Renault 5 - Poor gear change, how to adjust fix?

[Vulgalour]

1988 Renault 5 Extra 1.4 manual

I suspect something is broken or out of alignment on my gear change, I just don't know what. I've got two main problems:

When selecting fourth you have to physically keep the gear lever held back into the gate before fully disengaging the clutch. Take pressure off the gearknob a moment too soon and it will jump straight into neutral.

There is no lock out between first and reverse gear and there should be. The van is young enough to have the lock out and it has the lock out gear knob. It's alarmingly easy to select the wrong gear when setting off.

Clutch itself seems okay, if a little tired, it's not slipping when cold or hot.

Any help and advice on this one, as always, very much appreciated.

 

[jcarruthers2]

Hi

Gear change bushes could be the culprit.

 

[Vulgalour]

Would that affect the functionality of the reverse lock out too? I can see how it would affect fourth gear, or really any gear selection. The change doesn't feel particularly sloppy, although I am used to driving an Austin Princess so my perception of sloppy may be somewhat skewed.

 

[jcarruthers2]

I would do a visual inspection of the complete linkage/gear selection rod from the base of the gear stick to the gearbox and check for play/worn gear change bushes first.

 

[JdeW]

 

[Vulgalour]

I had a look online to see if I could find a bush kit that might be appropriate and I'm guessing this one from Der Franzose is correct? https://www.franzose.de/en/Renault/R5-R6/gearshift-mechanism-and-linkage/ANR81103/

I'll get some photos in daylight to show what I can see as much as I'm able. The first time I looked I remove the knob and gaitor inside the van and was then met with a big white-ish plastic box that's bolted to the transmission tunnel and didn't go any further in case I took something apart that didn't want to go back together again. At the minute the van is my only transport so I don't want to do anything that will disable it until the Princess is sorted out, just in case.

 

[malcolm]

I think that kit is for the early R5. Yours will surely be based on the Super 5 and have a transverse engine. Cable linkages were common in the late '80s but I'm not sure what was used in the Super 5.

 

[Vulgalour]

Okay, I haven't had chance to look at the van but I did find an eBay listing with a picture of the gear linkage I've got and that helps me understand things a bit better.

I'm wondering if this is the same as is used in the early Clio, it looks very similar. Does that help at all with diagnosis of what I should be looking for? Also, the gear knob spins freely but doesn't seem to unscrew or want to readily pop off, could this be related to the issue?

 

[angel]

Check also the linkage at the gearbox end of the lever. There used to be a service kit available with all the plastic bushes, washers etc.

The connection between the gearshift lever (the part in your picture) and the lever rod that goes to the gearbox is held by a collar and is adjustable both fore and aft, and sideways. It is possible that this collar has worked loose (or mis-adjusted at some point) and lost its position. There is a detailed procedure in the workshop manual on how to adjust it.