910Esprit Posted August 3, 2019 Report Share Posted August 3, 2019 (edited) Let me know if you need any other angles - That box was in my car for last 5 years or so, just removed as 5th gear starting to whine a little Edited August 3, 2019 by 910Esprit 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotusfab Posted August 3, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2019 Eureka! Thanks a lot Steve that picture confirms the operating dog on the reverse shaft should be verticle. I'll take the top off and reset it then a clean Loctite 518, job done! Thanks very much. It makes perfect sense how it works now and explains why I struggled to comprehend how my gearbox worked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotusfab Posted August 3, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2019 👍👍👍👍👍👍😄😄😄😄😄😄😄 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyww Posted August 3, 2019 Report Share Posted August 3, 2019 So it is the rotation of the shaft on the long fork which is wrong, as the dog is a fixed position on the shaft. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotusfab Posted August 3, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2019 Yep all dog positions are fixed by the bolt in the shaft detent. The long fork which positions the reverse gear is one of the only things you can set. It can move rotationally and longditudinally. So all I need to do is mark the position on the reverse shaft. Loosen the bolts and rotate the dog to verticle. Then tighten the bolts. Job done! Maybe this explains why reverse is a problem for so many. The fork position may be wrong making reverse selection difficult or impossible. I suppose the bolts could come loose and slip over time. Especially with enthusiastic drivers heaving on the gearstick! I look forward to a very refined gearchange on this car! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotusfab Posted August 3, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2019 8 hours ago, 910Esprit said: Let me know if you need any other angles - That box was in my car for last 5 years or so, just removed as 5th gear starting to whine a little Steve, when you have a spare moment please could I have a picture of the reverse gear. Just want to check that mine is in an identical position visually on the reverse shaft. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
910Esprit Posted August 4, 2019 Report Share Posted August 4, 2019 6 hours ago, Lotusfab said: Steve, when you have a spare moment please could I have a picture of the reverse gear. Just want to check that mine is in an identical position visually on the reverse shaft. I took this one yessterday, you can also see the witness mark on the cog, where it engages. I'll take an engaged version a bit later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotusfab Posted August 4, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2019 Perfect thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Lotusfab Posted August 4, 2019 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted August 4, 2019 3 hours ago, 910Esprit said: I took this one yessterday, you can also see the witness mark on the cog, where it engages. I'll take an engaged version a bit later Thanks to Steve I have identified a second problem with my gearbox! I've always said take it to a specialist like Voigts or Martens. However, if your like me and give it a go this will really help. All the usual disclaimers don't follow anything here I could be totally wrong, If you do copy it's entirely at your own risk! The manual is poorly written and ambiguous. That's coupled with pictures of my gearbox prior to disassembly (with my gearbox having been assembled incorrectly) lead to these two mistakes. Testing failed to expose them, as without experience, you don't know how far out of the box the gear selector shaft should move. Well the first one was the dog should have been verticle but the second is the reverse Idler gear. The manual refers to setting the reverse idler gear 3 mm from the 1st idler gear. The trouble is they have failed to identify which gear is the first idler. I got it wrong because I used a picture of my gearbox prior to disassembly and they had set it 3 mm from the gear opposite. I can see clearly in Steve's picture the 1st idler is the bottom most gear in the above picture and it looks as if it's set 3 mm from it.Luckily for me the rest if the manual is pretty straight forward. I did query this at the time and thought I had resolved it. But you can't beat a picture of a well put together and serviceable gearbox. I look forward to testing in practice my build quality! I think I have got there in the end but have to say if I lived near the specialists I lwould have taken it to them. Likewise with the Turbo. Although I installed the service kit there were some seals that weren't included that made balancing impossible. So it seems now being rectified. I could have just given itbto them in the first place. But I do find it more interesting to attemp all aspects of a rebuild rather than just farming it out and bolting bits on. I can truly say I have built everything on this car downnto nut and bolt level with some help and oversite of the experts. I have done two cars over almost six years. At last I'm feeling comfortable with these cars. They are quite simple but there's a lot that you have to learn as you go which takes time.hopefully this and the other blog is a massive shortcut for newcomers!👍👍👍 A big thanks to the Steve's, Andy, Jerry, Rich, Dave, the Lotus Forums and all of you who have helped me get this far, nearly there now! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotusfab Posted August 10, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2019 Hello all, yes I am still building this,I had a short break! Gearbox Well cover is off and this is what I found.difficult to see, but I had set the reverse gear position correctly. Also note the reverse shaft dog is only just if the verticle and nit enough out to baulk the selector mechanism. I have however reset it to exactly verticle as this will increase the separation of fifth and reverse gear, making it more distinctive at the gear lever. The gear selector engages reverse when selected manually with the cover off. So the engine orientation etc is not the problem. The fault must be in the selector shaft. So I tested it. The fault lies with the cross shaft itself. Top picture. You can see the shaft is corroded I cleaned up the relevant parts previously, but not well enough. When I tested the shaft it travels all the way in easily when 1/2 3/4. 5 is more difficult but once the shaft has rotated to the reverse position it jams on corrosion as the shaft tries to slide past the rubber seal. Solution, new shaft or try extensively polishing it! Any other ideas out there? This gearbox really is very simple which I suppose is the genius of it. The Loctite 518 I have to say seems to have worked really well, although it hadn't been exposed to much oil yet. Shame to have to take it apart! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
