Series 3 gearbox woes

Gearbox Woes, So yeah i am relitively new to this forum but not to landrovers ive had them for about 5 years now and am fairly compitenet although at this time in need of some help.

My basic issue is that the selector ball and in turn the gear stick managed to escape the selector channels rendering me unable to select gear. I have removed the covers and re selected this but the 3rd 4th selector rod seems to be able to pivot by about 35-40degrees from the top, so the first question is, is this normal and if not can it be adjusted in situe? On the other hand the ruturn of this to vertical is a little sluggish which makes me think i may be low on oil. SOme other symptoms are it will very occasionally jump out of gear and the gate into secod can be a little tempromental.

So my questions are, will low oil slow the return of my selector rods to the vertical position and how much if at all should they be able to twist.


Any help you guys can give me would be much appreciated.

They should not be able to twist.

Pop off the top cover of the main 'box, and tighten the selector fork onto the shaft. That should stop the twisting. Watchout for the detent balls and springs (the green book will give you details)

If it still twists (and it's not twisting in the bore of the selector fork), you've probably got a busted fork (but that should be obvious once you can look in the top of the 'box).

Ooh okies thanks for that i guess they must have come loose then. it did seem a little odd. Is it possible to adjust them from the inspection cover or do i need to take the box out? oh and sorry to be ignorant but what is the "Green Book"

You can access the top of the box by removing the covers in the cab. I think Tobi means this
pdf Land Rover Manuals | Landroverweb.com

Green book is Land rover service manual. You can probably get an e-version if you do a search on the 'boards.

No need to remove 'box.

Whip off the transmission tunnel.

You have to take the alu cover off, the one behind the shift gate. Take the two detent ball covers off first (bits of 'L' held on with two bolts) stuff some grease and a bit of tissue in the holes to stop the balls rolling away. Be careful of the 1st/2nd detent, it's under the brass plug. I don't bother to take it out, just ease the whole cover up carefully and it won't move.

That's it, you're in!

Any inaccuracies due to my **** poor memory

Ah ok i will tackle that tomorrow morning and post back then i guess, luckily the tunnel in mine is in a sort of quick release operation at the moment as everytime i seem to take it out t goes back in a little more loosely. once i have opened the cover is there just a pinch bolt assembly/ grub scerw to tighten?

Sorry for my ignorance, i hav never stripped a box before

selectors are fastened to shafts by a pinch bolt,if jaws arent vertical interlock pins wont line up properly with slots in selector shafts making them jam,they are there to stop engagement of more than 1gear,remove second gear ball and spring first under brass cap

right so upon closer inspection the worst has been revealed and i do have a broken selector fork, does anyone know of or have any experience with fitting one of these in situ? i have found a 1st/2nd fork here
576703 1st / 2nd GEAR SELECTOR FORK STEEL | shop | www.lrseries.com | L. R. Series
im guessing thats all i will need?

Right i did try and post but its not showed up yet so i will try again, thanks for all your help, i have attacked the problem and found i have a cracked selector on the 3/4 gears so a new one has been ordered and hopefully i will get it fitted by the weekend but that depends on delivery. seemed quite an easy job to do really the only bit that was overlooked was in order to remove the cover without removing the seat box you had to remove the two long studs that locate it.

Thats more of an FYI if anyone searches this out.

I will try and post some pics when i come to re fit it, is there anythign else i should be looking out for. I have ordered new balls and detnt springs as a just in case.

you need to put 3rd/4th selector hub in 3rd to remove/refit