A bit off topic, but my vectra has developed a gear box issue – it’s quite hard to select 1st and reverse gears.

The oil level is fine. What’s the chances of this being a cheap & simple fix?

It’s a 10yr old, 150k car with a fee other gremlins so not worth spending alot on.

Could be the selector which might not be hugely expensive to sort.

as above its the selector plate, gearbox out etc, or they may be able to access it from under the gear stick

Unless its an auto it doesnt have a “selector plate” .

The gearbox is bolted to the side of the engine in the engine bay and is operated by cables or linkages depending on age.

These wear. Or go out of adjustment .

Google your car + age + “gear linkage adjustment” or replacement.

Will give you an idea of whats needed.

Certainly no need to remove the gearbox unless it transpires the gearbox is banjo’d project seems to be thinking of lvans/old cars where the gear box was pretty much under the gear stick.

Are 1St and reverse still hard to select with the engine not running?. If yes your looking at a selector problem be it a cable or linkage worn out. If no does pumping the clutch a few times get it into gear? If yes good chance it’s a clutch release issue. Fluid level or cable adjustmemt depending on type of clutch. If no mater what it’s hard to get into gear your looking at worn synchro but on 1St and reverse is odd. But that’s a box change job.

Certainly no need to remove the gearbox unless it transpires the gearbox is banjo’d project seems to be thinking of lvans/old cars where the gear box was pretty much under the gear stick.

On my capri there was a slotted plate, with gates and springs below, the gear stick slotted into, and on the escort van, something came lose under the gear stick and stopped gears being engaged, the garage just fixed that bit, and on the ital i had, couldnt get 1 st or reverse, so increase revs a bit and put into 2nd without using the clutch, soon got used to it, pasengers didnt like the sudden lurch and noise.

Changed the gearbox on a similar aged astra (after mine ate itself). I ended up with a vectra box.
1st and reverse are a bit stiff on mine but I just decided to live with it.
If you do want to fiddle with the linkage it’s relatively simple. Involves unbolting linkage behind the steering rack, slipping a drill bit in a slot under the gear lever cover then tightening everything up and remove the drill bit.
I found some manuals online which I’ll have a look for when I’m on the computer later.

aye but its not 1985 anymore project 😀

my landy has those things you speak of.

its not something ive come across in any of my cars from this decade.

This is the website scruff Clickity click.
The link to the linkage section under Astra H seems to be duff but you might be able to have a look around and find something useful.
I’ve remembered that mine was an F17 box, I think linkage will be pretty common across all boxes though.

Do Vectra’s have cable linkage between gear stick and gearbox like Mondeo’s? If so it will just be a stretched cable that needs adjusting.

Look at the clutch first.
If it’s not disengaging fully that might give gear selection problems. Cable will need tightening or hydraulics bleeding. I’ve seen it happen on more than one car.

Look at the clutch first.
If it’s not disengaging fully that might give gear selection problems. Cable will need tightening or hydraulics bleeding. I’ve seen it happen on more than one car.

If you do end up bleeding the clutch scruff, watch out for the two port brake/clutch reservoir. I ended up dragging a load of air into the clutch lines as I didn’t realise the outlet to the clutch goes out near the top (brakes out the bottom) so just keep it brimmed.

If it’s the 6 speed, then you’ve got the F40 gearbox (nothing to do with the Ferrari with the same name!).

They’re not the greatest gearboxes in the world – they’re fitted to Alfa 159s and SAABs too, and they’re not amazingly slick changes. The good news is that lots of the SAAB lot will be running 250bhp+ and 370NM+ through them and you don’t hear of them failing – the clutch will go first.

The first port of call is to change the gearbox oil. GM issued a service bulletin to reduce the amount of oil in the gearbox and put fresh in, ending up with 3.something litres of oil in the gearbox. How to do the gearbox oil change is documented on pretty much every Vauxhall and SAAB forum there is. The SAAB forum types all like the Redline MT90 oil from Opie Oils.

The other port of call is that your linkage / turret needs adjusting. On the SAABs the selector turret a known wear point with specific repair kits. There may be a similar setup on the Vectra.

The final thing is that it’s an F40 gearbox and you’re unlikely to get a much better one. Learn to double clutch (ie, clutch down, go into neutral, clutch back up and into the next gear) and you’ll at least avoid crunching it 🙂