Another Clio 182 Gearbox - probably - right?

[Z4MCSL]

so after a 3 hour journey today, in the last 5 miles or so of my journey, I get a crunch in second, like a missed gear change, then nothing - car is fine. Then a couple of miles later it goes very odd in third, I get a few clunks and a rattle, it feels juddering in 2nd and 3rd so I keep it in 4th all the way home.

once nearly home (final stretch on a hill going down hill) I gently change gears - it will go into second and 3rd but is a struggle, simultaneously loose and then tight and clunky at the same time.

On the driveway, car stationary, it is very juddery on Idle and sounds like the exhaust is also blowing from the downpipe area?

I then try putting it into reverse, clutch down the whole time, and it makes a big clunk going into reverse, it gets in but it just feels like a huge clunk.

should say the car has a PMS shifter which has been amazing for the last year or so.

Any ideas?

If you come up with an idea that still lets me go to my track day at Bedford on saturday you get extra points!

I am assuming it needs a new gearbox?

[996Keef]

Sounds like an engine mount or stabiliser has failed. That would fit with all the symptoms

[Z4MCSL]

Thanks 996 - out of interest are you saying that from general experience of car mechanics or from specific experience with 182/172 clios?

I understand they are renowned for gearbox melting but its gone from 0 to this and I can still get it in gear so I am hoping it is something else like you say. The main engine mount is poly bushed but the others havent been so I guess they could have been taken the brunt of the vibration for the last 2 years. It has had a dogbone mount done too

[LordHaveMurci]

I read recently that if you upgrade 1 engine mount it’s a goid idea to do the other or it can experience too much force & damage it.

No idea if this is true, sounds plausible though.

[Z4MCSL]

So it's shuddering in neutral and just generally but is going jn gear ok (stationary) so I'm hoping it is just an engine mount

I forgot to mention I have solid top mounts and strut brace so I guess the remaining standard miunts/supports have been dealing with a lot of force.

I'm trying to find a diagram with all the mount and support points so I can try to check them.

Is there anything that likewise would be an indicator that it is in fact a gear box issue?


Cheers again

[996Keef]

Z4MCSL said:

Thanks 996 - out of interest are you saying that from general experience of car mechanics or from specific experience with 182/172 clios?

I understand they are renowned for gearbox melting but its gone from 0 to this and I can still get it in gear so I am hoping it is something else like you say. The main engine mount is poly bushed but the others havent been so I guess they could have been taken the brunt of the vibration for the last 2 years. It has had a dogbone mount done too

General experience

Shaky engine at idle
Bad gear selection
Noisy engagement
Blowing exhaust

All symptoms of an engine flapping about in the wind. Most likely a mount at the rear. Maybe the bolt thru the dogbone has left the building?

[Z4MCSL]

Amazing thank you

Also really struggled to put the handbrake down just now, like something was stuck in its way.

[Salamura]

All transverse engines tend to have 3 mounts: one at the engine front on top (this one you can see easily when you open the bonnet, it will be on the left), one on top of the gearbox (might be difficult to see from the battery and air filter on top of it), and one of the back of the gearbox (the so-called dogbone). The first two mounts deal with the vertial and horizontal engine loads, while the dogbone, also known as torque rod, reacts the engine torque. The dogbone is very succeptible to failures on 172/182s. I had all mounts upgraded on my old 172 and it significantly improved gearshift quality and gear lever movement under acceleration.

Hopefully that's your only problem, as it shouldn't be too dear to sort out.