LOST FIRST GEAR,help help

i had my car out the other day for a spin all was well then i lost first then second,so had to use third to get home.i had it in the garage few weeks ago and mechanic said the gear linkage was rubbing the exhaust making first sticky to get in at times,also said it was to do with one c-clamp missing and the down pipe twisting round and hitting the linkage also have a slight knock from time to time.HAS ANYONE HAD THIS PROB,just i want to buy the right parts first time,i've bought new engine and gear box mounts,c-clamps,gaskets.im thinking of buying a new manifod and a part stainless system(any ideas).THE CAR IS A CABBY 1.8GTI ON A B-PLATE WITH A DX-ENGINE CODE,does it use a rod or cable??

it's rod type….you'll probably be able to pickup a complete linkage off a scrapper

ive just changed all my linkage parts from gear stick to box cost me ?50ish its not a hard job and quite a basic system.

i went under the car had a look,there's a bush hanging down i thinks its the gear box mount looks like rubbers giving up,WOULD this cause the loss of first gear.where can i get a rod kit from i've seen loads of repair kits but no rods??

scappers mate. linkage kits are to repair the bushes.

shagged gearbox mount would cause you gear change problems as your linkage would be out of line.

is this what you need?

http://www.tsr-performance.com/pages/linkage.asp

Looks a nice bit of kit that. Mine occasionally gets very sticky going into 1st.  Surely these rods are only an advantage if your rods are warped or bent. I'm assuming it will be the bushes on either side of the rods that have gone on mine. I'll have to get it up on a ramp and find out. :wink:

Gearbox mounting will cause gearchange problems.

The rods are easy to change,bushes not too bad

I had a problem with mine on the way to Gti International at Crowthorne many many years ago where the gearstick clamps to the splined part underneath.Had to stop engine,select 3rd (1600GTI) and drive with the one gear throgh Bracknells roundabout system