Oh dear I have a hole in my gearbox

tiz easy - if it sounds like a bag of bolts when trying to put it in first then no synchro - if it goes in easily and changes easily without "grinding" then it, most likely, has synchro.

To be Honist that doesn't look like the bell housing
Can you get a pic from slightly further distance so we can see more of the unit

Looks like the bell housing to me...

Never seems to grind or crunch into gear!

The hole...if you had long enough fingers you could poke your fingers through where the clutch slave hole is (located on drivers side), through the new hole. If that makes sense!

pobby said:

To be Honist that doesn't look like the bell housing
Can you get a pic from slightly further distance so we can see more of the unit

Click to expand...

series 3 bell housing.
didnt understand the finger and drivers side bit in last post tho.

Think what was meant was the idea that the new hole is directly infront of the slave cylinder entrace hole, i.e. you could stick a rod into where you would put the slave cylinder, and it would come out of the new hole. As for drivers side, maybe it's a left hand drive? because in the photo, it did look on the left side of the box (as it should be for a standard series 3 bell housing...).

Matt

MLangford2 said:

Think what was meant was the idea that the new hole is directly infront of the slave cylinder entrace hole, i.e. you could stick a rod into where you would put the slave cylinder, and it would come out of the new hole. As for drivers side, maybe it's a left hand drive? because in the photo, it did look on the left side of the box (as it should be for a standard series 3 bell housing...).

Matt

Click to expand...

yeah, was drivers side comment that has me puzzled at mo.
never thought bout it bein a left hooker tho!

would like to see the lump of pig iron thats called the clutch fork if the rods punched thru that

unless the release bearings collapsed allowing fork to pivot more that it should

Me being an idiot its not on the drivers side!

rustyrhinos said:

Me being an idiot its not on the drivers side!

Click to expand...

:doh:
easy mistake....
but i'm not one for takin the ****.
but that deserves it....

nrgserv said:

yeah, was drivers side comment that has me puzzled at mo.
never thought bout it bein a left hooker tho!

would like to see the lump of pig iron thats called the clutch fork if the rods punched thru that

unless the release bearings collapsed allowing fork to pivot more that it should

Click to expand...

I second that...those clutch forks seem pretty solidly built to me, though i'm not sure a bearing collapse would allow that much movement inside the housing? Interesting scenario!

More pictures, please?

I will get more pics Its over at my parents as thankfully it broke down near their house! Which is where it will sit until it is fixed. I will get the box out on the benh and start taking pics

I agree those clutch forks are made of kryptonite or something but that hole in the bellhousing wasn't knawed by a rat! So most likely the bearings collapsed or the slave cylinders come through the back. Either way you need to be having a good look to see why it's happened

Took the box out at the weekend. The clutch release bearing has dissintegrated! Why would that happen then? Just a crap one? Its only done 7000 miles or so.

nrgserv said:

unless the release bearings collapsed allowing fork to pivot more that it should

Click to expand...

yay.:clap2:

too much water.
lack of lube.
covering the clutch too much.
plastic finger u/s between fork and bearing.

if you play in water, guessing no.1 causing no.2.

Yuo you were right!

I have been through a few fords now and then...but surely a landie can cope with doing that!

At least you now what caused the hole..

As for why the bearing collapsed, 7000miles doesn't seem much, at all. But then, I believe Land Rovers should operate a tractor style system - hours, not miles - 7000 miles in a landrover will relate to alot more clutch work than on say a ford fiesta.. Guess maybe poor quality bearing and like the above said, water getting in causing lubrication to be lost. Don't like the plastic the bearing the aftermarkets fit in mind.. getting nervous about mine now! Remember when parents got their VW camper restored, company who did it put in a new clutch but didn't replace thrust bearing...barely a hundred miles later..lovely little rattle and no drive! Oh the wonders of 'professionals' - just do it yourself first time round, saves alot of money and time in the long run..Those who don't replace their thrust bearings when they replace the clutch utterly amaze me (I know this isn't related to your case..but still, just getting on the soapbox and all..).

Matt

as the old sayin goes....
if you want it doin right, do it thissen.

yeah does seem a bit pointless not to replace the release bearing if you are doing the clutch, even if it *looks* OK.

I will be buying a genuine bearing this time, see if that helps. Same for all the parts I rebuild this box with, will all be genuine.

Ingore the surface rust, that was from being left in the garden...but pics to show extent of failure...

Right..so gearbox back in after replacing parts etc. Seems to select gears much slicker. However...I have a problem...the feel on the clutch is not right at all...I get down to about 3/4 way down the pedal push until I get any resistance at all (the sort of resistance that you would normally get close to the start of the pedal range) so changing gear is quite iffy - it has the sort of feel that you would expect from a severely worn clutch - but I checked the clutch when it was off and it was fine (also replaced clutch release bearing)
Any idea why it might do this? I have purged the system of air, have checked for leaks, and changed the seals on the clutch slave cylinder. I have also changed the clutch master cylinder (to no effect).