Hijet pop top c'van 1.0 1997 - I may need my gear box replaced !!!

I thought it was a clutch issue - it kept slipping out of gear. I've taken it to the garage (which I trust and have used for years - and he always does the least needed price wise) the mechanic Lee says something's been dripping on the clutch so it's got slippy.

He suspects the gear box is leaking, possibly because it's cracked. He also thinks the clutch may be beyond cleaning up of the stuff dripping on it. He's doing a more in-depth investigation today.

So my questions to you lovely, helpful bunch are:

1. Can the clutch be cleaned?
2. If I need areplacement gear box, should I shell out for a new one (assuming one would be available)? Or get a reconditioned one?
3. Any other useful ideas to add?

Thanks in advance

The gearbox may only be a seal to stop the oil leak and the clutch will need replacement if it’s contaminated with oil. Doubt you would get a new gearbox, it would be a second hand one. Not any idea why it would slip out of gear, not had any experience in that department.

Thank you for your reply, Raggy. The garage have now reported back.

The gear box needs a new seal, just as you predicted, but the labour to do that and replace the clutch will cost £300-400 - eek!

So he suggested I buy a secondhand gear box, and clutch off eBay. They'll fit those for ~£100.

When you have put it in any gear, is there much movement back and forth on the gear lever?? If there is then the Bush one end of each cable has a Rubber Isolator with a metal sleeve in it. The other end of the cable is a metal on metal connector.

If the wear in the Rubber Bush is excessive then it may be that the selector arm isn't fully selecting the gear fully and under load or on deceleration will jump out of the gear you have selected. The trouble is that if it has been jumping out of gear due to it not being fully selected then replacing the Rubber Bushes won't necessarily rectify the overall problem. I would try to find a used gearbox that is KNOWN to be a good one.

For the record I have never sold a gearbox to replace an existing one. They are usually Bullet Proof.
One of our Forum members a couple of years ago had a couple of Nylon Bushes made up to replace the rubber ones. You will have to do a bit of digging to find the article.

Unfortunately as Raggy says the gearbox has to come out to replace the Input Shaft Oil Seal
but once again I have never come across a leaking oil seal. Getting the gearbox out and back in is piece of cake. A couple of hours to replace the clutch - so £100 your garage is quoting isn't exorbitant. But it is pointless replacing the Oil Seal if it is wear in the selectors caused by worn selector cable bushes.

And before you ask I don't have any 993cc Gearboxes. A few 1300 but no 993cc ones. Got to be a 993cc one. Diesel one is also different again.

Thanks for your input, Woody. Hope you and yours are well. Sorry to hear you don't have a gear box I will mention the elector cable bushes. If I ask Lee to dismantle the gearbox he'll be sending it away to be done as his garage doesn't have all the specialist tools and then it'll cost ~£400! So I'm inclined towards a replacement gear box if I can find one...

He wouldn't be able to get the internal parts for the Gearbox from Daihatsu. I expect that it will be difficult to get an oil seal even.

I think that you will have to put a request on here as someone may have one or know of one breaking. Just sorry that I can't help you out.
But you still haven't answered my questions..It would help to make a diagnosis.
When it is in any gear - does the gearlever slop back and forth at all. Which gear does it jump out of and is it under acceleration or deceleration that it pops out of gear..

Oh, yes, sorry Woody OK so... I haven't noticed much slop back n forth. The gear slipping only started two or three days before I took it to the garage. It jumped out of gear mostly in 2nd and 3rd at first, but eventually 1st and 4th too. It happens going uphill, or when I try accelerating fast. (you may recall it's pretty hilly here!) First I feel a lack of response or power, then the revs shoot up. Lee said the gearbox has lost most of it's oil. I'm a bit embarrassed I hadn't noticed a change in the gear stick - there must have been some, mustn't there? In my defence I have been rather distracted recently!

Just a bit more clarification here please Ninianne. You said in your first post that "the clutch is slipping". So by that do you mean that as you start driving in first gear the engine is revving up faster the more you are depressing the accellorator but the van is not accelerating relative to the engine speed.

The higher the gear you use - 2nd - 3rd- 4th - 5th the engine revs up all the more but the speed isn't increasing relative to the speed you are doing. As soon as you ease off the accellorator, do the revs drop back down relative to the speed you are going at - and when you accelerate the engine revs soar but the van isn't accelerating as fast as the engine speed increases ??

