Not possible to engage 1 -2 gear

[woldern]

Hi

a strange problem to me.... I cannot get 1st and 2nd gear engaged even though it looks that I get 4 different positions on the gearchange lever. Can there be anything inside the box making this happen?

(3rd, 4th and rev is functioning)

 

Woldern

(83 S3)

[jonwat]

First step is to check out your linkage is correctly adjusted, especially the cross gate cable, although you don't mention reverse??? :-)

[molemot]

The most likely thing is, as John has said, the crossgate gear linkage. This is subject to all sorts of wear, and it's been covered several times in this forum....a search should find the relevant information.

The first thing to do is to get under the back RH of the car and look at the gearbox and the linkage whilst an assistant moves the gear lever. There is a rod linkage which moves the lever fore and aft, and a cable linkage with a bellcrank which moves it across the car...the crossgate linkage. This relies on a cable to push and pull the bellcrank,which - in its turn - acts upon the gear selector  coming out of the gearbox. You get wear to the clevis pin juction where the linkage joins the bellcrank, the bearing which carries the bellcrank shaft and the end of the bellcrank which meets the gear selector rod coming out of the gearbox. The usual fault is inability to select reverse....but it is a compromise setting....it is possible to have 1&2 but not reverse, or reverse and not 1&2. Have a good look at how things move about....try to move the selector rod further in to the gearbox when trying to select 1&2, and if that allows the gears to be selected, you have diagnosed your problem.

 

Inside the gearbox things are unlikely to give problems in gear selection, unless you have a catastrophic failure! You can remove the rear boot and the floor behind the engine, clean the top of the gearbox and remove it...this allows you to see the insides...make SURE that no dirt can enter and don't drop anything in! Any work done on an Esprit needs the Servicing Notes and a Parts List....the parts list comes with full forum membership, and is worth the extra cost on it's own.

 

Let us know how you get on.....!!

[Andyww]

The most likely thing is, as John has said, the crossgate gear linkage. This is subject to all sorts of wear, and it's been covered several times in this forum....a search should find the relevant information.

The first thing to do is to get under the back RH of the car and look at the gearbox and the linkage whilst an assistant moves the gear lever. There is a rod linkage which moves the lever fore and aft, and a cable linkage with a bellcrank which moves it across the car...the crossgate linkage. This relies on a cable to push and pull the bellcrank,which - in its turn - acts upon the gear selector  coming out of the gearbox. You get wear to the clevis pin juction where the linkage joins the bellcrank, the bearing which carries the bellcrank shaft and the end of the bellcrank which meets the gear selector rod coming out of the gearbox. The usual fault is inability to select reverse....but it is a compromise setting....it is possible to have 1&2 but not reverse, or reverse and not 1&2. Have a good look at how things move about....try to move the selector rod further in to the gearbox when trying to select 1&2, and if that allows the gears to be selected, you have diagnosed your problem.

 

 

+1

 

Just changed all of that on mine. SJ do a replacement rear section of the crossgate cable linkage which has a rose joint instead of the crappy clevis pin. and they also do a refurb service on the bellcrank. This eliminates all of the play.

[iainskea]

Hi Andy, me personally would go straight to what you have 'just changed'. What was the reason to change over to begin with?

The guys are spot on with advice above, and also maybe check the clutch slave has full travel.

Iain

[woldern]

Hi again and thanks for all help.

I had a friend over and together we found that the crossgate movement was not correct. So now I''try to adjust and see what happens. By manually pushing I found 1st so have good hope! (Reverse is ok)

Woldern

[molemot]

Well done, Erik...welcome to our happy band of greasy fingernailed strugglers....you have LOADS of fun ahead....!! Being unwilling to spend money, I fitted a bush to the bellcrank where the clevis pin goes, and replaced the bronze bearing on the main pivot....enlarged with a spot of weld the sloppy end post where it goes into the crossgate selector, a bit of careful filing reshaped it...and I have a really slick gearchange!!