Roadsport06 Posted April 12 Share Posted April 12 Good evening all. I've been struggling to push my gear lever down and into reverse. Last weekend I took the car out of hibernation and took off the lever and stripped down the gear lever as per here. Degreased the stripped off parts and greased. I took the car out for the first time. I can't push the gear lever down at all but I can get into reverse without pushing down. As if all gears and reverse are on the same plane. Have I done something daft (I was called away after stripping the lever but I surely haven't cocked that up). Is there anything else I should look to? Or start again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vine Posted April 13 Share Posted April 13 Have you assembled the spherical bearing and spacer correctly? JV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadsport06 Posted April 13 Author Share Posted April 13 That's my thought JV. I was called away after I'd stripped it down and degreased it. It's hardly the most complicated bit of kit but I may have been an idiot and got something in the wrong order as I was a way from it for a while. Does anyone have an exploded diagram of it as I think I need to get the tunnel off again and look at it. I think from top working down I had circlip, collar, spring, collar, spacer, bearing. I can't remember whether I had the bearing mounted in the top or bottom the housing. I assumed the spring was crudded up and that was making it difficult to push the lever down but it didn't look too bad. I know nothing about the bit where the lever and gearbox mount. Could there be anything that needs greasing that is stopping me push down on the gear lever? I also had a misfire on cylinder 3 and an O2 sensor error on OBD2. I'll put in fresh fuel and change the plugs, but possibly need a new lambda sensor. Is there a gremlin than sneaks in my over winter ready to annoy us on the first drive of the year?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vine Posted April 13 Share Posted April 13 I think you'll need to remove the complete gearlever and re-check the assembly sequence. The spherical bearing would normally be in the standard (lower) position in the housing. The correct assembly sequence (working upwards from the bearing) is: spacer, lower collar, spring, upper collar, circlip. Make sure the spacer sits directly on top of the bearing. I don't have an exploded diagram, but the pic in the Guide you referenced shows the sequence of components: It would also be worth checking that the gearlever fork is engaging correctly with the saddle, and also that the housing sits squarely on top of the gearbox. JV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanRL Posted April 13 Share Posted April 13 I had a similar issue after my 1st attempt at changing the saddle bush. I didn’t quite get the engagement right & it restricted the downward travel of the lever when trying to get reverse. Stripped it & replaced the now bruised plastic bush with a bronze one from Burton Power & all was well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadsport06 Posted April 13 Author Share Posted April 13 Thank you all for the input. I'll start again, I'll change the saddle too. What are the advantages of a bronze saddle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vine Posted April 13 Share Posted April 13 15 minutes ago, Roadsport06 said: Thank you all for the input. I'll start again, I'll change the saddle too. What are the advantages of a bronze saddle? It's supposed to be harder wearing. It'll also need crimping lightly to fit. JV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted April 13 Share Posted April 13 Harder wearing, slightly more direct/positive feel to the gear changes, can feel a bit notchy at first but only takes a few hundred gear changes to wear in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigCol Posted April 14 Share Posted April 14 I fitted the Quaife quickshift unit over winter together with a bronze saddle bush (and the bellows as detailed in the Tech Guide mentioned by the OP). I got the bush from Steve Perks (he of TracSport fame) who I believe manufactures them. All went together splendidly (though as a new unit, I didn’t dismantle the shifter!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpy the 7th Posted April 14 Share Posted April 14 21 hours ago, John Vine said: It's supposed to be harder wearing. It'll also need crimping lightly to fit. JV I broke the saddle 2 years ago and replaced it with another plastic one. But spirited 2nd to 3rd gear is somewhat notchy so thinking about changing again for a brass one this time. Where do you crimp it? is it where it clips over the shaft? Does the brass one have 2 pairs of lugs or is it one long gutter shape How much do you crimp it? Should it still move freely?? Can you slacken it if over crimped??? The plastic one that broke was 22 years old was never greased but I greased the new one THANKSSaddle.emlSaddle.eml Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadsport06 Posted April 14 Author Share Posted April 14 Thanks all. Having kids means ducking and diving so often, but I've managed a few minutes to change spark plugs. Water down cylinder 3 so that probably explains the rough running with fault codes for misfire on cylinder 3 and O2 sensor. I've ordered a new saddle. I'll check the lever is doing it's thing next week, change the saddle and reseat the lever. (Note to self - check that what you've done is working before putting everything back. Although it won't take long). On reflection, I suspect the saddle may be the issue as it was near impossible to push down to get into gear and the lever wasn't crudded up. I did the steering rack gaiter addition which the lever was out first time. I'll update here for people in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigCol Posted April 14 Share Posted April 14 (edited) 1 hour ago, grumpy the 7th said: Where do you crimp it? is it where it clips over the shaft? Does the brass one have 2 pairs of lugs or is it one long gutter shape How much do you crimp it? Should it still move freely?? Can you slacken it if over crimped??? The plastic one that broke was 22 years old was never greased but I greased the new one THANKSSaddle.emlSaddle.eml I didn’t crimp mine…. I put the saddle on the shifter and offered the assembly up and dropped it into place. I also didn’t grease the saddle (in retrospect I should’ve but I did spray a bit of GT85 PTFE lube on the various bits so hope will be slippery enough). The brass bush has the same lumps and bumps as the plastic one and other than its material is indistinguishable (to me 🤷🏻♂️) Edited April 14 by BigCol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadsport06 Posted April 20 Author Share Posted April 20 Good afternoon all, Just a quick update. I went back to the start, stripped the gear lever down, regreased it. I put in a new saddle, screwed the lever back. I put on a steering rack gaiter to stop dirt getting in. The lever is now pushing down and going into reverse nicely. Thank you again for your responses 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted April 20 Member Share Posted April 20 Thanks for adding the outcome. Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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