Help Needed! no reverse! Urgent

[Astiman]

just had the most embrassing moment ever

Coming home fromwork I was coming around a hairpin were theres only enough room for one car but its a two way and another car comes the other way ( all being on a steap hill and I go to reverse back and but my car wont go into reverse and this time the queue off traffic was getting pretty big. I pulled up the gaitor to see if the gear stick wasnt getting caught on anything, which it wsnt and also where you have to pull up the gear stick to put it into reverse wasnt fouling anything and that wasnt aswell

Anybody got any ideas what it could be??

Please dont say gearbox

 

[micky]

try turning engine off and see if it will go in gear?
Then try again with engine on?
Double clutch it?

 

[Astiman]

just tried it again with engine on and off still wont go.

sorry if im being a noob but Whats double clutch it??

 

[micky]

half press the clutch to see if it slides in if not when you feel the give on it press it completely to the floor.

You hand any warning signs? Smells? Grinding clunking etc?

 

[Astiman]

ok will try that, no warning signs no. just seems like its gonna go in but just doesnt budge half way.

Tried to force it in and it went in but it went into first instead of reverse.

 

[Andy_Mk3]

Sounds to me like the linkage alignment is out

 

[micky]

Could be a new gearbox needed. Have you had a new clutch or clutch cable recently? If not the selector unit linkage may have gone or reverse cog could of broke but i would of thought you would have had a warning before it went.

 

[Astiman]

just tried double clutch didnt work.

Checked linkages above the gbox and there seemed to be ablit of play dont no if thats normal or not

 

[micky]

Btw what model of car you drive and engine size?

 

[Astiman]

1994 1.4 16v, gls i think

 

[micky]

my money its on gear linkage issue with the selector. ask a garage to check it out just to be safe. they should charge about £15 to look at it for you.

 

[Justin..]

linkage is fubared on mine, i have to put it in 5th then reverse

 

[Brick Driver]

I have just changed the engine and gearbox in my car and it is difficult to get in reverse. I'm pretty sure it's the way it's adjusted. The Haynes manual gives a method of doing it but it might not allow for any wear in the linkage.

Apart from a paooible gearbox problem the only other thing I can think of is the reverse light switch. If it's broken or stuck it might actually stop the selectors in the gearbox move.

 

[Astiman]

Cheers everyone for all your help,

Having a mate look at it tomorrow, so hopefully it just needs adjusting.

Was working at 5 when I left work but stopped 20 mins later when I was nearly home!

 

[Astiman]

I've just noticed thatwhen I press in the clutch the car makes like a whining noise?
Not sure if it makes any difference or not?

 

[Andy_Mk3]

The whining noise will be the clutch release bearing. It wont make gear selection any worse unless it fails completely though.

 

[Astiman]

I dont believe it!

Just went to meet someone that knows whats hes doing and I just went to show him what I meant and o wait... it goes goes straight into reverse!!
He said it just would off been abit stiff as it hasnt been used alot recently.

Owell i guess thats good news.

Thanks for your help again guys.