Advice on Gearbox Clearance (Zetec)

[NevDyson]

Hi

 

Picked up a new Zetec from Raceline today and have mated it to a qaiffe cased type 9 with no problems.

 

Engine went in with no apparant problems until I came to tighten down the gearbox mount. The gearbox case is in contact with the curved chasis bar that is on the older type chasis. See here & here, has anyone experienced this before?

 

The only options I can see is to either shim the gearbox mount in the tunnel, or to shim the engine mounts which means I would not have to rmove the engine again, but will introduce the risk of the engine interfering with the Bonnet. Alternatively remove the curved tube, but I am not sure if it actually offers any structual integrity to the chasis.

 

Any suggestions would be welcome, scratching my head bit on what to do next.

 

Nev.

 

 

 

Edited by - nevdyson on 28 Sep 2010 21:16:03

[Nigel Fox]

My car was fitted with a "Brent Chiswick" gearbox mount before I got it. In this modification I believe the offending cross member is cut out. If you search for "Brent and gearbox" in tech talk you will uncover a wealth of information.

 

Full time class 4 Zetec

[Klunk]

Nev,

 

What age is your car? I have an '88 car and I have a hoop which is made of round bar and angled back so that it clears the low point on the casing. It was like this when it had a crossflow. I can take a picture tomorrow and send it to you if it's any use?

 

On a previous car I had a hoop missing and spoke to Bruce about putting it back. He said that when they were developing the later chassis, they discovered it makes virtually no difference to the stiffness and the later chassis has smaller tubes around the gearbox/tunnel area.

 

That said, cutting out the tube wouldn't be my first option! I would put a spacer between the gearbox mount and the chassis if it doesn't raise the gearlever position too much.

 

Regards,

 

Giles

[Doug]

My car is a 1995/6 former x-flow, converted by Raceline. I've had the engine out twice and have not experienced what you describe. However, when I replaced the engine mounts, I noticed that there are a number of shimms effectively raising the engine. I had thought that this was merely to ensure that the K&N filters were centralised in the bonnet hole but now I wonder if they are actually solving your problem!

 

I'm not aware that my Type-9 'box has been shaved or that the curved bar has been altered.

 

Hope this helps.

 

'Have you any idea what it's like to have the wind rushing through your hair!' (Quote:Sq Cdr the Lord Flashheart)

[NevDyson]

Klunk,

 

A picture would be useful , as I dont think I can shim the gearbox mounting without transferring the issue elsewhere, as I found out last night. If the gearbox mount is shimmed the Bell housing fouls the drivers footwell.

 

My other thought was to cut the offending part of the hoop out and then add a flat section that will give the required clearance, this would give a good mounting point for an engine tray as well...

 

I might look at a couple of shims for the Engine mounts, but I have next to no room as the Thermostat housing on the Raceline water rail is only a few mm from the bonnet when it is fitted now.

 

 

 

[Pezky]

Nev

 

CC do a gearbox spacer plate - although there are 2 listed both for x/flows

 

Thanks for finding out the teething problems on the Zetec install , although I am converting from 4 to 5 speed aswell (using Brents conversion kit) I have left the lower tunnel hoop in there at the moment..........

 

Jonathan

 

penn7's pesky Zetec 😬 (formely Pesky xflow)

 

Edited by - Q102 on 29 Sep 2010 10:04:23

[Klunk]

Nev,

 

Has sent you a few photos.

 

Regards,

 

Giles