Gearbox nightmare

Nononolan

Apologies if this posted in the wrong thread.
I was looking to see if anyone had an idea of what might be the problem with my 03 Renault laguna estate.

No sooner had I replaced 8 valves after a timing belt slipped my gearbox died. It happened when as I was coming off a motorway I braked and as I did the gear stick looked as though it slipped out of gear....made a pretty loud grinding noise and now the gear stick doesn't move correctly and I am stuck in 5th gear. Clutch works fine as I can engage it, I have to to start the car as it's stuck in gear. I ve been searching forums for an hour or two and I am getting nowhere.

If anyone had an idea of what the problem might be, how easy to fix it is and a ball park figure I should expect to pay for it I would be very appreciative.

cullen5998

Unlucky dude.
Stay away from Renault in future!
About €400 - 500 labour from independent garage plus 250 or more for a gearbox

smokie2008

Yup I know, Its quite a Common problem actually, It's the small rectangular badge on the front above your grill coupled with a about an inch tall lettering just under your tail light that reads "Laguna".....that there is your problem:D

OK all joking aside. Yes you've come the right place the guys in here can be really helpful.

It sounds to me your Gearbox is doomed mate. The loud grinding noise before it got jammed pretty much summed it up. I'd say its just a coincidence that you only had all the other work done as it sounded really be in an way connected.

A reconditioned box is probably your best bet

galwaytt

cullen5998 wrote: »

Unlucky dude.
Stay away from Renault in future!
[/QUOTE

...what sweeping-statement nonsense.......google new Mini's and Landcruiser's while you're at it...........:rolleyes:

OP - all is not lost. First, you need to establish that it actually is the gearbox that's gone, and not just the gearchange cable/mechanism.

If it is the gearbox, it's you could buy one from a breakers for about €300, with the same again, to fit.

It's not the end of the world............

doOh

French, Fiat, Ford ... never ever :P

Max Power1

doOh wrote: »

French, Fiat, Ford ... never ever :P

Nothing wrong with fords.

French cars are usualy euro-econ-sh!tboxes with crappy electrics, and some FIats are piles of sh!te also.

quarryman

so, based on no information whatsoever 3 replies suggest you shouldn't have bought a Renault and diagnose a replacement gearbox.

edit: make that 4 replies.

:rolleyes:

OP, don't ask for estimates here on repair cost, get the car to a professional.

quarryman

Max Power1 wrote: »

Nothing wrong with fords.

French cars are usualy euro-econ-sh!tboxes with crappy electrics, and some FIats are piles of sh!te also.

Nomination for worst post of the year right there and we're only on day 2.

Kewreeuss

Unfortunately, european cars are for nice smooth european roads, and are fixed by nice cheap european mechanics when things do go wrong. Japanese cars are constructed on the 'overkill' basis and their second cousins, the germans, would be of a similar mindset.
On top of that, some cars are just duds! Once something goes, a chain reaction sets in and you are trapped in a spiral of breakdowns and parts!

smokie2008

quarryman wrote: »

so, based on no information whatsoever 3 replies suggest you shouldn't have bought a Renault and diagnose a replacement gearbox.

edit: make that 4 replies.

:rolleyes:

OP, don't ask for estimates here on repair cost, get the car to a professional.

What and you think that helps do you??????
You think he doesn't know its gotta go to a mechanic???
Should we just advise everyone that comes here for advice to seek professional help?????
The Op was clearly looking for peoples opinions and that's exactly what he's getting.

pajo1981

Max Power1 wrote: »

Nothing wrong with fords.

French cars are usualy euro-econ-sh!tboxes with crappy electrics, and some FIats are piles of sh!te also.

So why do Ford use French engines then?

smokie2008

pajo1981 wrote: »

So why do Ford use French engines then?

