selespeed problems

Hi folks,

I've got a beautiful 156 selespeed 2000 vintage but...I can't get into 4th
gear. Problem I've got is if I change up it goes 1,2,3 then misses 4 and
into 5. If I try and change down from 5 it loses the plot and revs a bit and
then stays in 5. But if I doubleclick the button or the stick it goes from 5
to 3 no problem! Or if I brake it happily drops from 5 to 3,2,1. Confused! I
am!

This has lasted for three weeks. One dealer said (on the phone) new actuator
£1500!!. Took it to another dealer and asked for a diagnostic to be done.
They charged me £64 and told me I needed a new gear box.

Now, to make it interesting the selespeed is working again and finding 4th
(most of the time) so it can't be the gearbox. Its not a mechanical problem
with the pump or the actuator either. I think its either a sensor problem or
a software problem. The selespeed `oil` reservoir has been checked and is
full.

Does anybody have any idea what is going on? Why do we have to do the job
the dealers should be able to do???

Luv from Dogtown

Alfa 156
red and red leather

"dogtown" > wrote in message
...
> Hi folks,
>
> I've got a beautiful 156 selespeed 2000 vintage but...I can't get into 4th
> gear. Problem I've got is if I change up it goes 1,2,3 then misses 4 and
> into 5. If I try and change down from 5 it loses the plot and revs a bit
> and then stays in 5. But if I doubleclick the button or the stick it goes
> from 5 to 3 no problem! Or if I brake it happily drops from 5 to 3,2,1.
> Confused! I am!
>
> This has lasted for three weeks. One dealer said (on the phone) new
> actuator £1500!!. Took it to another dealer and asked for a diagnostic to
> be done. They charged me £64 and told me I needed a new gear box.
>
> Now, to make it interesting the selespeed is working again and finding 4th
> (most of the time) so it can't be the gearbox. Its not a mechanical
> problem with the pump or the actuator either. I think its either a sensor
> problem or a software problem. The selespeed `oil` reservoir has been
> checked and is full.
>
> Does anybody have any idea what is going on? Why do we have to do the job
> the dealers should be able to do???
>
> Luv from Dogtown
>
> Alfa 156
> red and red leather

Sounds like the actuator to me.

I had the same with my selespeed at circa 1200miles. Apparently it was
cracked.

Not what you wanted to hear!


--
Ivan.

Alfa GT
Ex 156 2.5 V6 Veloce
Ex 156 Selespeed (RIP 22 May 03)
Ex 145 QV
Ex 33 16v QV
Ex 33 QV series 1

I have a 2000 Selespeed and am on to the 4th actuator. The last repair
however was 3 years ago when the car was stuck in 4th gear. Problem was
caused by cracked "mounts" on the inside of the aluminium gearbox casing.
Service manager admitted this might have been the problem since new but the
diagnostic computer just indicated a broken actuator and it was replaced
under warranty. Looking for the root cause was not allowed until they had no
other option.

John
"dogtown" > wrote in message
...
> Hi folks,
>
> I've got a beautiful 156 selespeed 2000 vintage but...I can't get into 4th
> gear. Problem I've got is if I change up it goes 1,2,3 then misses 4 and
> into 5. If I try and change down from 5 it loses the plot and revs a bit
> and then stays in 5. But if I doubleclick the button or the stick it goes
> from 5 to 3 no problem! Or if I brake it happily drops from 5 to 3,2,1.
> Confused! I am!
>
> This has lasted for three weeks. One dealer said (on the phone) new
> actuator £1500!!. Took it to another dealer and asked for a diagnostic to
> be done. They charged me £64 and told me I needed a new gear box.
>
> Now, to make it interesting the selespeed is working again and finding 4th
> (most of the time) so it can't be the gearbox. Its not a mechanical
> problem with the pump or the actuator either. I think its either a sensor
> problem or a software problem. The selespeed `oil` reservoir has been
> checked and is full.
>
> Does anybody have any idea what is going on? Why do we have to do the job
> the dealers should be able to do???
>
> Luv from Dogtown
>
> Alfa 156
> red and red leather
>