Just gone back again through your description and the revving up under load is definitely a Clutch Slip issue - but in my experience it won't cause it to jump out of gear. If the gearbox had lost its oil then the gearbox would "Whine" noticeably more. Has it been noisier lately??

It is VERY easy to refill the gearbox with oil. There are two white Nylon nuts on the back of the gearbox. For the cost of refilling it with oil - I would ask your mechanic to try that first and then see if it jumps out of gear.

Jumping out of every gear is very unusual. Jumping out of one gear on DECELERATION is the usual symptom. But not all of the gears. Once again get him to inspect the Bush on one of the cables on the Gear lever and the bush on the other cable on the Gearbox end. I does sound to me more like the gears aren't being fully selected by the gear cables.
I'm sorry that there is a lot to take in and try to understand - but I really don't want you to be spending money that you don't need to or don't have.

Hi Woody,  
Thanks for your detailed reply. I really appreciate your help. My apologies but I think I have caused confusion with my last reply because I've got the words clutch and gear muddled - duh!... I should have written:
The CLUTCH slipping only started two or three days before I took it to the garage. It SLIPPED mostly in 2nd and 3rd at first, but then 1st and 4th too.

In reply to the questions:
"you said in your first post that "the clutch is slipping". So by that do you mean that as you start driving in first gear the engine is revving up faster the more you are depressing the accelerator but the van is not accelerating relative to the engine speed." YES

"The higher the gear you use - 2nd - 3rd- 4th - 5th the engine revs up all the more but the speed isn't increasing relative to the speed you are doing. As soon as you ease off the accellorator, do the revs drop back down relative to the speed you are going at - and when you accelerate the engine revs soar but the van isn't accelerating as fast as the engine speed increases ??" YES, exactly that.

"If the gearbox had lost its oil then the gearbox would "Whine" noticeably more. Has it been noisier lately??" NO, I haven't heard any whine or increased noise. In fact since the garage gave the van a full service last month, the engine has sounded much smoother.

The mechanic, Lee, said there was a lot of oil dripping down from the gear box onto the clutch then the ground. I can ask Lee about refilling the gearbox, but imagine he'll respond that it'll all just leak out again...? But perhaps that suggestion is no longer relevant since I've explained I meant clutch slip - not jumping out of gear?!

I don't know if this is relevant but after the service and prior to the clutch issue I had done about 600 miles in a week, going to and from the South. Much more than it has done in recent months. And as I say above, it ran really well. The clutch issue started a few days after my return.

Thanks again...

Well that is good news. Sounds like an Oil Seal and a new Clutch Kit will sort it out for you. Cheapest option you could have hoped for. Don't bother trying another fill of Oil. Pointless. Lee sounds like a good man. I'm glad for you.

Thank you! That's reassuring.

Lee said if I can find an Oil seal he'll fit it - but he can't find one... and tomorrow's his last day of work until end of July (he takes holidays, apparently! )

I've looked on Ebay and nothing is coming up. Would you have one...? Or know where to get one...

I'm very sorry Ninianne but not the sort of thing that I would have new or used. Used one would have to come out of a s/hand Gearbox and usually have to be levered out and consequently get Damaged. As I mentioned I have never sold a gearbox to replace a faulty one - - only to someone building a Trike and have never had a leaking Oil Seal on any of the range of gearboxes.

Daihatsu would be your first Port of Call unfortunately. Unless someone has access to the Workshop Manuals on the Forum and can look at the Size Details of the Oil Seal then you may be able to get a Seal from a Car Factors or search for a company on Google who specialise in Oil Seals. With the exact dimensions hopefully you can get a new Seal.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Piaggio-Gasket-Set-0433187522000-Daihatsu-Piaggio-/351468877928

Partnumber: 0433187522000

I think you could get this set. No warranties though. It saiys cb41 in the specs in my book but the clutch/tranny is the same for all motor codes i believe. You can also get single gaskets but you have to know wich one is leaky. I doubt they will deliver until tomorrow but any mechanic should be abled to change it.

