Downshifting difficulty

[andymc]

Diesel 75, manual gearbox.

Over the past week or so, it has started getting progressively more difficult to change down from third gear to second. As of today, it was necessary to either double-declutch (i.e. clutch down, out of third into neutral, clutch up, clutch down, out of neutral into second, clutch up) or to initially shift the gearknob from third into the position for first gear then pull it back into second before letting the clutch back up.

I'm told the gearbox oil is fine and I thought that the part I might need to replace or repair was the synchro ring, but I'm not having much joy finding that. Have I misremembered, or is there another term by which it would be known?

[EastPete]

Check the gear selector cables - they can come adrift at the gearbox end and/or the rubber bushes in the ball connectors on the selector arms can perish.

Pete

[COLVERT]

The cost involved fitting a synchro ring would probably much more than the value of the car.---

Could be the selectors as mentioned above.

[andymc]

Thanks for the replies lads. Pretty much anything is more than the value of the car as I bought it three years ago for under £400. I've had a suggestion of fitting a replacement gearbox as one could be sourced for around £50, but it's probably worth checking the gear selector cables and rubber bushes. How much work is involved in doing that?

[EastPete]

Originally Posted by andymc

How much work is involved in doing that?

You basically need to get the car jacked up on stands, remove the undertray, then crawl underneath and look up at where the gear selector cables attach to the selector arms on the upper rear side of the gearbox. The outer cables should be firmly seated in two support brackets - they can come adrift and/or the spring clips that hold them in place get mangled if bodgery has been used during a clutch change. Check the cups in the end of the cables are firmly located around the two ball joints on the selector arms - they can come adrift or the rubber bushes around the ball joints in the ends of the cables perish, giving a sloppy imprecise gear change. New cables can be obtained for about 90 pounds if they are the culprit.

Pete

[marinabrian]

Originally Posted by EastPete

You basically need to get the car jacked up on stands, remove the undertray, then crawl underneath and look up at where the gear selector cables attach to the selector arms on the upper rear side of the gearbox. The outer cables should be firmly seated in two support brackets - they can come adrift and/or the spring clips that hold them in place get mangled if bodgery has been used during a clutch change. Check the cups in the end of the cables are firmly located around the two ball joints on the selector arms - they can come adrift or the rubber bushes around the ball joints in the ends of the cables perish, giving a sloppy imprecise gear change. New cables can be obtained for about 90 pounds if they are the culprit.

Pete

Around £90 each are the cables Pete, I know this from last month's expenditure

[EastPete]

Originally Posted by marinabrian

Around £90 each are the cables Pete, I know this from last month's expenditure

Mat at DMGRS has the pair at 94 pounds - https://www.dmgrs.co.uk/products/rov...0021-uls000031

However, I have had major shipping problems from DMGRS, so I am never sure if ordered items will show up or when. I am still waiting for a LH lower front arm I ordered a week ago, and was supposedly despatched on Monday - probably not Mat's fault, more the courier (UK Mail). I desperately need the car back on the road, so I have been into Andrew Page this morning and bought a QH arm for 104 pounds (not sure what the quality will be like but I think it is a lottery with all these parts these days - the TRW ones seem to have come off offer and are now back at around the 100 pound mark or more).
Cheers

Pete

[DerekS]

quote ... double-declutch (i.e. clutch down, out of third into neutral, clutch up, clutch down, out of neutral into second, clutch up)

( what about increasing engine speed to prevent head-in-windscreen problem ? )

Fancy having to describe double declutching . Its a car forum ! whatever have we come to ?
How to work the windscreen wipers ? How to put air in the tyres ?



Omega .

[COLVERT]

Originally Posted by DerekS

quote ... double-declutch (i.e. clutch down, out of third into neutral, clutch up, clutch down, out of neutral into second, clutch up)

( what about increasing engine speed to prevent head-in-windscreen problem ? )

Fancy having to describe double declutching . Its a car forum ! whatever have we come to ?
How to work the windscreen wipers ? How to put air in the tyres ?



Omega .

I too thought about the blip on the throttle but thought I might sound too picky if I mentioned it.---

[marinabrian]

Originally Posted by EastPete

Mat at DMGRS has the pair at 94 pounds - https://www.dmgrs.co.uk/products/rov...0021-uls000031

However, I have had major shipping problems from DMGRS, so I am never sure if ordered items will show up or when. I am still waiting for a LH lower front arm I ordered a week ago, and was supposedly despatched on Monday - probably not Mat's fault, more the courier (UK Mail). I desperately need the car back on the road, so I have been into Andrew Page this morning and bought a QH arm for 104 pounds (not sure what the quality will be like but I think it is a lottery with all these parts these days - the TRW ones seem to have come off offer and are now back at around the 100 pound mark or more).
Cheers

Pete

These weren't Chinese MG ones though Pete, rather made in UK ones from XPart

HERE and HERE

I'm facing pulling the box back out to replace the DMF next week, the joys of motoring

Brian