeks before this happened and car was working fine up untill one evening i couldn't get the car out of reverse gear and my son found the hole in the gearbox.

Any help greatly appreciated as i've had 2 people try to sell me gearboxs and have stuck their prices up by over £50 when they know i really need it. many thanks carol

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 16 Nov 2012 20:29
FIAT Punto - gearbox issues - gordonbennet

I'm unsure from your post whether your son is testing the transmission by driving it fully raised...this has its merits but its entirely possible for one wheel to be spinning merrily yet no drive being transmitted to the other wheel due to a final drive fault.

It would appear that gears are being selected but drive not getting to both wheels, this needs to be confirmed.

As i tried to explain in the previous post, raise both front wheels...engine OFF...put car in gear (test all gears this way), turn a wheel doesn't matter which one, the other wheel should turn in the opposite direction so far so good, if thats OK get someone to prevent the other wheel turning, now given enough force it should be possible to turn the engine over by turning the wheel hard enough.

Do this for both sides and in all gears, if in gear it should be turning the opposite wheel and when the opposite wheel locked the drive will be transmitted through to the engine.

Merely being able to select gears doesn't mean that drive is going into the differential and coming out both sides, the test above should tell you if the gearbox/final drive is working.

If its possible (when raised in gear engine off) to turn either wheel with the opposite wheel scotched solid then that points to an internal gearbox or final drive fault, or a clutch fault.

With car raised has your son tried (carefully) starting the engine and driving the car in all gears...does at least one wheel turn when doing this...if so then that points to the clutch being ok.

Hope this makes some sense, maybe someone else could reiterate my suggestions (for what they are worth) and make them understandable.

I know you haven't changed drive shafts, i was wondering and hoping that the drive shafts do indeed fit the new used gearbox, we assume that is so.

Edited by gordonbennet on 16/11/2012 at 20:30

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 17 Nov 2012 10:13
FIAT Punto - gearbox issues - cazmutley

HI thanks for that, have printed off your comment to give to my son ( i'd never remember it all), will get him to try this tommorow as he's off and will let you know , many thanks for your help, carol

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 17 Nov 2012 18:50
FIAT Punto - gearbox issues - Oli rag

I know the clutch is nearly new, but there's a chance that it's not engaging fully, this would give you drive with the wheels off the ground, but not on it.

This could be caused by dodgy splines on the replacement gearbox input shaft.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 14 Dec 2012 21:27
FIAT Punto - gearbox issues - cazmutley

Hi thanks for all the advice, bought another gearbox and is now all working again, turns out that from 04 on you can have a choice of 2 gearboxs and mine was the facelift version, not the one that can fit from 99 -06.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 14 Dec 2012 22:30
FIAT Punto - gearbox issues - gordonbennet

Thanks for coming back and updating.

A good learning curve for the lad by the sounds of it, much sweating and struggling a far better instructor than someone nagging him to check the gearbox is compatible or in working order first....you can't put an old head on young shoulders..:-)

Edited by gordonbennet on 14/12/2012 at 22:30

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Our honest used car pricing is a little bit different to all the others. You can get to our values through make or model - you don’t have to follow a prescribed route. Plus, it’s live, which means we can react to changes in the market quicker than any printed price guide.

Honest Used Car Prices

From which small car to buy at which price point to the best UK-built cars, our Top 10s have the lot. Click now for your shortlist.

Unsure of what to buy? Our Top 10s are here to help you....