Overly Hot Gearstick

[jamieandthemagi]

Strange one this;

On a short 20 mins or so trip I can grab the shaft of the gearlever & it is midly warm.

On a long motorway based trip (2 hours) the shaft of the gearstick is VERY Hot..........any warmer & I wouldnt be able to grab the shaft !

However I have done journeys were it didnt seem to get warm at all.

But when it does get warm, the inside of the cars smells of Gearbox oil (rotten Veg!)

The gearbox level is good, with fairly fresh oil in it, this is on an S4 spider, with the hydraulic 5 speed box.

WHAT IS THIS ?

[beatle_bayly]

Jamie,

a long shot, but ensure the boots around the gearlever are intact. I had a 116 GTV with a torn lower gearlever boot and it allowed the hot air to come from under the vehicle (high pressure) into the cabin (low pressure) via the lever hole and really hots things up. After a couple of years thinking it was normal, I finally made a new boot out of a motorcycle inner tube and the problem never recurred.

The oil smell could be a result of the actual problem, not the cause.

[jamieandthemagi]

You were right !

Found the problem;

After taking the centre console out, I found that BOTH the rubber gearstick boots were almost non exsistant.

Having driven the car to work with no centre console & the gearbox open to the inside of the car (jesus its noisy), I was surprised at how much hot air comes up the transmission tunnel into the opening where the boots were.

Just waiting for some new boots to arrive now.

[beatle_bayly]

I love it when a plan comes together !

[jamieandthemagi]

"chews the end off his cigar, spits it on the baddies shoe after offering BA a glass of pre-flight Milk"