Floppy Gear Lever and no Reverse

[GPF]

Hello Chaps,

Went to reverse Ferdie into the garage one night last week and the gear lever suddenly went all floppy. Seemed to go in gear though, but on lifting the clutch he went forward rather than backwards. oops. After a quick play, I can't get reverse at all and the rest of the gears feel strange as there is no resistance at the gear lever at all. Not having time to do anything else as I was going away for the weekend I pushed him into the garage and left him there.

Having now been through search, I presume this is likely to be a loose nut on the linkage at the gearbox end. However, I also presume that is bit of a bastard to get to, so before I bother getting him moved a bit and jacked up in the cold, is there any chance it could be a problem at the gear lever end - where it's nice and warm and dry inside the car []

Thanks in advance

 

[Cater_Racer]

Sound's like the dreaded remote gearbox mounted levers, not an expensive job but hatefully difficult to access.

There's plenty of people done it and there's a blog from 944 Foot to the Floor (Google it)

Gerry

 

[zcacogp]

Yeah. Wot Gerry said. ^^^

All the working parts at the front of the car can be seen by pulling the gearstick gaiters off. If all looks OK under there (and it's worth checking for play) then you're into tinkering at the back.

Having said that, dealing with the gearbox levers isn't that hard. Jack the back of the car up and lower the transaxle by winding the two bolts at the ends of the gearbox mounting bar out a bit. Go easy - you want to wind them out as much as possible without removing them - but that should give you enough clearance to get your hands above the gearbox to work on the levers. Taking the rear silencer heat shield off helps as well.


Oli.

 

[GPF]

Ok thanks chaps.

Oli, I hope you are joking with the "drop the transaxle"..........[]

Gerry - good site, I've not come across that one before

 

[zcacogp]

Not joking at all - you can lower it a good couple of cm by backing out the two big fat bolts holding the crossmember in, and those extra cm help with getting your hands behind it enormously. Don't back the bolts out too far such that they come out because it's a pain to get them back in again (you'll need to jack the gearbox up) but it's all very easy to do.


Oli.