Gear Linkage Adjustment- Help!

[ElWaltoGringo]

First up, thanks for all the great info in these forums...
Second, did I just kill my gearbox?
Last week, I suddenly lost the ability to select 2nd, 4th, and 6th without holding the stick all the way back while releasing the clutch. I started researching online, and found a simple gear linkage realignment may be the solution. I followed someone's suggested post, and studied the Diesel Geek video at:

After removing the gaiter (which was a pain), I followed Jim's suggestion to use a 3/16" drill bit to lock the shift rod in place. I had some issues getting the transmission locked into the "home" position. When I went back to check on the gear stick, my fiddling with the transmission must have jiggled the drill bit loose, and I coudn't find it anywhere. I assumed the drill bit fell all the way into the hole, but I couldn't see it with a flashlight. I didn't expect that lock hole to be so deep, so my question is: Where does that hole go? If I assume the bit fell all the way down the hole, is it going into the shift assembly? I'm worried to test the shift mechanism now, let alone fire up the car and take her for a test drive. Can anyone confirm whether my car is safe to drive, or do I have to start disassembling the console until I can find the bit? Help!

 

[ElWaltoGringo]

I asked the question on the dieselgeek Youtube video page, and he answered within a day!
"The drill bit simply fell into the cavity surrounding the shift mechanism. There is no danger of it causing a problem. This is why we have a bend in our 5mm shifter alignment pins. It keeps the pin from falling into the shift box. But still, you are fine."

So I went back with a fresh 5mm drill bit and tried again:

"Thanks! Now I wonder if you have time to provide a bit of guidance or diagnosis. - I followed the directions on your original video to adjust the linkage, and the problem reversed: I had gears 2,4,6 fine, but it would grind and not catch on gears R,1,3,5. I even went to the English hardware store and found a 5mm drill bit! Then I tried the directions on this video (bypassing the locking pin on the transmission) with the same result. The gearstick just wouldn't move far enough forward to engage the upper row of gears.
- As an experiment, I tried something: I released the catch on the front/back cable and manually moved the transmission into 3rd (pushing down slightly). I then moved the gearstick into the middle upper position (where 3rd should be), and wedged it in place with an oil bottle. I then engaged the front/back catch, and checked the movement of the gears. This got me back to the original situation: R,1,3,5 engage fine, and 2,4,6 require pulling the stick back until the clutch is fully released.
- I noticed the bushing inside the front/back catch seems loose, so I ordered a new one (p/n 1K0711760B). Do you think this may fix my issue, or is there possibly something else going on?"

 

[Damo23]

Hi I have a 2008 seat leon fr 170 but im new to these cars and the gear linkage has gone it's the mechanism on the right as your looking at it under the air filter I have got a full linkage from stick to box. I'm just looking for advise on best way to replace this or fix it as its a project in memory of my son. Thanks in advance