10 replies to this topic

[AlexM]

Ever since i had the RHD diff end cover off and changed the selector rod oil seal my car has been jumping out of second gear when slowing down to junctions etc.

I definately put the ball and spring, detent sleeve and seal back when i put it all back, is there a special way of putting it back that i havent done correctly, the lever now travels further back into second and feels squashy at full travel. It only does this in second and it can't simply be coincidence, its annoying to fix one problem to be only faced with another

[Guess-Works.com]

It's a fairly common trait, when you change down to second, you don't actually fully engage the gear, its causes are numerous, but normally just making sure its in gear works.. the others are worn selector forks, selector mechanism, or tired springs in the synchro.

The reason it pops, is because the load applied by the engine breaking holds it in place. When the load is taken off ( usually when you are turning the corner and engine and road spped match ) the gear pops.

[AlexM]

But why should it suddenly happen soon after ive taken of the diff cover, and the gear lever feels different so i must have done something!

[gsms]

Mine does this but I just got used to holding the gearknob in place whilst in second!

[miniboo]

could be just one big coincidence

[AlexM]

maybe, its kinda depressing though

[gsms]

It is very annoying when it happens, as it looks to everyone else like I'm just coming round the corner and revving my engine!!

[AlexM]

I spose thats kinda cool, could be dangerous at times though....I'll take the cover off again at some point and check everythings ok, i spose ill have to live with it if not, the squashness could be because i put one of those little consetinad rubber gaitors on the selector shaft to stop dirt getting in the new seal.

Its never done it before and it happened three times today

[AlexM]

Ok, ive figured out why this is happening.

The squashiness in the gear lever im feeling is actually the rubber gaitor that i put on the rod change to stop road dirt gettin in the new oil seal, minispares sell this as a kit, because of the sponginess whenever change into second the rod decends into the gearbox and the rubber gaitor acts like a spring so the slightest bump can knock it out, hence it jumping out of gear!

So thats whats been happening, to solve it i will cut down the length of the gaitor to try and reduce its spring qualities.

[Dan]

No the gaiter is a standard part and should always be fitted, not a Mini Spares invention. If this is the problem which I'm not saying it definitely is then it's more than likely that you haven't put the seal in far enough rather than the gaiter being too long. Here's a question, did you fit the Mini Spares kit with the alloy rod support? How old is your car? The alloy rod support is just an alloy version of the standard plastic rod support that was fitted from the early nineties onward and needs removing before the new one is fitted, but Minispares won't tell you that. If you have both of the two types or rod support fitted it will stop the seal from being set in the correct place as the pair of supports will be too big. Also they have possibly pushed through far enough to be resting agaisnt the interlock spool and interfere with it's operation.
Why did you remove the diff side cover to carry out this simple repair? You risk upsetting the pre-load on the diff ever time you replace the side cover gasket which is bad news.

[AlexM]

No the gaiter is a standard part and should always be fitted, not a Mini Spares invention. If this is the problem which I'm not saying it definitely is then it's more than likely that you haven't put the seal in far enough rather than the gaiter being too long. Here's a question, did you fit the Mini Spares kit with the alloy rod support? How old is your car? The alloy rod support is just an alloy version of the standard plastic rod support that was fitted from the early nineties onward and needs removing before the new one is fitted, but Minispares won't tell you that. If you have both of the two types or rod support fitted it will stop the seal from being set in the correct place as the pair of supports will be too big. Also they have possibly pushed through far enough to be resting agaisnt the interlock spool and interfere with it's operation.
Why did you remove the diff side cover to carry out this simple repair? You risk upsetting the pre-load on the diff ever time you replace the side cover gasket which is bad news.

I was killing two birds with one stone, i needed to change the end cover gasket and oil seal as well as the rod change oil seal, as stated in my sig my car is a 93 cooper.