Limping an R380 gearbox on....

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Chalky.

Chalky.

Well-Known Member
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Location
Mid Wales
Hi guys!

I have a pretty notchy r380, when I attempt to go up the gears quickly (when pulling onto a busy road to get up to speed) 4 th gear blocks totally, the gear change is fine when taking it very gently, or double de-clutching. I know this is worn baulk rings and will need attention at some point before I plan any European long distance travel.

I do a fair few road miles in my 90 and was planning on getting Ashcroft to re condition my TB with the higher 1.2 ratios, this is pretty important to me as I use it alot and the noise above 50 is significant!

My question, how long can I limp the main box on for with regular oil changes ( I do this already), and do you think its advisable to recondition main or TB first?? Any advice would be welcome.

Thanks guys!
 
Sorry to bomb your post but I'd be interested in this too!

My main gbox struggles to get into 4th from 5th without a bit of wiggling!

Does yours wine at all, especially in 5th at high speed?
 
Hi bud!

No mine doesn't whine (apart from the normal noises) and to be honest I feel like its revving to high if I sit much above 55, hence the desire for the ratio change in the t box. Double de-clutching cures the bad gear selection, but I wonder how long the actual box will last and what else has worn if the synchro is this bad on 3rd to 4th and 5th to 4th....
 
Good point.

Would you or anyone else recommend looking at the clutch if I take the whole box out? Its a Td5 with about 110000 on the clock, clutch seems fine but I've read that the dual mass flywheel has a limited life span......
 
Again .. I would .. ;) I dunno specifics of TD5, but whilst the gearbox is out it has to be worth checking, especially the thrust bearing and fork.
 
Ok cheers guys.

Looks like my April tax rebate is already spent! Sometimes it just needs an outsider to nudge you in the right direction....:)
 
I would get a quote from syncro gearboxes before going with Ashcroft. They come highly recommended from me, Shabs is a really helpful guy and seems to go out of his way to make sure the gearboxes will last.

I haven't heard 100% good stuff from Ashcroft in terms of what they replace and the kind of jobs they do, but then you generally only hear about negatives with stuff.
 
Gottschalk said:
Hi bud!

No mine doesn't whine (apart from the normal noises) and to be honest I feel like its revving to high if I sit much above 55, hence the desire for the ratio change in the t box. Double de-clutching cures the bad gear selection, but I wonder how long the actual box will last and what else has worn if the synchro is this bad on 3rd to 4th and 5th to 4th....
Click to expand...
box will last a good while with oil changes its just makes rebuild so much more expensive as dog teeth on the gears become mashed and so requiring new gears ,whereas done at the right time 6 baulk rings and a set of 7 bearings would see it near as new
 
jamesmartin said:
box will last a good while with oil changes its just makes rebuild so much more expensive as dog teeth on the gears become mashed and so requiring new gears ,whereas done at the right time 6 baulk rings and a set of 7 bearings would see it near as new
Click to expand...

Ok thats very interesting James, and thanks for the reply!
Do you still undertake this kind of work? Gearbox's are way out of my league? I've heard good feedback from yourself, and very recently seem to of come across a fair bit of negative in regards to Ashcroft, either way would be keen to hear your thoughts! Cheers
 
Gottschalk said:
Hi guys!

I have a pretty notchy r380, when I attempt to go up the gears quickly (when pulling onto a busy road to get up to speed) 4 th gear blocks totally, the gear change is fine when taking it very gently, or double de-clutching. I know this is worn baulk rings and will need attention at some point before I plan any European long distance travel.

I do a fair few road miles in my 90 and was planning on getting Ashcroft to re condition my TB with the higher 1.2 ratios, this is pretty important to me as I use it alot and the noise above 50 is significant!

My question, how long can I limp the main box on for with regular oil changes ( I do this already), and do you think its advisable to recondition main or TB first?? Any advice would be welcome.

Thanks guys!
Click to expand...

How long is a piece of string, I tried to limp an LT77 along, it was working absolutely fine one day albeit notchy and generally just an atrocious gearbox and I gently drove off one day, went for 2nd or 3rd and it was having none of it. No way it was going, tried to get into 1st now, nothing. Managed to hammer it into 1st and drove back round the corner home in 1st the whole way. Total internal failure, looked like I had dropped a box of nails into it. Didn't sound bad until it let go. Then you get gearboxes that sound awful and go on for 10'000 of miles.

If it's a genuine old worn notchy box, then you could keep it going for ages! It just depends what is worn, and where the worn bits are going!
 
I changed the oil just before the start of summer and it was filled with atf...bright red....i put the recommended mtf in, and to be honest the gear changes just don't feel as good, especially on a few of the colder days tho winter. Its due an oil change soon, and I noticed Ashcroft are now recommending atf in the r380, which I think ill go for.
What do you guys put in yours?
 
No I realise that, I do drive accordingly, its a fender after all!

I felt the difference massively after changing to MTF, I felt like I should of dropped it out straight away and replaced with ATF.....couldnt face the dollar though lol.
 
Gottschalk said:
I changed the oil just before the start of summer and it was filled with atf...bright red....i put the recommended mtf in, and to be honest the gear changes just don't feel as good, especially on a few of the colder days tho winter. Its due an oil change soon, and I noticed Ashcroft are now recommending atf in the r380, which I think ill go for.
What do you guys put in yours?
Click to expand...
when you strip the boxes you find as long as oils changed frequently no difference between the oils, though depending on condition and fit of baulk rings ,one or another oil might give a better gear change, which will vary between boxes
 
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