Because it just so happened Peugeot absolutely nailed the Diesel Engine. Toyota use them in their cars too.

ltdslipdiff

Wheres my pal and co-defendant Saab Ed when ya need him !!! More Renault bashers on this thread I see. One or two questions OP, how many miles on your Laguna and is she dCi or petrol? I have seen a few dCi Laguna's of that era with linkage failure (small fix) leading to symptoms above. Also I recall on earlier Meganes, the gearbox mount gave trouble leading to sloppy gearchanges and linkage failure if left for too long. Better to get second opinion... PLUS if the head was off while getting valves done (thinking now its a 1.6 petrol OP....), theres a chance the engine mount wasn't fitted back correctly causing a shift in the linkage. Then of course there is a possibility it is/was gearbox failure, but I've never seen a gearbox (5 speed) go in a petrol Laguna before. Hope some of this helps.

smokie2008

^^^^^ ooooooh nice, thats a good posibility on the Engine mount coming loose after the work that was done on it, should of thought of that:o.
Good thinking batman:D

pajo1981

I love the smell of a good renault thread in the morning - really gets people bitching.

-Corkie-

Maybe he should buy a Passat. After changing the DMF, DPF and the four injectors the Renault might not look too bad...;)

quarryman

ltdslipdiff wrote: »

Wheres my pal and co-defendant Saab Ed when ya need him !!! More Renault bashers on this thread I see. One or two questions OP, how many miles on your Laguna and is she dCi or petrol? I have seen a few dCi Laguna's of that era with linkage failure (small fix) leading to symptoms above. Also I recall on earlier Meganes, the gearbox mount gave trouble leading to sloppy gearchanges and linkage failure if left for too long. Better to get second opinion... PLUS if the head was off while getting valves done (thinking now its a 1.6 petrol OP....), theres a chance the engine mount wasn't fitted back correctly causing a shift in the linkage. Then of course there is a possibility it is/was gearbox failure, but I've never seen a gearbox (5 speed) go in a petrol Laguna before. Hope some of this helps.

didn't you hear?! he NEEDS A NEW GEARBOX! Posters above have already diagnosed the problem!

shamwari

The Laguna gearbox in particular is known to be weak. OP, was the gearbox making any noises (e.g. whining or grumbling) prior to the car failing?

The engine mount theory is interesting but I doubt that's the cause either. The only mount that would be taken off is that at the timing belt end in order to get the belt back on. The gearbox and subframe mounts wouldn't need to be touched for the head job.

cadaliac

it is a common problem wth laguna's - so I would recomend a reconditioned gearbox.
It happened my Passat a few years back. Nightmare stuff (6 speed) and as rere as hens teeth to get off the shelf from a breakers yard. Try Traynors in the North and there is another huge breakers yard in Limerick too (Google is your friend for this)
I eventually dealt with a dude from the North (I can't remember his details sorry), but the cost of the box was €800.
I had to get it shipped and fitted after that. I think €300 for fitting is optimistic but I am open to correction.
Regardless, I hope it works out for you in the end.

smokie2008

quarryman wrote: »

didn't you hear?! he NEEDS A NEW GEARBOX! Posters above have already diagnosed the problem!

My bad, I apologize man I took you up completely wrong sry

ltdslipdiff

ltdslipdiff wrote: »

Then of course there is a possibility it is/was gearbox failure, but I've never seen a gearbox (5 speed) go in a petrol Laguna before. Hope some of this helps.

shamwari wrote: »

The Laguna gearbox in particular is known to be weak. OP, was the gearbox making any noises (e.g. whining or grumbling) prior to the car failing?

cadaliac wrote: »

it is a common problem wth laguna's - so I would recomend a reconditioned gearbox.

Interesting on the views on Laguna gearboxes, never heard of them being problematic gearbox wise.

lifer_sean

Laguna gearboxes are well known to give trouble. High demand for them secondhand so I doubt you'd get one for 300 euro. They were making 500-600 euro a year or so ago (if you could find one), don't know what they are making at the moment. Also if I remember correctly there are different gearboxes used in these so not all the same, eg one from a 1.8 may not fit a 1.6. I don't recall the specifics but be careful.

Max Power1

quarryman wrote: »

Nomination for worst post of the year right there and we're only on day 2.

Hrm. I post a viewpoint that you obviously disagree with. How does that make it the worst post of the year?

drnmalone

hey guys im gonna ask a dumb question so here goes can you swap the 5 speed for a 6 speed gearbox on a 1.8 laguna petrol??
:eek: