TR2/3/3A TR3 A tranny questions.

[Lukens]

Hi guys,

My TR3 is starting to give me a "notchy" feel when shifting from 1st to 2nd. If I shift slow and deliberate, no problem... smooth as silk.
If I shift through "spirited" acceleration, I can feel and hear a slight growl during engagement.
1) Am I looking at imminent failure"
2) Although I've never opened this or any other transmission, I assume the synchro(s) need replaced?
3) I'm a decent mechanic. Can I handle this repair without any special tools or equipment... pullers or press?

TIA

Russ

 

[CJD]

That sounds like a good diagnoses.

The growl is the teeth on the steel part of the synchro rubbing, since the brass ring no longer "synchronizes" the gear speeds during the shift. New, the teeth start very pointed, but as they rub from a worn synchro, the nose of the teeth become rounded, and finally flat. Best to fix it soon, or the second gear and outer synchro ring will wear out. Worn teeth give you that symptom that I am sure you have noticed on old cars where the tranny sometimes will not shift into gear, but "sticks", until you shift into and out of another gear to realign the teeth.

One thing to check, though, before tearing down the gearbox, is that the clutch is fully releasing. Fairly easy to check...push the clutch in, shift into any gear, and then shift back out. Wait several seconds (clutch still depressed) and shift into 1st. Since there is no synchro on 1st gear, you will get a grind if the clutch is not releasing fully. If you get no grind, then the clutch is doing its job and it's time to start planning that synchro rebuild!?!

These are small boxes, so the rebuild is easy with no special tools. The hardest part is removing/installing that blasted snap ring on the rear of the mainshaft!! I had to modify (read that as grind) my snap ring pliers to have any luck with it.

 

[Don Elliott]

John - I don't disagree with what you wrote, but for 55 years now I shift my gearstick into the 2nd gear gate whenever I am stopped (say at a traffic light). When I want to go, I slip it into 2nd for a moment, then forward into first. This will match the speeds and the gearstick will go into the first gear gate without a murmur. I understand that is not the problem Russ has, but I thought I'd pass it along anyway. I have heard so many recent new sidescreen TR owners grinding and grinding to get it into 1st gear that I stop to tell them how easy it can be after going into 2nd momentarily.

 

[Lukens]

Thanks for the reply John. Yes, sometimes at a stoplight I'll have to nudge towards 2nd in order to shift into 1st.
I really don't need this project in my life right now. Maybe I'll baby it 'til this fall.
Thanks again.
Russ

 

[CJD]

Excellent, we think alike, Don! I often go one farther and alternate which gear I use to stop the gears (2,3, or 4), so I don't wear just one. Think I'll change my initials form CJD to OCD!?!

 

[Marvin Gruber]

Heres' my two cents worth. First thing I would do is drain the oil. Put some (a bottle since you are in FL) Lucus oil treatment in first and then fill up with what ever oil you prefer. See if that doesn't make it shift a lot better. Its improved shifting for me in several trans. If it does then you should get many years of normal driving out of the car. I have a friend to just moved to South FL that rebuilds TR o/ds. I can hook you up with him if the trans is bad.

Marv

 

[Lukens]

Thanks Marv. I may call on you for your friends contact info. If he wants the business, maybe you should post it for all?
As far as fluids, I've only got about a 1000 miles on my last drain and refill with RedLine MT90.

 

[TR3driver]

Excellent, we think alike, Don! I often go one farther and alternate which gear I use to stop the gears (2,3, or 4), so I don't wear just one.

That's not a bad idea, but if you are going that far, maybe you should just always use 4th gear. The 4th gear synchro is always the one that lasts the longest, while 2nd gear is always shortest.

I've never tried the Lucas oil treatment; but I would suggest the same thing using Redline MT-90. It won't fix the worn synchros of course, but will make them work much better. I use it in all my Triumphs.

PS, Oops, sorry, didn't see your last post.

To answer your original question, I'd say Yes, you can probably do it yourself. But it does take some special tools (which you can fabricate) and some special techniques (which you can learn). There is a good write-up on the process at
https://www.vtr.org/maintain/TransRebuild/TranIntro.pdf
https://www.vtr.org/maintain/TransRebuild/TRTrans01.pdf
https://www.vtr.org/maintain/TransRebuild/TRTrans02.pdf

And the articles starting at
https://www.buckeyetriumphs.org/technical/Gearbox/GearboxDisassembly/gearboxdisassembly.htm
will be helpful too. They are written for the later 4-synchro box, but it is similar in many ways to the early 3-synchro.

 

[CJD]

Good articles, Randall! They are using quite a few fancy tools. With care, the only special tool I used are my snap ring pliers. Luckily I had 2 pair, because I destroyed one pair grinding them to get that blasted mainshaft snap ring on and off.