More LT77 woes...

Gah...less than 10k miles after fitting a recon LT77 to my 110 I have a couple of issues that have suddenly manifested themselves...

1-Crunching going from 3rd to 4th unless I change gear slowly
2-Extremely difficult to go from 3rd to 2nd. No crunching, it just won't go, and there's a faint spinning/metal on metal noise from the box.

I changed the clutch fluid and also the gearbox fluid and filter but it's no better. Any ideas? I'm really hoping this is not a box out job yet again... :-(

Feel for you I have just changed mine also and due to using a poor quality rear crank seal had to take it all off again.
Now its all back together and running again I have remembered I did not fit the small plastic staple looking like clip that holds the clutch release bearing to the arm.
It now rattles like hell on tick over (I did fit a new clutch release bearing) just an idea this may be the spinning noise your getting. Did you fit a new spiggot bush?
Have you tried checking spring load on the gearstick that centers it to 3rd and 4th gate this may have some effect.
I am struggling getting it smoothy into first and reverse and have to play the clutch a bit sometimes.
I have also tried bleeding the clutch and also fitted new master and slave cylinder but still the clutch does not seem to actuate until the pedal is half way to the floor not sure if this is normal or needs adjusting, do you have much travel in yours?

Did you renew the clutch as well Hard drive ?
Rob, you need to adjust the clutch master's rod I recon.There has to be a small amount of play before the rod starts pushing the piston or fluid can not return to the res.You have to much.

tottot said:

Did you renew the clutch as well Hard drive ?
Rob, you need to adjust the clutch master's rod I recon.There has to be a small amount of play before the rod starts pushing the piston or fluid can not return to the res.You have to much.

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tottot
Cheers yes will give that a go, I set it the same as the old one - when you think about its no wonder then I still have loads of play.

tottot said:

Did you renew the clutch as well Hard drive ?

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Yes, I did when I had the box out last time. I don't think it's clutch related...I changed the fluid just to rule it out, and although the clutch feels much better, the gearbox symptoms are identical. I'd also expect it to be tricky to get into 1st from neutral if it was a clutch issue, and it's absolutely fine.

Any other ideas anyone?

im not a mechanic, but from the little i know, sounds like the syncro mesh wotsits have grenaded themselves.

Also, when i replaced mine, that clip for the arm does nothing but temporarily hold the clutch pauwls in place whilst mating the LT77 to the engine. Incidentally mine rattles like a maracca when idle, because the springs in the clutch plate are loose. No biggie, but annoying.

To check syncromesh drive it using double de clutch like an old crash gearbox vehicle if it changes smoothly then it may well be syncromesh problem.
(Cheers windy81 I'll just get used to rattle then on mine)

Could it be Hard Drive that the clutch plate is dragging some even with your foot to the floor on the pedal. It may be your master rod need checking as well, just a thought.

OK I drove it again last night. More symptoms...

Going from 3rd down to 2nd...it won't go until the vehicle basically comes to a complete stop
4th down to 3rd crunched once
3rd to 4th crunched every time if rushed
Double declutching with a "blip" sort of worked on the 3rd to 2nd issue a few times but not consistently

So...do we think clutch or box? In some ways I think box, because it does seem a synchro kinda problem, and the double declutch kinda works. If it was clutch, I'd also expect 1st to be difficult to engage from neutral.
But then on the other hand it's an Ashcroft box with very low miles since rebuild, that's driven sympathetically. And if it was a box problem, would the 3rd to 2nd, and 3rd to 4th problem both have happened at the same time? Or is it the 3rd gear synchro ring that's broken?

Hard-Drive said:

OK I drove it again last night. More symptoms...

Going from 3rd down to 2nd...it won't go until the vehicle basically comes to a complete stop
4th down to 3rd crunched once
3rd to 4th crunched every time if rushed
Double declutching with a "blip" sort of worked on the 3rd to 2nd issue a few times but not consistently

So...do we think clutch or box? In some ways I think box, because it does seem a synchro kinda problem, and the double declutch kinda works. If it was clutch, I'd also expect 1st to be difficult to engage from neutral.
But then on the other hand it's an Ashcroft box with very low miles since rebuild, that's driven sympathetically. And if it was a box problem, would the 3rd to 2nd, and 3rd to 4th problem both have happened at the same time? Or is it the 3rd gear synchro ring that's broken?

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if it was clutch rev and 1st would be showing problems, its synchros or worse,what oil is in it

^The Oracle speaks. Not what I wanted to hear James but thanks for replying. ATF Dexron 2 is in it, as recommended by Ashcroft, with Red Lubeguard.

I looked into using red lubeguard in my new box and searching on google found a comment on another site (american I think) saying that the red ludeguard was not good for manual gearbox syncromesh operation??
No idea if there is any truth or technical reason behind this comment but I opted not to use it. There is a lubeguard for manual gearboxes and diffs but with the LT77 using ATF I thought against using this also.
Have you spoke to Ashcroft yet.

Hard-Drive said:

^The Oracle speaks. Not what I wanted to hear James but thanks for replying. ATF Dexron 2 is in it, as recommended by Ashcroft, with Red Lubeguard.

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yes dexron 2 is correct ,there are 2 types of baulk rings fitted to 3rd and 4th coated and non coated ,the coated struggle with anything but the correct oil,selecting reverser is the best test for clutching binding as its a sliding idler gear so shows if theres any torque from a non fully cleared clutch by grinding wheres baulk rings if in good nick will cope with a certain amount of drag from the clutch,though obviously worn baulk rings wont cope with a perfectly clearing clutch

Thanks James. In fairness, from neutral to reverse there is definitely a crunch. Not a full-on, face-wincing, high pitched dentist's drill grinding, but definitely a deeper sounding growl that slows down and then lets reverse engage. Are you saying this could be a clutch problem then?

If so, the clutch isn't leaking, the fluid is fresh (I reverse bled it), all the clutch components/plates in the bellhousing were replaced under 10k miles ago, and the arm was also replaced for an HD version. Is it worth me re-bleeding, and then checking the length of the clutch rod? Can you get corresponding wear on the slave cylinder piston too?

Hard-Drive said:

Thanks James. In fairness, from neutral to reverse there is definitely a crunch. Not a full-on, face-wincing, high pitched dentist's drill grinding, but definitely a deeper sounding growl that slows down and then lets reverse engage. Are you saying this could be a clutch problem then?

If so, the clutch isn't leaking, the fluid is fresh (I reverse bled it), all the clutch components/plates in the bellhousing were replaced under 10k miles ago, and the arm was also replaced for an HD version. Is it worth me re-bleeding, and then checking the length of the clutch rod? Can you get corresponding wear on the slave cylinder piston too?

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a slight clunk is normal as there is allways a little drag from the clutch ,but if clutch is dragging more than normal the difficulty with revs is much more noticeable, your 1st is ok and it should be rev and 1st the worst hit ,obviously not been able to try it for myself i can only say what symptoms appear to be ,if you want to lengthen theslave rod to prove a possibility pull slave off and stick a suitable sized nut against the piston and sit the rod on it it will lengthen the rod travel