can't get 3rd or 4th gear

Well waddya know, there i was driving away from the MOT place with certificate in hand looking forward to another years landying, and then I stops and suddenly can't select 3rd or 4th gear anymore. Reverse, first and second are fine, but its like 3rd and 4th don't exist, it won't go in even when stationary and engine off. Anyone ever seen this? Nothing seemed to happen to cause it, nothing went bang or appeared to break.

Looks like no off-roading over xmas now

Have you checked your gear lever hasn't slipped out of the selectors?

first thing to check are yer springs, balls and plungers on the top of yer box.

take tranny cover orf remove gearstick and you'll see two little 'L' shaped brackets , one either side. these have yer springe and balls under em. there is also another spring and ball on top. remove these and then remove the cover they are fitted in. you can now check yer plungers are ok and moving freely.

would ya still get 12 & R if that happnd?

unlikey, which why ah sed check yer balls

Cheers slob i'll try that. I don't think the whole box is fu*ked it just seems like a selection problem. Theres no nasty noises or anything, other than the usual stuff

Landy-ads said:

Cheers slob i'll try that. I don't think the whole box is fu*ked it just seems like a selection problem. Theres no nasty noises or anything, other than the usual stuff

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I agree with Slob here again - interlock problem.

The balls springs and plungers are there to STOP gears engaging!

Plan: Fix the interlocks so that NO gear can be engaged unless ALL other gears are pinned into neutral.

If the interlocks (balls and plungers) stick .... that's it.

CharlesY

OK, once I got inside the box I found that me balls were workin fine
I took all the balls and plungers out but still couldn't shift the 3rd/4th selector shaft, even with nothing interlocking so it looks like a more sinister problem with the layshaft or something. Not sure how much more can be done without removing the whole gearbox to get the main & layshafts out. Any ideas?

Landy-ads said:

OK, once I got inside the box I found that me balls were workin fine
I took all the balls and plungers out but still couldn't shift the 3rd/4th selector shaft, even with nothing interlocking so it looks like a more sinister problem with the layshaft or something. Not sure how much more can be done without removing the whole gearbox to get the main & layshafts out. Any ideas?

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Ahh.... but did you get the sideways moving plungers to shift?
They pass through the selector rods usually, and are arranged so that no one rod can move unless all the others are safely in neutral. Then, if you move one rod, all the others are pinned into neutral.

But it might be something else entirely, though this problem is the way to start for sure. Landies are a bit prone to this.

CharlesY

OK, I think the next step is to pull the selector shaft/fork assy right out and have a closer look at it, to make sure there's nothing stopping it sliding.

hi mate my box just went to sounds like same sort of thing only i could only select fourth took gearbox out and found front lay shaft bearing had broken up resulting in gears not meshing hope this is of some help respect mate.SHROOMBRAIN

shroombrains said:

hi mate my box just went to sounds like same sort of thing only i could only select fourth took gearbox out and found front lay shaft bearing had broken up resulting in gears not meshing hope this is of some help respect mate.SHROOMBRAIN

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20 past 1 am

I suspect it is most likely the 3rd/4th synchro unit shot away, but I am planning to attack it this weekend with a large crowbar and if the gears still don't move i'll pull out the box and swap it for a noo'un.

Anyone got a decent spare sIII box up for grabs? I'm in the south east.

can i have yer t/box off yer old un?

if there's one spare at the end of it i'll let yers know

OK, update for those interested, I pulled all the selector shafts out and turned the mainshaft round by hand and Noticed that one of the 3rd/4th synchro springs had come out of position and was jamming the unit. It popped back in fairly easily and I was able to select 3rd/4th, but as soon as I drove off it must have come out again as the problem returned. I noticed it was making a clicking noise after i popped it back in and was changing gear so i guess the spring must be just worn out or something. Is it possible to replace these springs without removing and dismantling the box? It looks as if it should be possible but I'm guessing it would be very fiddly.

your best bet would be take the box out and re-build it with new syncros and bearings

Ok, after futher close look it turns out that the offending synchro spring has acually broken in half, so I hoiked it out altogether and gear selection is now possible, though i havn't driven it as I guess it wouldn't last long with only two out of three synchro springs in place. Gonna have a go at buying and inserting a new one. God knows where the other broken half went to.......

HI
its worth having a go with the box in, if youre really keen should change all 3 together, its been done before (see links), if you get it replaced ok hopefully solve problem if it crashes afterwards means still a problem with synchro
lets know how you got on


Landrover Series I to III 3rd/4th Gear Problems

Series Land Rover Gearbox Rebuild

i am watching with interest. last time i started playing with a box it ended up in tears.