This set would be the clutch / gearbox seal i think:
https://www.ebay.de/itm/PIAGGIO-3313287506000-DICHTUNG-ABDECKUNG-KUPPLUNG-GEPACKTRAGER-1000-1300-16V-/222703877394


By the way i got the info from the indexed micro fiche i posted in the manuals section. So you should be abled to search for yourself (search for getriebe [gearbox] kupplung [clutch]).  You can also find an english but non indexed version in the google drive link to all manuals.
I must admit the fish can be tricky with all the specifications.

I also dont even understand how the gearbox will drip onto the clutch. Are you driving backwards up the wall?
And why would this seal break? Normally they last forever.

Oh good man Cool Jet. Thank you so much. Ninianne is getting pretty desperate to get this sorted out. I have just WhatsApp messaged her.
Strangely enough she comes from my ex-wifes Home town and bears the same Surname ( by marriage) and has a family member in the same street as my ex-wifes family two of whom were down here on holiday from in the Isle of Wight just last week.  Small world isn't it??

Cool Jet, you sound ideal to take over my Mantle when I take a good few months off from the Forum on 31st of this month.

I am off on a holiday on 1st of August to chill and spend some time with my family.

I have the second highest number of posts on the Forum at 3,788 second only to Matt - Highly Jetted at  5,436. and 127 more than even Dear Ole Logi.

I know woody i have read your posts. But I will have to disagree this time.. we will all have to work together and we wont ever be near to replace your nitric comments nor your essential skill and knowledge. Your vacation is granted thogh. Be back soon!

Thank you very much for your kind words CJ. I'm an old Dinosaur and I love Technology but with the things that you do and Matt could do with electronics - I am just in awe of your skills.
But with me having dismantled around 250 Hi-Jets I got to know what went where and what parts were different to each seemingly the same model parts. Even Matt would phone me up to find out the compatibility of various parts - which I felt very honoured to answer given his staggering knowledge of Hi-Jets. Trouble is that all that I have learnt can't be learned easily and even reading my posts didn't actually help if you are not Mechanically Minded. But having a pretty high IQ and a good command of the English language I could be very helpful or very acerbic and demeaning. It is usually linked to how much pain I am in at the time. I have just taken 10mg of Diazepam because my back and Sciatica is really painful at the moment. Mind you in 10 minutes time I will be nice and chilled.

This is my Breakfast and night time Dinner. 11 different Medications and up to 17 tablets in one day. 3 of them do actually keep me alive.

So when or if I get fed up with "This Mortal Coil" all I would need to do is stop taking the medication. Trouble is that I am too vain and big headed to do that. Besides I want to meet my new 10 weeks old Great Grandson BEFORE I pop my Clogs.

Just checked as it didn't sound right. Matt joined the Forum at its inception on 6th of October 2009 - so he has had a 3 and a half years start advantage on me.

I took it very gently at first as I as a new member did want to tread on his toes or Rich the Mechanic or Logi's. But soon as members found out that I had accrued a vast selection of spare parts then it became bedlam.
I eventually took over Matts Hi-Jet Website and that killed me with the collassal enquiries and sending parts all over the world. I didn't get time enough to strip the vehicles for the needed spares I was running out of.

But it all came to a fiery end in July 2016 - 3 years ago.

Uiuiui. Thats some heavy meds I see. Have you had surgery already? I had back surgery in 05.2018 and it cured me for now. Fought about almost a year before without one night of proper sleep with absolutely no bettering (i tried all the drugs i could get but nothing really worked   ). Pain the scale of 8 - 9 if a shower of boiling water is 10. Till i meet a surgeon... my life saver and it was over in day. A disc had exploded and all the galac mass had settled around the lower back pressing on the ishias nerve. They just extracted it with micro surgery through a 1 inch log cut and the pain was gone. I am so greatfull. Since that i have carried hundreds of sacks of concrete built two backyard mini ramps started skateboarding again and took countless falls repaired the hijet etc.

But every back problem is different thats what i learned. The cause and symptoms and solutions are never the same.


we are getting personal  

I had Xrays done last year on the lower spine. The bottom five Vertebrae are riddled with Arthritis and the Surgeon said that it is in hole that the Spinal Cord is running through in each of the 5 Vertebrae is closing up due to the Arthritis and compressing the Cord. He said that an operation on all five is very dodgy and a 50-50 chance of nicking the Spinal Cord and if that happens then it is life in a Wheel Chair and no control over bodily functions. I have also had 4 strokes but have recovered from them 95%.

