6 replies to this topic

[mk=john]

Hi all
I have a 998 cooper Mk1, with a gearbox which does not have a synchro in 1st gear.
I have a problem with the gearbox crunching when I select 1st gear, usually when I am at a standstill and try to move off.

I am aware that I need to wait for a few seconds after i press the clutch in order for the gearbox to stop turning.
However, after this, sometimes it still crunches.
My question is, generally how many miles would this type of gearbox last before it needs a rebuild, and is there anything else I can do to improve things?

Is it common for gearboxes to need a rebuild every few years etc. I will be doing 3000 miles s year approx, so how long can I expect my gearbox to last. i know this is a difficult question to answer!

Thanks

[dklawson]

Hi, I'm back from Thanksgiving (did you miss me ? )

There's nothing necessarily wrong with your gearbox. A friend of mine told me he could always spot a 3-synchro driver because "they pull the lever into second gear before selecting first". When he first told me that... I didn't understand what he meant. However, he was describing the common "work-around" for selecting first gear and prevent grinding (even from a stop).

Again, the situation is... you're sitting at a stop with the gear lever in neutral. When you're ready to select first gear, press the clutch pedal down and pull the gear lever into 2nd gear. Don't let the clutch out but shift immediately into first. That's all you need to do. Give it a try, it's always worked for me.

EDIT: Sorry, I can't answer the longevity questions. Perhaps GuessWorks will post, or perhaps you should PM him directly. I can tell you that some of the main bearings in the 3-synchro box are NLA and are only available when you are lucky enough to find someone with old stock. If you're going to drive the car a lot and are worried about this, you may want to look for a later 4-synchro box with remote shift and transplant that. I think more parts are available for it. Alternatively, you could convert to a late rod-shift box but there may be some clearance issues in the tunnel. Sorry... I don't have first-hand experience with that and can't provide details.

Edited by dklawson, 27 November 2006 - 02:20 PM.

[mk=john]

Hi doug
Yes, you were missed! I didnt know u were in the USA!
Anyway, I am based in Milton Keynes in the UK. I will give that trick a try, i mean, moving the gear lever to second and then to first at a stop.

I dont know what the original mini gearbox designer was thinking when he dedided not to put synchro for first gear.

So, did you have a crunching problem in first gear with your morris cooper? The trick above sorted it alright then?

Cheers

[dklawson]

I think all 3-synchro boxes have the crunch problem to varying degrees. Pulling the lever into 2nd before selecting first has worked for me.

As for the Mini and 3-synchro boxes... well that's just the way things were back then. Over there you guys often speak of a "Sprite". I know that most of you mean a Mini Sprite. Over here, a Sprite was the small Austin-Healey produced from about 1958 -1968, first as what you call a Frogeye, and then later in the similar body shape as the MG-Midget. But I digress... the AH-Sprite and Early MG-Midgets also had 3-synchro gearboxes. In fact, a few of the parts are interchangeable between the Sprite and Mini. Anyway, 3-synchro, 4-speed boxes were not uncommon in the early 1960s and it wasn't exclusive to BMC cars either.

[fikus01]

if there is anything wrong at all it could be a clutch dragging, maybe out of adjustment or low fliud in the hydraulics!!! worth a check!! if it doesnt like going into 1st it shud be the same with reverse too!!

putting it into 2nd shud stop the gearbox spinning if it is making first gear come easier!!

does that make sense?? defo check the clutch adjustment tho!!

[mk=john]

Hi
Well, now that u mention it, it did crunch a little in reverse gear yesterday. Recently, I did a clutch oil seal change and replaced the clutch plate with exactly the same type, thickness etc as the old one, but perhaps then the adjustment is out a little. I will definitely check the adjustment again.

Cheers

[dklawson]

Remember that your clutch adjustments involve two places, the stop bolt for the arm travel and the big nut on the end of the clutch cover. Don't forget to check for play in the master cylinder clevis also. It all adds up.