"j.butler3" > wrote in message
...
>I have a 2000 Selespeed and am on to the 4th actuator. The last repair
>however was 3 years ago when the car was stuck in 4th gear. Problem was
>caused by cracked "mounts" on the inside of the aluminium gearbox casing.
>Service manager admitted this might have been the problem since new but the
>diagnostic computer just indicated a broken actuator and it was replaced
>under warranty. Looking for the root cause was not allowed until they had
>no other option.
>
> John
> "dogtown" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Hi folks,
>>
>> I've got a beautiful 156 selespeed 2000 vintage but...I can't get into
>> 4th gear. Problem I've got is if I change up it goes 1,2,3 then misses 4
>> and into 5. If I try and change down from 5 it loses the plot and revs a
>> bit and then stays in 5. But if I doubleclick the button or the stick it
>> goes from 5 to 3 no problem! Or if I brake it happily drops from 5 to
>> 3,2,1. Confused! I am!
>>
>> This has lasted for three weeks. One dealer said (on the phone) new
>> actuator £1500!!. Took it to another dealer and asked for a diagnostic to
>> be done. They charged me £64 and told me I needed a new gear box.
>>
>> Now, to make it interesting the selespeed is working again and finding
>> 4th (most of the time) so it can't be the gearbox. Its not a mechanical
>> problem with the pump or the actuator either. I think its either a sensor
>> problem or a software problem. The selespeed `oil` reservoir has been
>> checked and is full.
>>
>> Does anybody have any idea what is going on? Why do we have to do the job
>> the dealers should be able to do???
>>
>> Luv from Dogtown
>>
>> Alfa 156
>> red and red leather
>>
>
>

that sounds far more like a gearbox problem to me, probably the 3rd/4th gear
selector shaft sticking in the gearbox casing but they aren't that easy to
diagnose and you certainly can't diagnose them over the phone.

Thanks Folks,

Sadly the car broke the other day. Driving along happily and then it got
stuck in 4th. Now in the garage waiting for diagnosis and repair. It seems
from this thread the problem could be one of a number of things?

Dogtown


"Spark" > wrote in message
.uk...
>
> "j.butler3" > wrote in message
> ...
>>I have a 2000 Selespeed and am on to the 4th actuator. The last repair
>>however was 3 years ago when the car was stuck in 4th gear. Problem was
>>caused by cracked "mounts" on the inside of the aluminium gearbox casing.
>>Service manager admitted this might have been the problem since new but
>>the diagnostic computer just indicated a broken actuator and it was
>>replaced under warranty. Looking for the root cause was not allowed until
>>they had no other option.
>>
>> John
>> "dogtown" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> Hi folks,
>>>
>>> I've got a beautiful 156 selespeed 2000 vintage but...I can't get into
>>> 4th gear. Problem I've got is if I change up it goes 1,2,3 then misses 4
>>> and into 5. If I try and change down from 5 it loses the plot and revs a
>>> bit and then stays in 5. But if I doubleclick the button or the stick it
>>> goes from 5 to 3 no problem! Or if I brake it happily drops from 5 to
>>> 3,2,1. Confused! I am!
>>>
>>> This has lasted for three weeks. One dealer said (on the phone) new
>>> actuator £1500!!. Took it to another dealer and asked for a diagnostic
>>> to be done. They charged me £64 and told me I needed a new gear box.
>>>
>>> Now, to make it interesting the selespeed is working again and finding
>>> 4th (most of the time) so it can't be the gearbox. Its not a mechanical
>>> problem with the pump or the actuator either. I think its either a
>>> sensor problem or a software problem. The selespeed `oil` reservoir has
>>> been checked and is full.
>>>
>>> Does anybody have any idea what is going on? Why do we have to do the
>>> job the dealers should be able to do???
>>>
>>> Luv from Dogtown
>>>
>>> Alfa 156
>>> red and red leather
>>>
>>
>>
>
> that sounds far more like a gearbox problem to me, probably the 3rd/4th
> gear selector shaft sticking in the gearbox casing but they aren't that
> easy to diagnose and you certainly can't diagnose them over the phone.
>