Manual gearbox - won't go into fifth or reverse!

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Grrrrrr

Grrrrrr

Technician, Bodgit & Scarper Ltd
Posts
19,914
Location
Buckinghamshire, UK. ('95 DT)
Todays issue!

The air suspension mysteriously fixed itself in the last day or so. Guess that's pointing at a loose connection. Anyway, the missus went out and when she returned reported it won't go into reverse! So, I went out there and she's right. neither fifth gear or reverse will go in yet all the others do.

Had a quick look at RAVE and it appears fifth and reverse are on a different shaft. However, I can see nothing that explains what the issue might be or indeed how to fix it.

Any ideas, anyone?

Probably worth noting that I had the transmission off and replaced the fluid about a month or so ago. However, it has been working better than it ever has since I did that so I'm kind of hoping that isn't the cause!

J
 
from past experience with other cars, its usually something in the turret. maybe a selector spring or such like, or an adjuster bolt has come away or not allowing enough movement? it could even be something on the selector shaft from the bottom of the gear lever.
 
Grrrrrr said:
Todays issue!

The air suspension mysteriously fixed itself in the last day or so. Guess that's pointing at a loose connection. Anyway, the missus went out and when she returned reported it won't go into reverse! So, I went out there and she's right. neither fifth gear or reverse will go in yet all the others do.

Had a quick look at RAVE and it appears fifth and reverse are on a different shaft. However, I can see nothing that explains what the issue might be or indeed how to fix it.

Any ideas, anyone?

Probably worth noting that I had the transmission off and replaced the fluid about a month or so ago. However, it has been working better than it ever has since I did that so I'm kind of hoping that isn't the cause!

J
Click to expand...

If it's an R 380 5th and reverse use the same syncro hub and obviously the same selector. As someone else said likely to be problem in the turret.
 
Thanks chaps. Perhaps not as bad as I feared. I've been worrying all night thinking me changing the fluid has made it less viscous and swept some dirt up into the gears and destroying bearings and gears!

Not a lot of room through that little hole. Is it possible to get through it in-situ or are we talking about dropping the transmission again?
 
there are things that can happen like interlock spool breaking ,synchro hub springs dislodging and jamming ,rear of layshaft can break loosing rev and 5th but with other gears but stick would still move/feel as normal , to get top off you need to put a jack under transmission (t/box is best ) lift boxes remove cross member and lower boxes down ,removing tunnel cover from inside etc will be easy then as will access to box you can lower boxes down quite a long way with out harm to other parts ive never had to remove fan etc when doing it
 
Thanks James. I'll have a look tomorrow. Absolutely freezing out there. Just the weather to be lying on a concrete drive in the open on my back!

Occurs to me it might just be the rubber gaiter has somehow got tangled up in the mechanism so I'll take the centre console box out and keep everything crossed that that's it ... although frankly I think my chances are slim!
 
Yeah but I'm firmly in the desk-jockey these days though. I'm used to a nice warm office with a executive leather chair by the radiator and a young leggy bird who brings me a cup of tea every hour or so ... ngggh, humf. Sorry, drifted off for a moment. Was dreaming for a moment or two.
 
Grrrrrr said:
Yeah but I'm firmly in the desk-jockey these days though. I'm used to a nice warm office with a executive leather chair by the radiator and a young leggy bird who brings me a cup of tea every hour or so ... ngggh, humf. Sorry, drifted off for a moment. Was dreaming for a moment or two.
Click to expand...

Get her to bring you tea while your lying on yer back....sort the gearbox and get a better view.;)
 
OK. Been out and had a look. Piccies attached.

With a bit of wriggline I can get it in 5th and reverse. I've taken her up the road and there are no ofdd vibrations or odd noises coming from the gear-box (centre box etc all removed so you can hear EVERYTHING!).

1st to 4th can be put in gear with the tip of finger and thumb. Fifth need the gearstick grasping with a full hand and reverse needs a seriously shunt over to the right and then a wriggle in. So, definitely a selector issue. Pics of the springy ball-bearing bolts below.

What concerns me a little is that once it is in reverse it is damn hard to get it back out again. Is that also the right-springy-bolt not behaving itself somehow? I can see how the bolts would affect left to right movement but it'd have to be a pretty strong spring to affect forwards / backwards motion, wouldn't it?

At £65 I'd like to be fairly sure that's what is wrong! Talking of which, could you refurb the bolts rather than buy new ones?

Cheers,

J

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01122012(008).jpg
 
Not to throw you off track but I had a clutch issue that started off with the same symptoms as yours. It slowly got harder and harder to get it in or out of any gear. In the end I would switch off whenever I stopped, start the car in gear and shift by ear! I was on a 4 day trip up in the boonies and had no other option till I got back to civilization. It turned out to be the slave cylinder, you even get repair kits now for less than a tenner. Oh and this was right after a full fluid change etc in prep for said trip.

Edit: Obviously you'll know if its clutch related by sitting in the car with the ignition off, foot off clutch and moving the lever around the gate. If its smooth its the clutch, if its still tough then its the spring bolts or adjustor plate etc.
 
Last edited:
Nice idea but I had the clutch out about a month ago as I had to replace the sprial pins and it all looked good. Replaced the slave cylinder at the same time. 1st to 4th are perfect. My worry is I stuffed something when I changed the fluid, although why it would only affect 1 shaft int he gearbox I'm unsure.

The pins theory above sounds reasonable, especially as the right-hand one makes that strange clicking noise but unsure why it would stop it coming out of gear easily.

J
 
It isn't the pins.

Just been through RAVE. Mine is the type-D gearbox, or looks like it. Odd on a '95 car? If it is type D, RAVE says you cannot fix compenents, you have to replace the whole remote gear change box. Surely not?
 
no you can buy detents from ashcrofts amongst others wind them back to see if the one on rev 5th side is hindering or whether is synchro etc
 
Thanks James.

I'm a little undecided on what to do with mine but if there's a cheap one on flea-bay or somewhere I might get it as backup. Problem is, the guys who owned the place I borrowed the ramp, transmission jack etc. off last time have retired and there is nowhere I now have access to that kind of kit.

I don't mind lowering the gearbox down on the drive but I'm not taking it out without a proper transmission jack etc. I just don't have the skill. I did have a look earlier before it got dark. I reckon it'd be pretty tight under there even with the gearbox lowered all the way on a trolley jack because of the depth of the transmission tunnel. I might (just) be able to wriggle the remote control housing off but a replacement one is about £150 (assuming RAVE is correct and it cannot be fixed). On the other hand if it is the gearbox itself I won't find out short of taking it off and apart and I don't have the kit for that. A replacement box is £250. Unbelievable! Not much less than the remote control box.

One of those days I wish I had a bigger house, with a big garage (heated), tools etc. Too late for Euromillions tonight. I'll just have to go for the National Lottery tomorrow and hope my luck changes!
 
Of course, it will now go into gear, albeit with a lot of stick, so do I just drive it until it breaks completely and then replace the box?!

Of course, it'll probably wait until I'm in a snowdrift int he middle of nowhere before it decides to do that!

I'm beginning to suspect the car is inhabited by some very nasty dark angel!
 
Grrrrrr said:
Of course, it will now go into gear, albeit with a lot of stick, so do I just drive it until it breaks completely and then replace the box?!

Of course, it'll probably wait until I'm in a snowdrift int he middle of nowhere before it decides to do that!

I'm beginning to suspect the car is inhabited by some very nasty dark angel!
Click to expand...

once again, "P" for PARANOIA!
 
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