Need help with centre console / gearstick please

M

Mad_mike

Hey all, so I just purchased a K12 recently and have been doing small jobs on it
Drivers window was VERY sticky, so I oiled up the slides and while it helped for a day or 2, it started to play up again
I think the issue is the previous owner used what looks like a white grease and it has now dried in on both sides
I have just removed the driver door skin and oiled the remaining bootom half of the slides undernetah the door
So far it seems to have sorted it, but I only did it today

The other issue is my gearchange is a bit notchy or clicky
I sprayed the gear linkgages under the bonnet and it helped slightly, but not enough
Just now, I lifted the gaiter around the gear knob and where the gearstick is mounted, there are 4 Torx screws holding it in
I opened the 4 screws, thinking I could just lift off the top of that housing and see if there is a worn bush or something inside
While taking out the screws, I moved the lever into different gears
I now have the 4 screws out and the top does not seem to lift off, so...

I have decided to just put it back together for now, BUT the holes will no longer line up with the screws!
I can get the bottom left one in
I'm totally lost as to what is going on underneath and trying to visualise it in my mind, but can't work it out
Perhaps somebody could give me a bit of guidance here as to what I have done wrong, or how to sort it please?

I'll try take a few pictures and add them if that helps
20200811_160345.jpg

20200811_160345.jpg

2006 1.2 Sport Gearstick
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20200811_160354.jpg

2006 1.2 Sport Gearstick

20200811_160404.jpg

20200811_160404.jpg

2006 1.2 Sport Gearstick
 
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I think the bolts you removed are so that the selector mechanism can be removed from below, I think you have to get under the car probably on a ramp with someone inside and line up the holes
 
Doh! :eek:
I don't believe it. That will teach me to mess around with stuff without checking first.

Makes sense though, as the whole thing seems to have moved totally since I undid the 4 screws. I was sure those 4 screws would allow me remove a top and check the gear stick for worn bushes etc

Cheers for the reply. Now I've got to see if I can get it to somewhere with a ramp while it is the way it is.
 
If it's any consolation what you've done isn't a major drama and you'll sort it in ten minutes if you get the car up on a ramp, better to regret doing something than regret not doing it is the ethos I live by...
 
My advice is to put all back as you found it, check the linkages on top of the gearbox as these are open to the weather and may need cleaning up, also if you are upto it, change the gearbox oil ASAP! I changed mine straight away and was very black and degraded with age, do it before winter as its like treacle and more difficult to get all the old gunge out, its faily simple and well worth the effort!;)
 
I got it dropped to a local garage today as I have no access to ramps, or even jack stands
I loaned my jack stands to somebody a couple of years ago and could never remember who, but never got them back
The guy is going to try sort it in the next couple of days if he gets a free 30 minutes and I'm not stuck for the car, so hopefully it will be sorted soon
 
Mach1 said:
My advice is to put all back as you found it, check the linkages on top of the gearbox as these are open to the weather and may need cleaning up, also if you are upto it, change the gearbox oil ASAP! I changed mine straight away and was very black and degraded with age, do it before winter as its like treacle and more difficult to get all the old gunge out, its faily simple and well worth the effort!;)
Click to expand...
I had sprayed a bit of lubricant on the connections there alright and it helped slightly
Think I'll definitely change the gearbox fluid too just to help things out
 
I removed mine to replace with a different box. Was well worth doing as they get really dry and crack on the inside. Took some photos of removed box insides. Also found solution to remove the selector knob. Best to place in a vice and tap it with a rubber mallet, While covering with a towel so not to damage it or scuff up the plastics.
I used some sealing paste to seal the unit back up. Also filled the hairline cracks in the mechanism. You maybe able to see it if yours is the same. Worked really well for me and is holding up great.
The old unit I did the same to see if it would work for that one.
Felt notchy and not so great after same process. Could try again with some thicker glue and sand it lightly to see if that helps.
Have not yet had another try but think that it did make a huge difference.
Was getting a lot of side to side play. Rather too much and was glad to see that it was not a broken spring or bushings.

Edit:-
Check my blog 4th page it might help
Rule of thumb Drop the box out first. Work on it that way its not that hard to remove the centre console. I see that your working with that in place its two screws at the rear and clips at front then remove the single wire that is for the door locking mech.
once that's done remove the the gear selector cables off the box and undo the four bolts.
while the console is out you may consider vacuuming the area as it is probably dusty.
If the mech needs some grease don't use oil as this will mess things up you can use silicone grease or something for plastic parts there will be white lithium grease still present I just removed that and put some That had left over from doing the sliders/boots rubber for the brakes.

if you experience sticking on the cables also clean those as best you can and apply the same product i didn't have much problem with these but it does not hurt to clean them and give them the attention this should ensure a better shifting and feeling box overall.
my dad was very impressed with the results. He even missed a gear at one point because its so much better..
As I mentioned the original did not feel the same so its 50 50 chance. Should you still feel its not right just get a replacement.
Mine was making me think I need a whole new gear box but no its spot on now.
 
