Hi All
Ive recently bought an 01 Td5 manual Discovery which is great other than 1 small problem.
The box is fine going through the gears, 1st to 5th, but on down changes I cant go from 5th to 3rd, the lever has a definate baulk coming out of 5th.
If i go from 5th to 4th the 3rd its not a problem.
I had the lever and top of the box off today and removed the linkage from the end of the selector shaft. The shaft moved freely with an allen key moving the full "neutral "left to right.
I refitted the linkage and noticed there is a gate held in with 2 bolts underneath the linkage which I would assume lines up the lever for the forward backward of the gearlever. Reassembled the lever does the same thing with the engine off, by pushing the lever towards 1st/2nd you can then get 3rd but you feel a definate notch, though by putting slight loading forwards on the lever it lessens. Is this a case of worn parts or is there something more sinister inside the box? Theres no noises otherwise and the spring detents (3rd/4th) on top are both good.
Anyone got any ideas on what it may be and is it common? though ive spent a few hours trying tofind a similar fault!
Thanks in advance.

Take great care with the linkages.
That gearbox has reverse opposite (below/behind) fifth gear, and there is a baulking gate that stops the gear selector going directly from 5th to reverse, for fairly obvious reasons.

It SHOULD be able to go from 5th to 3rd easily. I do it all the time.

Take care with the set-up of the baulking linkages.
RAVE might show the way.

CharlesY

Thanks Charles,
I am trying to figure out what may be causing this, as unless its done this from new, something must be adrift in the box or bent. It feels like the linkage is catching the gate plate in the box coming out of 5th. It doesnt look like the gate plate can be moved as its bolted to the inside of the casing, so either the gear selector fork has moved to the rear (possible detent problem?) or the gear lever itself is worn/bent. Are there any symptoms for the lever/ ball sockets wearing?
I'm confident its only a selection fault and not internally boogered as it drives really nicely otherwise. Thats what Im telling myself anyway.........

Sorted the problem this afternoon....
took the lever and end of the selector off.
With a flap wheel I polished the pin that locates in the gate plate in the box.
I removed all flat surfaces and rounded the bottom- rather than the flat as original.
Refitted and hey presto - the box now changes fron 5th to 3rd no problem!
Not sure if its just a fix to another fault but it seems fine at the moment.
Maybe its where other parts of the box are worn (88k) and it puts out the selector alignment?