Audi 80 cold gearbox problem

[Bowma]

I live in Finland and I have a problem with gear selection when starting from cold, I can't select any gears when first starting the engine but after trying for a while if I manage to select 3rd then I can select reverse to back out of the garage then when driving selection is ok but difficult to find 1st if I stop at traffic lights etc but all this only when the car is cold but when fully warmed up the gearbox is almost perfect no problems, also not so bad when driving in the summer. Any idea's? Have changed gearbox oil but now very cold here and the gear selection very difficult but when the engine is turned off the gear selection is ok very smooth so why is that?

[msh]

Probably poor quality mineral oil in it.

[Micky]

i am no expert but try and change the oil in the box .if water or moisture in there it could freese makeing it stick?

[msh]

I don't think u can get water in gearbox of normally used car. Except, of course, if u fill your gearbox with water

[Bowma]

Hi, thanks for your reply's they all make sense it could be old or wrong type of oil, in the Audi manual they say it is filled for life and doesn't need changing but the cars done 265000 miles so could be oil, but also maybe possible if moisture in the gearbox as it gets very cold here - degrees in winter but at the moment about + 5 so the selection is not so bad but when 0c or under then I have problems.

[msh]

When u change that oil, make sure that it's synthetic.