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Here are some more shots of what I'm re doing on the 110k one.
When this process of glue is added and sets you can then sand it down and re assemble..
It might work this time for me because last time it didn't want to set and I lost interest quickly knowing my installed one was much nicer.
But here we go let see if it does work.
You can mix baking soda I think with the glue for a more solid repair.
My glue is industrial tho so I'm not concerned over making it stronger the only down side is the finish will be clear so the cracks will still be visible for me.
Don't forget before you add any glue you need to thoroughly clean the part to make sure contact is made and it sticks.
For that I'm just using some paper towels and a few drops of rubbing alcohol.
P_20200815_144126.jpg
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For someone who is able to cut plastic or make new bushes or Polly parts.
I have roughly measured this item.
There is however a metal rod running off to the side on the inner Polly arm.
Please be aware these measurement are in accurate I'm guessing its lost a 1 mm diameter on the main part and possible in other areas but it gives a rough guide for re making a new one.
And yes my drawing skills are not great.
P_20200815_154544.jpg


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Result after it feels as good as the other now.
The repair isn't neat or perfect but I am very sure you will feel a big difference in the gear changes and how it feels while in neutral.
Now all I need its some more heat resistant sealant glue for the lower plate.
And its great to have around for a spare to swap over or I could recoup my money for the replacement..
(I'm going to keep tho since it is the original)
P_20200815_155554.jpg
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you have done well to attempt this, these parts are usually insert moulded at the factory and none repairable, again they should be made of high density nylon which would never cause a problem like you have encountered, some plastics are none glue able due to to their chemical make up. styrene, ABS, polycarbonate and some nylon are though, so if you encounter a plastic in the future and are not sure of it's type use a hot glue gun and high density sticks!

With regards mad-mike and his sticking windows, this becomes a problem when the felt liner on the inside if the window weather strip gets worn and disappears down the inside of the door skin, this forces the rubber strip to make contact with the moving glass which on dry days make the window slow or juddery, I have found that if you remove the weather strip and glue fresh household window felt this sorts the problem.:unsure:
 
Cool answer for the window. I had the same problem with passenger side it still sticks a bit and could not find solution to this.

So a glue gun will make a better fix for the plastic.
I do have one of these but would have to get the different glue sticks.
That's also is a good idea I did not even give using that a thought..

Will certainly consider this if I encounter the sloppy shifter feel again.

My initial reason was to explore to see what was inside because I needed it to be close to the feel of a golf gear change.
Also it seems to have only been explored and shown once here and I wanted to open it up properly and show in as much detail what was the problem.
Could have taken a few more shots but hopefully everyone who needs to see will get the idea.

To my surprise I now have a fully working spare part. So it was definitely a good hour spent. On something that is otherwise going to stand looking like a broken shifter.

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So for the window. We need to add a felt runner. I do remember scraping what looked like muck or a horrible black substance. From both sides on the bottom runners while cleaning them.
I would have to search and see what will work. For this area cause those are pretty easy to remove and repair from what you have described.

A free running passenger window would be charming in summer since that is the only other vent for the cabin.

Perhaps just a felt strip would work as those won't be too expensive as with a specific felt runner for a car window?
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Had to get some felt adhesive strips will see how it goes for the windows I have replaced the mech and this works but it still jams when door been opened on one side mainly from the outside this happens.

Something i forget to mention for mad-mike. The gear shifter-mech bottom plate is sometimes clipped on with metal or plastic clips.
My old one was plastic clips they are likely to break. But it can still be firmly secured back in place with a heat resistant paste.
The other style still must be sealed but the metal clips must be carefully bent open. So the plate will drop off that's how you get inside that version.
when doing this you must be careful not to snap them off because it hold it firmly to the plastic and this version is a more heavy item than the one held with plastic.
hope this helps when reassembling the unit
 
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Yes you came across the degraded felt, it does look like a horrible black streak, yes some self adhesive felt or fine brush strips will sort the problem.
 
Not sure how the felt is still there at the bottom but when I remove the part I'm sure the lower part is worn off.
The rubber trim has a sort of channel also.
I'm not going to remove it today cause its really wet.
Will take snaps when I start to re cover it.
My initial thoughts are the window sticks about one to two cm or about and inch or so.
This makes me think it sticks at the mirror where the door drops towards.
Can't hurt to replace this felt but how I'm I going to remove the old stuff that looks like it will take a while.

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you can use spray stick remover, they sell it to remove sticky labels of household product, I think it's got some lemon juice mixed in it, this dissolves the adhesive and use plenty of clean rags, failing that use a little brake cleaner and clean off straight away.;)
 
I think I have to do this for another reason, my windows get squeaky, from being about a third of the way down they make an awful squeaky shrill noise that scares children, old people and cats and dogs (and the dead), I’ve tried softening them with a product but when I was de-mossing them I noticed what was now obviously the felt coming off, the back half of the rubber channel somehow gets folded over when I roll down the windows both of them, I guess the felt has degraded and so isn’t assisting the windows by being a slippery surface ?
 
