No 5th gear

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
discojamz

discojamz

Active Member
Posts
833
Location
Bristol
hi, recently purchased a 1986 90 in generally ok condition apart from a bit of dodgy wiring and odd patches of rust. The main problem at the moment though is that it cant get 5th gear. R,1,2,3,4 all work fine but not top gear. Was told it had a recon box in it, and since it was fitted, 5th has never worked. Is there some adjustment i can make to let it be selected. Defender stuff is a bit new to me as I'm used to a disco

Thanks
 
If it NEVER worked and it was a rebuild then I am going to assume that its not been setup properly on the bench before being sent out...

It sounds like it could be the 5th gear detent spring/plunger, if this are not setup properly or is sticky or jammed then it could stop you selecting 5th gear.

You can get in amongst the 5th gear plunger assembly if you take the tranny cover off.
 
sorry think i may be a bit thick here -by tranny cover do you mean a part of the transfer box, or the cover which you remove too access the top of the gearbox. And this 5th gear detent spring, is it similar to the one on the top of the disco lt77s box which prevent you accidently going into reverse and finally where is it? Is it on the top of the box somewhere?
 
It will be the LT77 you have in your landy unless someone at some point changed it.

You need to take the metal cover which screws to the bulkhead/floor pans, lift that off and you can see the plunger assemblys near the top. They sorta look like round cylinder things with oval flanges that bolt into the side.
 
ok, i see the bits you are talking about. I'll have my lunch then go have a look. So you reckon its that the plunger has jammed. I'll take it off anyway and have a look at the reverse one while im at it and get a new spring for it so i dont keep accidently choosing it instead of first...tho i'm used to selecting 2nd to make sure i get 1st right, if you know what i mean
 
Yeah I think there is a good chance its something to do with selection at this level rather than deeper in the box itself.
 
ok took the plunger out, both sides for good measure but still cant seem to get 5th. It seems that when in 3rd, there is a huge amount of gearstick play in the direction of 5th?!?
 
You'd need the casting marks. Someone on here will know. Just post a "can u identify my gearbox?" thread. Not sure when the 5-speed came in.

If it's a 5-speed on the Vin number it'll have a 7 after the first eight letters. If it's a 4-speed it'll be a 1. Hope this makes sense.

If you pm me your Vin I can get you your details for you.

Al.
 
Sound like the layshaft on fifth.

If memory serves, there's a filter in the gearbox drainplug. I think they can be crushed or forced in at an angle. The filter goes up in to the oil pump. The oil pump runs off the layshaft. It could be fouling something.

I'm out of ideas and none of them have been up to much!

Hope it's something simple.
 
I took the top of the box off and had a little rummage around

It turned out that whoever had done the so-called "recon" had put the selector quadrandt on the end of the selector shaft back-to-front, meaning the remote selector attached to the end of the gearstick wasn't physically able to spin far enough round to select 5th.

So all sorted now, tho not that 5th lets the car go much faster:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

s8ndst0rm
5th gear “resistance”
Replies
5
Views
554
Eldon
E
dag019
LT77 clicking loudly in 5th gear
Replies
7
Views
2K
Skolmate
Skolmate
S
No gears!!
Replies
13
Views
1K
tottot
tottot
9
R380 Gear Selection Issue
Replies
3
Views
1K
Anaconda
A
stoney424
What colour speedo drive gear should I be using?
Replies
3
Views
993
miktdish
miktdish
Back
Top