Club 80-90 Forums

Hi folks, newbi here with whats probably the usual stupid questions...if you yell at me enough I might learn how to do a proper search....but if your feeling learned and tolerant........

Went to back out of a parking space a few days ago and while selecting reverse something went 'clunk' and verily reverse had disappeared...in fact 1st had appeared where reverse used to be.

Had to get a tow backwards out of space and it seems like the whole gear selection options have shifted to the left!

Took it to a garage where they happily told me I need a new gearbox..(groan)....so my questions for you clever folks are.....

1- Does this sound like a gear selector rod thingy running down the middle of the vehicle slipping out of alignment?....there is lots of sloppyness and 2nds always been lots of fun to find.

2- If indeed the box is deceased how interchangeable are they..do I need to find a box from same model/year/colour?

3- How difficult is it to sort out question 1/2 bearing in mind I have all the necessary tools and experience to strip and rebuild a 1972 series 3 Land Rover?....ie 2 screwdrivers, hammer, adjustable spanner, disc cutter, really big hammer, manic grin

Buy the way shes a 87 caravelle 78ps (according to reg docs) 1.9 petrol.

Thanks in advance for anything that might be helpful, yours slightly desperately....Mutley

mutley wrote: 2- If indeed the box is deceased how interchangeable are they..do I need to find a box from same model/year/colour?

Hi to the site and a warm welcome.
Im not to good on engine work but I do know that when you replace a gearbox it's always best to use the same colour. Theres really nothing worse than a clash of colours.

I carnt see a problem its a straight forward job to change a gearbox.Scource out a good 1.9 dg box or get yours rebuilt .

With practice it takes about 30 minutes to take one out. Things to remember are that the CV bolts can be bu&&ered and therefore cause much grief and you don't neccesarily need to disconnect (and therefore mess about with) the clutch slave cylinder.

Good luck whatever you decide to do.

Ian.

Before condemning the box check your complete linkage run. There are so many wear points that you only need one to wear too much and you're not going to get a gear. I lost reverse with a clonk too and when I looked at the ball and socket joint on the right side of box (where the linkage goes to) I found the nylon ball had worn so much it had gone 'over centre' and popped out. I managed to push it back in by hand (a stretch and very filthy) and got home. That was my warning though so I changed every joint on the complete run including fitting new rubber boots over ball/socket to prevent from happening again.
All the bits I got from VW and there were a lot cost almost £100 but the gear change is brilliant with no baulkiness - literally finger and thumb pressure and that's on a 122,000 gearbox.
There again it might be your box - just don't overlook the simple things first! It would be a shame to replace box and still struggle getting reverse.
Welcome to the club - sounds like you're going to need it!

do a search

check for the rear gear linkage, mine is in about three or four bits instead of one held together with talc.

on removing the gearbox, if someone has done it before then maybe you will have torx head bolts and your life will be easy, otherwise you may need to grind off the heads of the bolts which will not undo. also if you are asking you son to support the gearbox whilst you remove it from the engine, make sure he understands the supporting it involves more than simply watching it.

you got someone to "tow" you out of a parking space , you have a t25, you had better get used to pushing it!

Took it to a garage where they happily told me I need a new gearbox..(groan)....so my questions for you clever folks are.....

yeah the thing about garages is....

If you are really luck it is just the linkage... but.. prob not...

First..... Speak with Aidan (link in the bottom of my post) as he IS the T25 gearbox expert.. I and many others will go NOWHERE else...

You will need to get the code from your gearbox.. (where and how on Aidans site)

Thanks for all the feedback folks...think I'll steal it back from the garage and do a bit more investigating.

As said you could be lucky and its the centre UJ that is loose and "jumped" a spline, but if it is the box driving it any distance will cause a lot of damage..

The other thing is... is the garage familier with these vehicles?.. most are not.. and most dont really want to work on them... and a lot of places the spotty mech is younger than our vehicles...