10 replies to this topic

[Southy]

I seem to be having problem recently with my car jumping out of first gear.

The gearbox is a SC item and was newly built around August last year. I can engage first gear and begin to drive off but it soon jumps out of gear.

I can engage second and firmly push it into first when stationary and it will drive off fine, as does changing down into first coming to a set of lights but I just can't seem to get it into first right away, its like its not engaging properly.

Anybody any ideas what maybe causing the issuse?Ive changed the linkage mounts and checked my engine for play, there seems to be very little movement with 3 steadies fitted.

[bmcecosse]

So - if you engage 2nd gear and then shove it forward into 1st gear - it then stays in ok ? Am I reading this right??

[Southy]

Yeah that correct, it just doesnt seem to engage properly when I try to engage first straight from neutral

[sam_o]

Doesn't that mean your first gear synchro has gone??

[bmcecosse]

Well - you know what the solution is - always go into 2nd gear first! Jumping out of first will cause serious damage - don't let it happen. Must be something baulking the engagement - it would mean a strip-down to find it.

[Southy]

Could too much movement in the engine cause it not to engage properlly or would it more than likely be something inside the geabox causing the issue?

[bmcecosse]

Inside the box i'm afraid - could be loose selector fork. Has it been ok until recently - or has it 'always' been like this ?

[Southy]

It seems to of only started to become a problem recently, there does also seem to be a bit of slap with the gearstick when its selected in gear, can move it back and forth a little bit, just wondering if this is normal?

[bmcecosse]

No-it should be 'firm'. May be worth renewing the remote mounts - just under the handbrake.

[Southy]

Ive recently just replaced those, the play seems to be the stick itself not the linkage moving about

[Guess-Works.com]

I'd go for a worn selector fork or possibly slack in the mechanis, a suggestion of what is happening is, going from neutral to first you're not quite getting enough movement in the synchro hubs for the springs and balls in the hub to locate, therefore the synchro ring can slip back to neutral... When going from 2nd to 1st the synchro builds up enough inertia to actually overcome the shortfall in movement and the balls locate, thus it stays...