944 - loss of gears

[sbloxxy]

Hi everyone,
Just bought a 1985 944 2.5. Problem is with gear selection. On a longish journey recently, I stopped for a drink only to discover that I couldn't reverse out of my parking space - reverse had dissappeared. I then discovered that I couldn't select second or forth either and that first, third and fifth all felt as though they were in the wrong place. I was close to home so soldiered on and with about a mile to go and approaching traffic, the rest of the gears dissappeared too.
It really doesn't feel like an internal gearbox problem as there is just no resistance at the gear lever so I'm presuming its a linkage problem. However, I got my local garage to stick it up on there four post lift and they reckon the linkage looks ok and the problem may lie where the linkage enters the box itself.
I'm going to go down and have a quick look myself and they are equally adamant that it feels like linkage rather than actual gearbox but can anyone shine any light on this for me? I'd be most grateful.
Steve

 

[sulzeruk]

Sound the bolt that holds the linkage to the operating rod has come loose. It sits under the rubber cover where the rod comes out of the back of the housing where the torque tube attaches. They should be lock wired on but very rarely are!
Alasdair

 

[944 man]

Probably the linkage, although the gearbox can jam (more common after a big crash though). If you can only select one forward gear, frequently third; and any attempt to select second or fourth seems to 'bind' the gearbox, then it will need to come out. An experienced tech. can usually mend it though the inspection plate, in my experience.

 

[sbloxxy]

Here's a follow up to my original post:
I'm so glad I actually went down to the garage to take a look. I asked them to stick the car up on the ramp again so I could take a look. They presumed that it was an internal gearbox fault as they had spotted that the long shaft went into the front of the gearbox BUT they hadn't noticed that it then came out of the back of the box and onto the rest of the linkage!
With this found, it was simply a nut that had come adrift. Everything was tightened up and its working perfectly.
Thanks for everyone's help - I wish every problem was so easily cured!