Gearbox Discovery sticky during long journeys

[Kantc]

Discovery TD5 whenever I drive on a long journey my gearbox goes stiff. there is no spring on the stick and it is almost impossible to get into gear when i come off the motorway- any thoughts. it has been going on for sometime but only happens on long journeys which i dont do very often.

Oil has been changed and local dealer has had a good look and can find nothing wrong.
4 year old Discovery has only done 24,000 miles

[si_guru]

Have you tried pumping the clutch pedal?

[ComicalEngineer]

Agree. Sounds like the clutch plate may be dragging or sticking. This will make gears difficult to engage. Is first a particular problem and does it jerk when you put it into 1st from a standstill?

[Kantc]

No I havent tried pumping the clutch but i will try next time.

As regards getting into first gear that is never a problem the gears work perfectly at all local speeds. It is only when I have been driving at 60-70 for some distance that the problem occurs - when i come off a motorway for example - and i am not going to try first gear at that time

[jumpy]

Agree. Sounds like the clutch plate may be dragging or sticking. This will make gears difficult to engage. Is first a particular problem and does it jerk when you put it into 1st from a standstill?

My tdi does this sometimes. Last time I took a sedate trip to the peak district from leicester, we stopped for a sandwich on in layby on the A50 and when we set off again there was a jerk and a clunk when engaging 1st gear, then for about 150yds the speedo didn't work :(

Sometimes if first feels a little 'sticky' I pull it back into 2nd and then re-engage 1st before letting the clutch up to pull away. Never had the gear lever go stiff though.

[lawson]

Hi mate it will be the selector ball and springs on the top of the gearbox after a long journey on the motorway when you try to go from 5th to 4th the stick stays where it is when u pull it uot of 5th. if correct you need to strip the selector of the top of the box and pack it with new grease you will find it will be very dry even rusty. Lawson

[Kantc]

Thanks Lawson
That sounds exactly as it is - what puzzles me is the land rover main dealer say they have stripped it down and found nothing wrong.
Now i will have to wait untill i do another long motorwy journey