Series IIa gearbox issues

Hi,

My 1970 IIa has developed a gearbox problem. I'm not sure where to start troubleshooting this, so would appreciate advice from more experienced members.

When started up from cold, I can engage first gear with a very slight crunch, and go from first to second by double-declutching in the usual way.

When warmed up, though, and coming to a stop at an intersection, I can't get the gearbox into first gear without a major crunch. And you can feel the gears spinning through the lever. From a stop, second is almost as bad but not impossible.

If I am drifting to a halt and change down from third into second before coming to a halt, second engages okay.

I've tried changing from third directly into first, and it makes no difference. First gear is still "spinning" inside the box.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? Any likely causes?

Thanks,

Chris

sounds normal ,i wouldnt try selecting 1st at a junction till stopped ,as all gears turn all the time clutch isnt depressed,if yours non synchro on 1st 2nd you have to align speeds between one and another by double cliutching as you know ,if its getting harder to do check clutch is clearing properly ,pins and collar wear were it enters bellhousing under slave cylinder ,air in clutch hydraulic system ?if yours is full synchromesh with slave cylinder on passenger side then baulk rings are worn and rebuild needed

Hi James

Thanks for the info, the gear issue has definitely got worse all of a sudden.

In the past I've been able to stop at a junction for a wee while, and select first gear with my foot on the clutch. Now I can be stopped for (say) 30 seconds with my foot on the clutch, and I can't get it into first.

Only thing I can think of is having a new fuel tank installed recently — I wonder if that knocked the linkage about a bit. On the other hand, it could just be coincidence.

So basically right now I have to ensure I'm in gear when coasting to a stop otherwise I can't get it in first and it goes into second with a crunch.

Cheers

Chris

is yours slave on drivers side non synchro ? if it is it is most likely is clutch not clearing as first gear is slid along shaft to engage its partner on lay shaft if there turning with too much torque they wont engage just grate

Are you sure your clutch isn't dragging a little? These are the symptoms I get when my new leaky Britpart master cylinder has leaked all its fluid onto my foot and the clutch isn't quite disengaging...

Dom

if it is a Series2/2a gearbox you could find that the cross shaft that operates the clutch is failing, it's a multi section shaft made up of an actuating lever that goes into a linking sleeve (which has two clevis pins going through it), the linking sleeve then links up to the last bit of the cross shaft that operates the "top hat" release

if the pins or the sleeve wear (usually both wear) then there will be play that may need taking up at the slave cylinder rod, or you could have had the sleeve crack and split opening up one end (seen this once), again this increases play but requires replacement really to rectify this problem

i had one of the clevis pins semi fall out recently which gave me the same symptoms that you have, eventually it snapped which meant the pedal went to the floor and i lost all clutch release (second pump went solid), i had to replace/renew the pin that had sheared

if it's any other fault causing this i've no clues for you but to see it all (and work on it) easily i'd recommend lifting the drivers side floor plate out

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I'll look into them.

I think the master cylinder is hidden behind a plate on the lhd of the the dash. I'll unscrew that and check the levels of the clutch fluid — maybe that is the culprit if there's a leak or the level has gradually dropped. Otherwise it sounds like something mechanical ...

Chris

Matakana said:

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I'll look into them.

I think the master cylinder is hidden behind a plate on the lhd of the the dash. I'll unscrew that and check the levels of the clutch fluid — maybe that is the culprit if there's a leak or the level has gradually dropped. Otherwise it sounds like something mechanical ...

Chris

Click to expand...

is your motor lefthand drive ??

if so you'll be lifting the passenger floor plate to access a Series2/2a slave cylinder

and there was me thinking Kiwis drove on the correct side of the road

my ex-NZ Skippy is righthand drive so now i'm really confused

and no matter which side your driver sits you shouldn't need to undo any plate to access the fluid reservoir, you've possibly got a shared reservoir that feeds both the brakes and clutch, or someone may have put slightly later master cylinders on but you should still be able to access both reservoirs without unscrewing any covers unless someone has made another modification i haven't seen yet

It's RHD drive, and there's a blanking plate at the far left of the dash, held down by four screws. There's a black rubber tube coming out. I always assumed this was where the combined brake/clutch master cylinder was?

Cheers

Chris

master cylinder is in engine bay on pedal box

Matakana said:

It's RHD drive, and there's a blanking plate at the far left of the dash, held down by four screws. There's a black rubber tube coming out. I always assumed this was where the combined brake/clutch master cylinder was?

Cheers

Chris

Click to expand...

ok i've just re-read your first post and your 2a is the same age as my Skippy...

that panel on the far left of your bulkhead covers the wiper motor, the black tube you can see coming out of there is the worm drive for the wipers

your master cylinders and reservoir(s) are on top of the pedal boxes under the bonnet

you "should" have a single "beancan" reservoir with two outlets, it's actually two reservoirs in one (one inside the other), if you remove it be very careful of the connections as they can and do spin in the canister, use two spanners to undo the one on the side and a slim socket down the centre to hold the bottom connection whilst undoing the connection from outside

it does sound very much like you have "clutch drag" or you're not double-clutching to get it into second when slowing, you'll not get it into first whilst moving regardless without being cruel to the gears unless it's really only inching along, you may be low on fluid in the centre of the beancan

it can be seen in the top left of this picture (not my Skippy), you can see the aluminium cap and the side connection exiting towards the wing


here's a diagram and setting for the 2/2a slave as found under the footplate on the drivers side (RHD)


hope this helps