2012 Transit Connect gear selection issues
Discussion
Hi, hoping someone can help. I bought this van at ~60,000 miles and have had ongoing issues over the past couple of years:
Juddering at 50 mph and during harsh acceleration (e.g., motorway slipway).
Whirring noise in engine overrun.
Gear shifting problems (1-2 and 3-4) during harsh acceleration (e.g., entering a roundabout or overtaking).
Strong diesel fumes smell.
Garage 1:
Reconditioned gearbox, replaced clutch, cambelt, ball joint, and ran a fuel/catalyst cleaner.
Fixed juddering and whirring noise but introduced the fumes issue.
Garage 2:
Replaced driveshaft (fixed juddering).
Replaced exhaust components (EGR valve, manifold gasket, EGR cooler) to stop fumes entering the cab.
Fumes persist, now coming from the back. It’s not a typical diesel exhaust smell.
Garage 3:
Gearbox started refusing to select properly. Loose cables were spotted but not fixed; shifting improved (somehow, miraculously, despite no work being done!) afterward but remains occasionally problematic at high revs.
Unresolved issues: Gear shifting (occasional), whirring noise in overrun, and persistent fumes.
Garage 2 were dubious about whether garage 1 had done any work on the gearbox, as the sealant looked really old and the gearbox oil was really old. Both should look brand new as they'd both have to be redone if the gearbox had come out. They'd also noted loose bolts on the bell-housing. I’m hesitant to accuse the original garage of poor work, but if the gearbox and clutch weren’t done properly, I’d rather not pay for another rebuild unnecessarily.
The van drives okay for now, but the lingering issues—and the fear of something major failing—make me reluctant to leave it as-is.
Does this sound transmission-related or like a separate issue? Could it be a small fix or something bigger? I’ve been throwing money at this for years and would love to finally resolve it. Any ideas?
Juddering at 50 mph and during harsh acceleration (e.g., motorway slipway).
Whirring noise in engine overrun.
Gear shifting problems (1-2 and 3-4) during harsh acceleration (e.g., entering a roundabout or overtaking).
Strong diesel fumes smell.
Timeline of Repairs
Garage 1:
Reconditioned gearbox, replaced clutch, cambelt, ball joint, and ran a fuel/catalyst cleaner.
Fixed juddering and whirring noise but introduced the fumes issue.
Garage 2:
Replaced driveshaft (fixed juddering).
Replaced exhaust components (EGR valve, manifold gasket, EGR cooler) to stop fumes entering the cab.
Fumes persist, now coming from the back. It’s not a typical diesel exhaust smell.
Garage 3:
Gearbox started refusing to select properly. Loose cables were spotted but not fixed; shifting improved (somehow, miraculously, despite no work being done!) afterward but remains occasionally problematic at high revs.
Current State
Unresolved issues: Gear shifting (occasional), whirring noise in overrun, and persistent fumes.
Garage 2 were dubious about whether garage 1 had done any work on the gearbox, as the sealant looked really old and the gearbox oil was really old. Both should look brand new as they'd both have to be redone if the gearbox had come out. They'd also noted loose bolts on the bell-housing. I’m hesitant to accuse the original garage of poor work, but if the gearbox and clutch weren’t done properly, I’d rather not pay for another rebuild unnecessarily.
The van drives okay for now, but the lingering issues—and the fear of something major failing—make me reluctant to leave it as-is.
Does this sound transmission-related or like a separate issue? Could it be a small fix or something bigger? I’ve been throwing money at this for years and would love to finally resolve it. Any ideas?
Edited by tinyvantrekker on Sunday 5th January 13:30
Gassing Station | Ford | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff