Intermittent Gear Selection Issue.....

[Oldman]

Hi all, hoping the brains trust can help me diagnose this issue......
Every now and then, when I try and select reverse, I get a clash of gears.
There is also an intermittent "locking" in gear in random gears......ie it can happen when I try to shift up or down...
This happens infrequently and not all the time......and it's bloody annoying when it does. 
If I turn the engine off I can select, shift up & down gears without issue .

Initially I thought this could be simple clutch cable adjustment so I dealt with that....
No joy.
Then I thought front shift bush.....swapped it out for a new one....old one was fine.
No joy.
Also checked the rear shift coupling…..it’s fine.
The gearstick mechanism (Vintagespeed) is in as new condition and without distortion.
Shift plate has not moved since I installed the VS shifter, so I've discounted that.

I am starting to think that there may be a bent guide fork in the front of the gearbox.....though I’m not sure how that would happen…?

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.

[Wayne Murray]

Not sure if what your feeling is the same when I had problems with my DC ute gearbox failed. Had difficulties getting it into gears felt hesitant.(borgie) It was the selector link bracket that broke where it bolts to the gear box internally. You have a 2 litre box, not sure if they where reinforced to prevent this from happening. Just a thought.

[rstucke]

Hi all, hoping the brains trust can help me diagnose this issue......
Every now and then, when I try and select reverse, I get a clash of gears.
There is also an intermittent "locking" in gear in random gears......ie it can happen when I try to shift up or down...
This happens infrequently and not all the time......and it's bloody annoying when it does. 
If I turn the engine off I can select, shift up & down gears without issue .

Initially I thought this could be simple clutch cable adjustment so I dealt with that....
No joy.
Then I thought front shift bush.....swapped it out for a new one....old one was fine.
No joy.
Also checked the rear shift coupling…..it’s fine.
The gearstick mechanism (Vintagespeed) is in as new condition and without distortion.
Shift plate has not moved since I installed the VS shifter, so I've discounted that.

I am starting to think that there may be a bent guide fork in the front of the gearbox.....though I’m not sure how that would happen…?

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.

Take the nose cone off the transmission. there is a bracket that holds the jockey stick ball that cracks and brakes and allows movement which might be responsible for your problem.
you can see in the photo where I've put a gussit in the corner of a replacement bracket when rebuilding my trans to prevent this as the original was cracked but not loose.

   

[Barry]

Can you change gear without the clutch easily? 

As in when the revs match up?

If yes that would mean clutch issue?

The fact that you can change easily with motor off I’m guessing means more inside the box rather than “just” a bent hockey stick or bush?

[Oldman]

Thanks fellas……can’t do any further investigation until we get our other car back from having its transmission replaced…….
Need to have one drivable vehicle due to a frail relative….
Appreciate your thoughts.
Barry, I’ve never been a fan of driving without using the clutch……..unless it’s an emergency.
I understand it can be done and how to do it but the clashing of gears is inevitable……..and I hate that .
Guessing that it’s gonna be inside the box, hopefully just the nose cone….

[Barry]

I certainly don’t do it all the time. 
Had to learn quickly 40 years ago coming home from the Newport Arms one night
Find the right revs and a gentle pat and out it comes. 
A slight increase in revs and in it goes 


Now I think about it more, I tend to agree with Rick’s thoughts. 
When Natoli had my van, he was having trouble shifting gears. 
Luckily he had a spare nose cone in excellent condition. 
Steve said it had developed that crack Rick was talking about

[Oldman]

Thanks Barry…….hoping it’ll be that simple.
Stay tuned….

[Wayne Murray]

That's what happened to my dc gearbox, broken selector gear bracket. When it ends up giving way I was stuck in one gear only in Newcastle. Tow job home.

[Barry]

^^^^

Ouch!!

[Wayne Murray]

The cost I was told by NRMA would off been more ouch if I had to pay it.