Disco Manual gearbox stuck in 5th - Help!

[ClassicCruiser]

Hi Chaps - a bit of advice would be much appreciated, I've already searched the forums but I'm still unsure of the likely cause.

1993 200 MPI 5 SPEED MANUAL. 130,000 Miles without problem.

Just completed a 6,000 mile 4 week trip to the Sahara with no problems until 200 miles from home when the following symptoms occurred;

1) 3rd and 4th gear became progressively more difficult to select (I was on the French motorways at the time). When the gear did eventually select (i.e. when the gear lever would physically move to that position from neutral), the actual box seemed fine with no untoward noise or vibration.

2) The box then jammed completely in 5th gear with the lever unable to move even back into neutral.

3) I managed to nurse the vehicle back using low ratio 5th and normal ratio 5th only (a bit of a laugh on the big hills and the ferry! :biggrin:)

Anyway we are all back home in Cornwall albeit with a car jammed in 5th gear - again it runs fine, just dip the clutch, start off in low ratio and change to normal range on the move.

I am looking at just a selector problem or a recon box? - any advice much appreciated.

Cheers,

Steve.

[TEMPL4R]

3rd and 4th are at the front of the gearbox, 5th is in the rear, so the common things are lack of oil in the box or the selector shaft.

I'd start with checking the condition and amount of oil.

Chris

[ClassicCruiser]

Thanks Chris,

The oil is good (level and condition checked today) so I suppose that the selector shaft is the next item for checking - I'll give it a go in the morning - cheers.