All gears but fourth...

[Patrick Taylor]

Sometimes our cars seem to do it on purpose. So, after many 50th birthday presents have been fitted, Bertie the Bond is ready for action again, having been laid up during lockdown. So today I gave her a wash and went to fill her with petrol in advance of tomorrow's NYD meet in Stony Stratford. Then, on the way home, I couldn't select fourth gear: all others were available and the gearbox has been trouble free up till now. 

I'm guessing this is a remote selector problem rather than something awry in the gearbox?

So, no New Year's Day car gathering for me: I really don't fancy an eighty mile round trip in overdrive third!

[Pete Lewis]

yes  very likely   its a remote problem  very likely the middle  shaft  bush pivot has degraded 

get a bush kit  and make sure the bolt in the base of the stick is the right way round and not fouling up on the casting 

if you do this  use the old cup washer  new ones need a serious file to remove the sharp cropped edges which will mince  everything in minutes if not smoothed 

Pete

 

[Josef]

What’s happening? Will the gear-lever not move into fourth position, or will the gear not engage when the lever is in fourth?

[dougbgt6]

Patrick,

Simple things first, get the repair kit. I'd be surprised if it's the actual box and 4th has died before 1, 2 and 3.

Doug

[Patrick Taylor]

41 minutes ago, Josef said:

What’s happening? Will the gear-lever not move into fourth position, or will the gear not engage when the lever is in fourth?

The lever won't move into the fourth gear position: it feels as if the gate has been welded over!

[Patrick Taylor]

44 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

yes  very likely   its a remote problem  very likely the middle  shaft  bush pivot has degraded 

get a bush kit  and make sure the bolt in the base of the stick is the right way round and not fouling up on the casting 

if you do this  use the old cup washer  new ones need a serious file to remove the sharp cropped edges which will mince  everything in minutes if not smoothed 

Pete

 

I wouldn't mind, but I re-bushed the linkage in the summer and have done virtually no mileage since, thanks to the binding brakes...

So, it's tunnel out again, take the remote off and see what's appertaining.

[Josef]

18 minutes ago, Patrick Taylor said:

The lever won't move into the fourth gear position: it feels as if the gate has been welded over!

Might be something in the top cover selector mechanism then? Hopefully it’s that or the shift linkage rather than the main body of the box, fingers crossed!

[Clive]

21 minutes ago, Patrick Taylor said:

The lever won't move into the fourth gear position: it feels as if the gate has been welded over!

Reverse working OK? Have a look at the reverse inhibitor bolt?

But I would put serious money on it being something simple and annoying. 

OD 3rd same as 4th, so will get you about OK if needed. (I lost OD at dover when I went to the spitfire weekend in Holland, so only had 4th. Bit noisier, but no real issues)

[Pete Lewis]

if you have just fitted a kit (remembering now)  did you fettle the cup washer ???   the sharp edges can lock the spherical ball and the top cup 

one silly might comes to mind  that the circlip on either end of the mainshaft has failed   does the stick in 3rd move back and fourth when you accelerate/decelerate

Pete

 

[Patrick Taylor]

12 hours ago, Pete Lewis said:

if you have just fitted a kit (remembering now)  did you fettle the cup washer ???   the sharp edges can lock the spherical ball and the top cup 

one silly might comes to mind  that the circlip on either end of the mainshaft has failed   does the stick in 3rd move back and fourth when you accelerate/decelerate

Pete

 

Cup washer is unfettled, and should be accessible without removing the tunnel, so that's an easy first check. the gearlever seemed the same as usual -no movement on acceleration.

[European Voyager]

Clive you mentioned the Dutch International Spitfire weekend , is that still running ? We used to go to that and it was a great weekend. I had heard the Spitfire club in Holland had disbanded.

 

EV

[Pete Lewis]

yes Pat  I agree  ,you can get the top cup off with the tunnel on  

unclip the twist and turn top cap and lift the lever up   see whats looking good ...or not 

Pete

 

[Patrick Taylor]

It has some movement (stationary, without the engine running & the gearbox cold) but it feels very notchy: perhaps the detent plate(?) needs re-setting. I left one of the gear lever springs out at the previous re-bush, so maybe things have worn over time. I'll get the tunnel off and investigate when I get a run of time.