New channels are expensive, oddly enough one side can’t remember which one is a quite reasonable £26 but the other side is £57, and those are my 20% trade discounted price ?
 
Sorry guys. Only seeing all these replies now, so it turns out the guy I dropped the car to, removed the gear shift assembly and the ball was indeed broken inside. I am picking up an old one shortly from a scrapped car, but the gear shift seems to be working well with it and will get it swapped over. Once I get the car back I'll have a look again at the window myself and hopefully try sort that now that I know about the felt piece
 
I got some of those felt strips I don't think their is going to be enough though for both the inside and out of the window.
That and the strips are really thin.
So might have to use about 2 to 4 to cover the rubber.
Atm I'm going to put it away for a none rainy day. Since if I'm going to be working on the window it would be best to know its going to be dry.
Can't be that hard or take long to do. Now have some trim removal tools that I had stored away and forgotten about.

Maybe it would be wise for me. To take time and search. For how the felt sits on the inside of both the door trim rubber inner and outer. So I can get an idea of how much I should need to be using.
The square sheet I have is not even A4 sized so that might explain how little I got.
But at least I have a preview of the quality of felt and at the moment I don't think it is of very good quality.

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Some further info for you on the window strips or may also be know as window sweeps.

This link maybe of use to others did they have problems with the rest of the door sealing strips.
Link to info for weather strips

what-is-automotive-weatherstripping

Window sweeps, also known as "window felts," live on each side of the door glass toward the bottom. They are often made of a flexible piece of rubber, and some have a felt-like material on the inside edge. Their purpose is to allow the glass to roll up and down, but prevent debris from falling down into the door. On some vehicles, the interior window sweeps are mounted to the door panel, and others may be mounted to the steel door shell itself. Exterior window sweeps most often clip onto the door shell.
Screenshot_2020-08-18-16-41-14_1.jpg


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My idea was going to be to use some short lengths on the inside then open and close my door a couple times and see if I experience sticking still. As that's when it causes the stick.
If not problem solved?

Then if it continues replace the outside one fully.
Am I'm right in thinking the felt strip should be on both sides of the glass. As this appears to be how it looks on the other cars doors.

The strips I purchased from a local ish seller on eBay it was 2 pounds its not that long but if I got two sheets it would have been an extra sheet but still won't measure up to 5m.

Sometimes a good idea to get a sample first. Because I've gotten vynle wrap before and they can make error in colour and quality isn't always as it seems.

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So I picked up the replacement shifter mechanism and it's the metal base type with clips
Although I am tempted to open it and risk breaking clips etc, just to see inside, I am going to go on the basis that it was previously working well on the car it was removed from and that car was just scrapped due to accident damage. I'll get it fitted to my own car and then bring my original one home and dismantle it to try repair the insides.
 
If you want to know what I used.
I had a flat head screwdriver, Small mallet to tap with and a pair of pliers to help open them up.
It was easy to lift them and they drop back on place easy did not break you just have to take care when lifting them with the screwdriver in till you can get hold with the pliers.
They must be slightly pointed though and not standard ones although those probably will work also.

And to be honest with you I removed it twice. And did not cause find any weakness in the clips afterwards.

If you feel any unwanted clunks or undesirable free-play when its connected to the gear-box it will be worth a look.
Other than that though if your happy just use as is.
I could have with my replacement. But already knew that it was going to improve it slightly.
That would depend on the condition though if it does feel tight its good to go.

"Please note for anyone with the plastic clip style one it will not clip back in once opened though you do need to seal it to keep the water out regardless of the type of base plate."

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So I got the car back with the replacement gear linkage and it feels MUCH better now
Its in for its NCT (Irish equivalent of MOT) this week, so just checking everything
The window had totally jammed again by the time I got it back from the garage doing the gear linkage
I removed the door panel again and gave the side strips a really good cleaning. They seemed to full of thick white goo which almost felt like glue!
After doing this, I sprayed the side strips with silicone and it's now going up and down ok, but I still have not put back the inner door skin

Just regarding the felt, is this on the outer strip which runs along the base of the window?
I can't see how to remove that strip from the car and I'm afraid I will snap the plastic
I removed the one from the door card and gave that a good clean. It seems to be just rubber, with no felt anywhere?

Here are a couple of pics of the strip on the outer door part
Is it here that should have felt running along it?

k12windowstrip.jpg
k12windowstrip2.jpg
 
Yes that is probably where the felt once was.
It should be on the inside of door car rubber and the outside.
I plan on testing a small area first to see if it stops mine sticking then I will cover the rest.
The part you are showing mine was all black crud probably dirt from all the years of rain and dust.

I just took off my mud guards and they were full amazing what one finds I know this is a good thing tho because now its gone less chance of the mighty rust taking over on the sills/front panel.

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