Gearbox noisy, won't go into gear...

[KatiePotatie]

This morning I did a 60 mile round trip with no problem, park up outside work, then when I go home for lunch, the gearbox went 'THUNK' and now 2nd gear is making a rather loud, rather horrid noise. It's a sort of grinding/clicking noise, and only happens in 2nd

The 'THUNK' wasn't grinding gears, it just...'THUNKED'.

Any ideas what it might be?

[KatiePotatie]

Update - it's now very difficult to get her into any gear, and when she is, she seems to want to reverse instead of going forward. She stopped on a corner & then I couldn't get her going again straight off, the engine just went 'ruh' (as opposed to 'ruuuuhhhhmmmmmmmm'). Got a push & she started again when she was on the flat, but she had a bit of black smoke coming out of the exhaust.

[KatiePotatie]

The recovery fella said the gearbox seems to be stuck, and it's selecting 2 gears at the same time.

Does anyone know wht may cause this, and, i possible, how to remedy it?

[RobThomas]

I'd hazard a guess that it is completely f..............

If a bit of gear tooth has taken a walk through the gears then you'll be looking for a used box to drop in. Ultimately, changing the box is quicker than extracting and fixing your current one.

[KatiePotatie]

I'm not too bothered about quick or not, more about the cost of a new gearbox :/

[RobThomas]

Probably as cheap to buy a whole scrap car as to get your old gearbox rebuilt. Ebay is likely to be a good bet!

[mike.perry]

Before you panic, check that the gear lever has not come loose. Then Panic!

[bmcecosse]

Plenty of decent used 1098 boxes around - just fit a 'known good' one - probably a bearing has failed in your box and the gears are now out of alignment. Search ebay - ask in the wanted section...........

[Declan_Burns]

John Evans in Hayling Island (02392-465256) does exchange reconditioned gearboxes with a guarantee for the 1098cc at £315 and John is a very nice person to deal with. He is the one who does the recon gearboxes for some of the major suppliers so go direct.
Ebay is another option for gearboxes but there's always a risk involved as you don't really know what you're getting.

Regards
Declan

[chickenjohn]

It could be, as the others said a knackered gearbox, but before you condemn it, check the gearbox oil is topped up. (Lift the carpet remove the bung on the left hand side of the transmission tunnel and the gearbox filler plug is visible through a small hole in the gearbox cover/transmission tunnel. The oil should be topped up to the bottom of the threads with 20w50 engine oil, NOT gear oil for the Minor).

Also, the clutch could need adjusting- there is a nut and locking nut underneath the car just to the left and forward of where the clutch pedal is.