Help!!! 3rd and 4th gear not selecting

[DrivingDutchman]

Hi all,

Yesterday had a leisurely drive down south to visit an English Herritage site. All was well until halfway on the return leg..... 3rd and 4th gear wouldn't select anymore. Cant remember if I heard a bang of some sorts as the cab is full of banging and humming noises while driving... Had to finish the journey driving in 2nd gear, 20mph. Not happy...

Today I took the tunnel off to see if there was a stone jammed in the mechanism, bur all moves and no jams from the exterior.

I can feel that the gearstick does not go all the way in either 3rd or 4th gear. Is there a way to check things inside the gearbox without taking the whole thing off? I can see a little square cover fastened with 1 screw. Will that allow me to see the selecting mechanism inside?

Anybody had something similar happening?

[DrivingDutchman]

I found my manual of lies... And removed the top of the gearbox. A ball and a sring fell in. I draned he box and they came duely flowing out. I can not see why the gears don't select. I was convinced saw a sring jump away on he gravel under rhe car, but I am unable to find it. The springs I have for the indent ball bearing balls are different n length and thickness.


Also the rear of the cover also broke... Dohh


So I'll need to source another one.

[DanC]

You maybe have a broken detent spring jamming the mechanism as this happened to me. It would mess up 3and 4. Try wiggling the stick a lot, failing that you need to get a good look in to find out where it is (I think I pinged mine out manually). Btw you can afford to lose 1, I was down to 1 only for a while and it was fine ;)

[DrivingDutchman]

Hi Dan, by detent spring you mean the ones in the synchro mesh mechanism? That would mean a strip of the gearbox....

Nothing apart from a spring and ball came out with the gearbox oil. They fell in from the top cove I think.
So that means that the spring parts are still in the mechanism somewhere. I'll put it together again when I have a chance and wiggle the gearstick a lot. I did try during driving to select 3rd or 4th gear in the vain hope something was jammec and would be unjammed by the shaking of driving. But to no avail.

So I'm on the lookout for a cheap series 3 box as a temp until I get this one sorted out.

Thanks for the advice and tips so far .

Michiel

[romanyrose]

G'day matey, the detent springs are not all the same as the reverse one is stronger i am with Dan regards the syncro springs they hold the hub level on the shaft and if one breaks it might just have got caught up on the way to the bottom of the box as it could with two.

Fix a strong magnet in your drain plug to help draw bits of metal out of the way this will help you keep going a bit longer also are you trying to move your selectors/rods by hand or using the gear stick also go steady with the gear stick as they break if undue force is used.

I have had the same sort of situation as Dan and when freed it worked just fine if a bit awkward to change third and forth or second to third.

Not much help but those three springs give more trouble than they are worth some times . R-Rose .

[DanC]

Yeah, synchro detents as Brad says.... I cant remember if I just worked the levers until it freed or used something to prise it out. Either way I didnt strip the gearbox just fixed in situ Parts of the spring might be in the box but not come out with the oil as I think there is a lip. Get a magnet and go fishing!

[Jabbawocky]

HI

I have just rebuilt a gearbox for a friend. It would not engage 3rd and 4th and then started working again, but would not stay in gear. When I stripped it, there was only 1 of the 3 syncro springs still in position. The remaining spring was damaged and looked as if the spring end had been rubbing on something, but there was nothing for it to rub against?

As this was a budget job, I just fitted new springs and put it back together again. Seam to be working fine.

Mick

[DrivingDutchman]

Thanks for the tips and advice...

I'll have a play with it...

Michiel

[DrivingDutchman]

Well,

No amount of wigling and shifting will free anything up.

It will have to come out and dismantle it.

Michiel

[DrivingDutchman]

Does anybody know if the shaft of the gearbox on a 6 pot and 4 pot are the same length? I'm starting to look out for a temp replacement box in order to be able to keep driving during strip down and rebuild of my original box.