Fingers crossed everything goes well and you’re back on the road soon. xx

Sorry to hear of your mechanical troubles. It's always good practice to fit a new clutch when ever the gearbox has to come out unless you've just fitted a new clutch recently. It's like when you change the timing belt ( unless it's a timing chain) it's best practice to fit a new water pump too as this is driven off the timing belt. Personally I think you have arranged a good deal especially as they are collecting Herman doing the work and guaranteeing it plus delivering it back to you! Nothing is cheap these days & when you have him back you won't know yourselves. Good luck and hope everything works out well for you?

Really bad luck , but on the plus side you'll soon have a van with a worry free gearbox and clutch , happy travels soon 😎

HI Ad's In some way I'm glad you found the fault that I diagnosed but saddened it's going to be an expensive repair, if I had my own workshop I would of helped with all of my 38 years of motor trade and knowledge

Looking forward to seeing Herman on more adventures. Good luck 🤞

Im sure it will be fixed and I much prefer these kind of videos, whether its mechanical, stuff in, on or outside the van...👍👍

you new fix will make it seem like a new van and only good news and good luck in future

Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery for Herman, we have a 94 Fiat based Hymer and this is making me very nervous!

Aww so sad to see Herman getting put on the low loader. Hopefully he’ll be back soon, with a new heart & rearing to go! Em 💜

Well, I hope it all goes well for you. It must be a bit of a nightmare. Hopefully all goes well, and you’re back in action very soon. 🤞

what can you say apart from bloody hell poor Herman, keep smiling things will get better

Older vans are like a love affair !! Our 'Pippin' is a 2004 Fiat Ducato, 'Swift Sundance', with only 31,000 miles on the clock. When bought 3rs ago we had to replace the clutch. She must have had a poor previous driver. We installed a solar panel on the roof and an Autoterm Diesel Heater for all year use. And we do so. Our niggles are habitation water leaks. Nothing too drastic, more weeps than leaks and easily sorted, but each trip out we wonder what will 'cry' next !! Not us though, we love our 'Pippin' !! Best Wishes Dave + Sophie xx

When our seal went on our Hymer 2.5 TD C25 J5 Ducato engine, the gearbox oil was slowly leaking and getting into and onto the clutch plate and the clutch started slipping and smelling. We took it to Eastern Commercials in Great Yarmouth if you call them they are very helpful and will be able to tell you what the problem was and how they fixed it. Coastline Motorhomes supplied all the parts to repair it and whatever they did to the gearbox seals etc, and after fitting the new clutch at the same time, it worked fine after that. Quote my name and Citroen Hymer 2021 if you think it's worth talking to them. They literally had the gearbox out, it was a big job.

Makes my sliding door locking problem fade into insignificance. Hope it's fixed quickly. Ps just had the clutch replaced on the car.

That's okay. I would have recommended changing the clutch while the gearbox was out anyway. Have it all done together and it'll be good for years!

We was taught just to use revs if our coach clutch went, didn’t believe it until I tried it and on my moterbike, hopefully you back on road soon

We empathise 😕 Our lovely 'old Bee' has just had a new clutch fitted: we found it literally impossible to source a garage willing to do an 'old motorhome'. Luckily we found a fantastic HGV workshop outside Knaresborough. They were fantastic 😊. We're poorer, but back on the road 👍

The only way is up now Adds. These probs always come in groups. In a few weeks it wil be a distant memory.

I know it’s an expensive fix but reconditioned gearbox and a new clutch means Herman is fettled and ready for many more road trips . You’re going through a period of bad luck but it won’t last.

You need to visit the NEC. They will have some nice new shiny ones. Oh a clutch going sounds painful . That drive shaft seal is looking a bit unsettled. There is a possibility you may have too much and incorrect gear fluid in. Even a little over the added extra required can cause breathing issues and the first thing to go under enclosed pressure, would be the seals. All easy enough work to be done though I must admit. Hope all works out fine for you soon. Still you are looking positive.

Never good to have a large unexpected expense, but that sounds a good price for that amount of work.

its good practice change clutch with gearbox out only a few more bolts then one thing less to worry about all best

That's a fair amount of dosh BUT it's only money. Herman got a free ride too, bonus for him. You'll be back on the road in no time. Clutch was a blessing in disguise. About 5th gear: ours went in I think 2013 at 88,000 km. I replaced the gear and synchro myself at a cost of several Hundred Euros just for the parts. Overfilled with GL4 and now 10 years later and with 186,000km on the clock 5th gear is still going fine. Never use it under 80km/h (50 MPH) and never before 10 ish minutes of driving, so the box oil is warm.