YEAH, RIGHT, IT'S LIKE I AM GOING TO BE RISKING THAT. Without the Operation it will be a similar fate - but it would be a longer time with increasing pain etc.

I have now had a letter from the Surgeon on the Mainland in Portsmouth but he cannot see me until 24th of October after I have had an MRI SCAN OF THE SPINE. Then if he feels confident he could help - I will be in a wheelchair before they can do the operation no doubt. A tick bite that gave me ScepcisCellulitis in my left leg - which they were wanting to Amputate on my 6th day of Ten in the local Hospital. I know nearly as much about Medicines as I do about Hi-Jets.

I have had Sciatica for around 10 years now gradually getting worse. The past 4 years it has felt like my toes are on fire 24/7. Usually it only affects one leg apparently. I wish. By the end of the day my legs are swollen and very uncomfortable some days /very painful other days right up to my bum. Feels like a lump of raw meat with Pins and Needles burning my legs. Add to that Peripheral Neuropathy all over the body. It feels like someone stubbing cigarettes out all over the body. Hence 2 lots of Amitryptilene 10mg at night and 25mg in the morning. 30mg of Mirtazapine to help me sleep, Bisoprolol for Heart Arythmia that I have had since I was a child. Dabigatran 2 x 150mg Blood Viscousity Thinners, due to the 4 strokes I have had, Type 2 Diabetes, Omeprazole for a Hiatus Hernia due to showing off lifting Ford V6 2.8 Engines by hand and 2000 Ford OHC Engines with one hand. And I am still alive with a wicked sense of humour and a very hard working wife who puts up with my Mood and Pain swings - but most of all - I woke up this beautiful sunny morning with my Sense of Humour still razor sharp. I know where I would be without my sense of humour.
2 metres under the grass or cooked Medium Rare at the local Crematorium. You just have to laugh and realise that there are some very amazing human beings out there in the world far worse off than me. It keeps me going seeing their amazing examples.

Yeah it would be too easy if it was the same as mine.

Unfortunately the human body isnt a carborator Hijet. Its freaking complicated.

I had the fear of the wheelchair of course. But my doc was extremely confident he would get me sorted. He has the best reputation and has been braiding spinal cords like a persian carpet maker for some decades, still beeing on the edge of technology. So with all the pain and only 38 years of age i choose the all-in solution, finally.

It was the best descision of my life probably

Its absolutly insane what these surgeons are doing. My bed neighbour had a 8 hour nonstop operation. And there are no meal breaks or anything for the doc. Every move can get the patient into the wheelchair. The assistent said she would have at some point take a break because she was exausted and she was only passively monitoring the operation.
Fascinating people these surgeons.

Hows this for a gasket set?
LINKY

thanks. i found another source but its more expensive so this would be better.


@ woody. do the MRI scan. My MRI picture now hangs in the pysio therapy clinic as an exaple for an exploded disk. They wouldnt take me serious before i had done the scan.
And still after they saw it they would not suggest surgery. They would still be massaging my back probably while i am on pain killers.

Hello you lovely lot, Woodie, Raggy and CoolJet!

Thank you so much for your detective work on finding seals (gaskets?) - I searched and searched and generally think I’m fairly savvy at finding things online - but the technical descriptions defeated me!

Anyhoo... sadly, before I saw your search results, I decided to go down the replacement gearbox route. So I’m afraid I am unable to benefit from your efforts - but I’m really grateful

In the end it’s not been as costly as feared: gearbox £125, Clutch £100, labour £100 = £325 Still a big hit, but to get my dear Freddy back on the road, it’s worth it at the end of the day.

CoolJet: it was my mechanic who diagnosed The gearbox leaked on clutch making it skippy, and that the gearbox seal had failed. I do trust him because he always tries to keep costs down for me, and there was a lot of something dripping underneath! At the end of the day I just hope it’ll all be fixed Freddy should be home in time for the weekend!

Thanks again guys!!

Thanks for coming back and also keep us posted about your freddy's fate. A rare problem you had there. 325.- for all that sounds reasonable still quite some money.  More than e seal and some break cleaner so lets hope its going to be a long time investment.

Cheers to you!