910Esprit Posted August 10, 2019 Report Share Posted August 10, 2019 You can see similar corrosion on my selector shafts (photos above), which has just been polished smooth with use. That gearbox had very rusty brown oil when I bought it, which I flushed a numer of times (out of the car) with parafin. It then served me well for another 5 years and is still perfectly useeable. They do seem prone to contamination, which presumably could come from the breather, but some also seems to get in from the bellhousing 'open' input shaft. Its probably one of the reasons why annual oil changes are specified, but probably rarely happen. All I'd do is strip down and clean and polish that shaft with something like a scotchbrite. It will be absolutely fine. A new part (if available) would not be a good use of your money! Loctite 518 is fine for that application. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotusfab Posted August 10, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2019 Thanks Steve. Are the welds normally there to hold the spring? They don't look right? Still they shouldnt affect the mechanism. Just had a look at the above pics I'll try polishing it should work enpven thoughbthe shaft is pitted slightly. I can always test it and if no joy plan B! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
910Esprit Posted August 10, 2019 Report Share Posted August 10, 2019 (edited) Funilly enough, I was cleaning the residue sealant off a top cover yesterday and just thinking how crude those welds were!. So safe to assume they are 'as desiggned!) I'd take you a photo but I'm not at home at the mo Hang on - I've found one on the computer... Edited August 10, 2019 by 910Esprit 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotusfab Posted August 10, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2019 Thanks for that, surprising how this was made. Well I need to get on and polishbthe shaft up. I did it before but not well enough! This time I going to put the oven on without sealant and getvthe reverse working before the final fix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotusfab Posted August 10, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2019 Well I have extensively cleaned and polished the shaft. It still has a resistance. On closer inspection the bellcrank is missing a washer and applying pressure to the crossshaft when it's at full travel! Should have this sorted very soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Lotusfab Posted August 10, 2019 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted August 10, 2019 Gearbox fixed! All gears available and back on line. Most threads never tell you the solutions, which I find very annoying. So why didn't reverse work? Corrosion on the selector shaft and a missing washer from the bellcrank forcing the selector shaft tightly against the casing. It was unable to slide over the corrosion. Washer installed and shaft polished and lubricated - job done! For info I can select reverse without the clutch in but sometimes must select neutral first to help align the reverse gear. My Turbo came back from Turbospecialists Normandy, Guildford. They were unable to balance it because the impeller was damaged - I hadn't noticed this with the rebuild kit I installed three years ago. Anyhow new wheel installed, balanced and for a very good price! I recommend these guys if your near there. So just fuel lines and air filter bits to do, then engine test! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Lotusfab Posted August 10, 2019 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted August 10, 2019 Interior Finished! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotusfab Posted August 10, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2019 Anyone know the routing of the speedo and handbrake cables? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephenwhyte Posted August 10, 2019 Report Share Posted August 10, 2019 Looking good Fabian - look forward to seeing some proper photos out of the garage when you’re all done😎 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Lotusfab Posted August 12, 2019 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted August 12, 2019 It's taking forever! Here's my pipe routings.... better interior pick 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotusfab Posted August 12, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2019 Well a good day's work, until I got to the calipers! New brake discs. The calipers foul the disc. I guessing the shims have to be used behind the disc to shim it to the centrr. You can see the caliper is rubbing against the disc! Has anyone else had to shim them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyww Posted August 12, 2019 Report Share Posted August 12, 2019 Yes they do need to be shimmed to centre the disc. Were there no shims in there before? Or, there seems to be something on the other side, are you sure you have not put the shims on the wrong side of the disc? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotusfab Posted August 12, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2019 Yep I put the shims on the side of the driveshaft adapter, It looked like that in the manual. I will have to dismantled and do it again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyww Posted August 12, 2019 Report Share Posted August 12, 2019 They have to be moved to each side as required, maybe only one needs moving. Checked mine and there are none on the driveshaft side though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotusfab Posted August 12, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2019 Thanks. Have you got rid of the brake hose to short coper pipe to caliper and just used a longer stainless hose eliminating the copper pipe part? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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