I hope someone might be able to suggest some reasons for my recent gearbox problems! Having had the clutch cable on my Citroen BX17 RD snap on me whilst
sitting in a queue of traffic I got out to try and push it off the road, but
couldn't budge it. I tried to edge it into gear to drive it out of trouble and
eventually managed it. Whilst pulling it up onto the kerbside there was a kind
of 'PHUT' sound and what I assumed to be smoke bellowed out from under the
bonnet. I stopped the engine and got out to investigate but couldn't find the
source. The smoke wasn't foul smelling(so I don't think it was the clutch lining burning out). (All this needs to be told because it might have some
significance later on).
Once I had got the car back home I fitted a new clutch cable to it, checking
all the component parts of the linkage for cracks (as I have been told they are
prone to them). All seemed O.K. until the test drive,(and this was quite
literally the crunch) 1st gear was fine but moving up through 2nd and 3rd the
gears grated (4th, 5th and reverse were also fine). Similarly coming down
through the gears was the same. Sometimes changing from 2nd to 3rd is O.K.
I have adjusted and readjusted the clutch so don't think it's that. Could the
'PHUT' sound have been the transmission oil leaking out, and would it have this effect if it was, or is it more likely to be the syncromesh on the 2nd and 3rd gears. Any light which anyone can throw on the subject would be greatly
appreciated as my double- declutching technique leaves a lot to be desired,
