Folks, I’d appreciate your input on this problem. My Impreza is off the road at the moment with a gearbox problem and I need to make some decisions on what to do next. It’s a 2004 Blobeye WRX, so 5-speed box.
Symptoms
Other info
What next?
If possible, I’d like to identify the cause of this problem before possibly paying somebody a lot of money to repair it. I borrowed money to buy the car, so this is an unwelcome development!
Has anybody experienced this type of problem before? Any suggestions as to a possible cause or steps I can take to identify the source of the problem?
Thanks for reading and any advice offered.
Gav
TLDR : My Blobeye’s 5-spd gearbox is unwell. Please help!
Symptoms
- The gear change was somewhat “notchy” when I bought the car a few months ago, most noticeably when going into 1st gear or reverse. But it was nothing alarming, the car was driving fine and I just assumed it was a characteristic of this particular gearbox.
- However, shifting has become much more difficult in recent days. When parked, the gear shift is now very sticky. It will come out of a gear and into neutral without difficulty but won’t go into another gear easily or at all.
- When driving, the problem is less severe but the gear change is still very notchy and requires excessive force. Something has gone amiss.
- When depressing the clutch pedal during a gear change, I can feel slight vibration through the pedal. This only started at the same time that the shifting became more difficult.
Other info
- It’s still on the original clutch.
- The clutch operation seems normal when pulling away from a standstill in 1st gear (apart from the slight vibration through the pedal). The bite point is about midway through the pedal travel, as it should be, and there is no juddering or unusual noise.
- The mileage is currently 105,000 (miles). Gearbox oil was last changed at 76,000 miles (in 2012). The recommended interval is every 38,000 miles or 4 years, so it’s due a change this year (or no later than 114,000 miles).
- The gearbox oil is at the correct level and looks very clean, at least on the dipstick.
- The engine is totally standard and has never been touched, so the gearbox isn’t struggling to deal with more power than it was designed for.
- I haven't been launching the car or otherwise abusing the transmission. To the best of my knowledge, the car was well looked after by the previous owner, who had it for 9 years.
What next?
If possible, I’d like to identify the cause of this problem before possibly paying somebody a lot of money to repair it. I borrowed money to buy the car, so this is an unwelcome development!
Has anybody experienced this type of problem before? Any suggestions as to a possible cause or steps I can take to identify the source of the problem?Thanks for reading and any advice offered.
Gav
TLDR : My Blobeye’s 5-spd gearbox is unwell. Please help!
