Can't shift into 2nd and 4th gear

Cannot shift into 2nd or 4th gear. this did not all of sudden happen. If I try either 2 or 4th gears the teeth grind. Shifter feels worn and rubbery. It’s as if I can’t pull the gear shift far enough back towards me to engage the gear. Reading on Forum…thinking my shifter selector spigot at bottom of shift lever mechanism is badly worn or bent or both. Considering removing the gearbox top cover for inspection.
something binding or preventing shift rails from gilding into space. How trick too remove top of trans, what to look for, "just replace shifter and fingers…thoughts ideas. Thanks!

@angelw, right up yer alley!

Rubber bush part number 14 or 12 in photo may be perished


Dennis
69 OTS

1 Like

Hello Laurence,
To address removal of the Top Cover first, you just need to ensure that the Gearbox and Gear Lever are in the Neutral position before attempting to lift the cover clear. The Top Cover is located by two dowels, so the cover is usually unlikely to lift off exceptionally easily. I have a circa 25mm wide wood chisel with circa the first 25mm of the blade bent at 90degs to the original, long axis of the chisel. With the chisel thus modified, you can reach down the side of the Top Cover and use the cutting edge as a sharp wedge between the Top Cover and the Top surface of the Gearbox Housing.

When replacing the Top Cover, you again have to ensure the both the Gearbox and the Gear Lever mechanism of the Top Cover are in Neutral. Further, you need to ensure the that the top of the Reverse Gear Selector Lever is towards the rear of the Gearbox and that when you lower the Top Cover into position, that the Reverse Striker Rod engages correctly with the horizontal roller at the top of the Reverse Gear Selector Lever. I use an inspection mirror on a wand to visually check this.

The Gear Lever movement being restricted shouldn’t lead to the grinding that you’re describing. Actually, its not the Gear Teeth that are making the noise, that is simply impossible, because the Gears are in constant mesh. What you hear when people describe the Gears crunching or grinding, is the teeth of the Synchromesh Hub assembly. If you’re getting a grinding noise, something more than restricted movement of the Gear Lever is amiss and for sure, you need to remove the Top Cover for investigation.

Regards,

Bill

Typically the grinding of the synchro teeth like that is caused by pulling the gear lever back slightly to try again, without pulling it fully back to neutral. Doing that removes pressure on the synchro cones so they loose grip. Going back to neutral reingages the synchro sleeve detent so pressure is put on the cone again.

Hi Lawrence. Advice from Bill is pretty much always correct and you are likely to be taking off the top cover but before you do check the rubber bushes as advised by Dennis. I had symptoms very similar to yours and on investigation found that one of the bushes had slid out of position and replacing it corrected the problem. Maybe you will get lucky.

On my car, bush 12 failed completely.