What a pain, but at least it'll all be sorted. The run of bad luck can't last much longer. I had an unexpected bill in November, I needed a new throttle pedal for a Land Cruiser. Imagine my surprise at the £1050 bill!

I would of liked to of seen if it still leaked at the correct level rather than been overfilled to protect 5th gear as with it been over filled would of put more stain on the seals especially when all the fluid is splashed around. Good luck with the fix and hopefully lots of trouble free motoring

Ads & Zoe thankyou for sharing your woes with us. I hope all these mechanical issues are a reality check for those who see older motorhomes through rose tinted glasses and who think they are so wonderful and go on forever! Yes they have a certain charm with their retro looks but the reality is that beneath all that plastic and wood veneer is a mass produced commercial vehicle ie a builders van! And as good as they are when newly built it is essentially a lot of metal components rubbing against each other that eventually wear out! So unfortunately what is happening to you is inevitable 😩 I know some will say they have no choice but to buy older vehicles as that is all they can afford, such as my son who has just paid £2500 for a campervan and who knows he will spend as much again during his ownership! Starting with a new gear box!! I hope you get Herman fixed soon and can enjoy you time in him again.

What rotten luck. Hopefully all will be fixed soon. Lovely to see Zoe she always makes me smile. Take care Gill

Funnily enough I now have since yesterday a mild leak on my Hymer gearbox - that we had repaired also before Christmas. Am hoping it’s just a seal or something minor. I think the bearings were done on mine though and I chose to do the clutch also. I went out this morning to double check after seeing this video. You mentioned filling through the “reverse switch” area or something like that. Could you explain that a bit please? Mine is a 2007/2008.

Ads really wish you best of luck there 🤞.. oil leak😩 , I wouldn't have a clue to help you sorry.. such bad luck ..keep smiling mate

Everyone should have a Chaz. Do you rent him out?

Could have been worse, clutch could have gone a week later after new gear box fitted,so gearbox would have to come out again,I was going to say while the gearbox is out fit a new clutch anyway

Did one of those gearbox's on my own there not hard just a awkward shape to lift, the breather is at the front of the box also the filler, the abs reluctor ring is on outer CV joint not the inner CV joint would take a guess the driveshaft are the same just added the reluctor on the end would make economy sense

We have exactly the same problem. 3 seals later and it still leaks. However the gearbox on mine was originally a 4 speed. 5th gear added which is splash lubricated. 2 x drain plugs. One for diff the other gears. Oil filled via reversing switch. Breather is a hole. My gearbox has dipstick. Gearbox is obsolete. So I use an addictive that states its good for 30k miles with very little oil. Been 5 years on now. In mw newer van. Does chas know anything about leaky auto gearboxes. Not sure where it's coming from. Cheers from old George

Why didnt you use the guys in Guildford,that fixed the 5th gear ?

Zoey made me laugh xx

Well, the silver lining is that the clutch is easier to repair together with the gearbox. Would have been even worse to have a fixed gearbox and the next day find out that the clutch went. Sucks anyway…😤

Puff a load of talcum power around the seal so you can see where the oil is coming from

Murphys law ALWAYS applies..poor Herman 😢

I would have replaced the clutch while the gearbox was out anyway.

Come on give that man a BREAK 👏

Gearbox breather looks like a car valve

Yes this is all too familiar l allso had my Peugeot clutch go costing £700 then timing slipped 4 cogs to the tune of £579 all with in a mouth so my 1994 auto sleeper had to go! With 75 hp at the wheels and nacked turbo she was past her brim

Better for it to fail now on your doorstep than miles away from home.

😥

Surely overfilling the gearbox Will Result in leakage from the seals more than if were just filled to correct levels and will result in excess internal pressures.

Too much oil can be as bad as not enough, can't comment on Fiats but my old Renault Master had a special dipstick for checking the level which needed to be half an inch or so below the filler/level plug. If they are over filled they can start syphoning the entire contents out of the breather vent apparently. It was supposed to take 2.6 litres or something but only ever needed about 1.8 for an oil change as its impossible to completely drain the gearbox via the drain plug, probably would take the full quantity if it had been completely stripped and rebuilt. I wonder if your vent is blocked or something and the pressure increase as the oil heats up is forcing it out via the path of least resistance (diff oil seal). I don't think the bit of movement in the inner end of the driveshaft should be much cause for concern (my Renault one was worse than that). If the diff bearings are tapered roller bearings a certain amount of "float" is normal. I'd be curious to see if the clutch is soaked in gear oil too (it will stink terrible). If its been overfilled its possible found its way out along the gearbox input shaft.

But in perfect condition, 72000 miles like new inside but going up hill no thankyou !!