2nd gear

[AUSMHLY]

My Healey mechanic takes my car for a ride after the tune-up. He tells me 2nd gear is hard to get into from 3rd. He says I need (he needs) to remove the trans and look inside and fix the problem. 64bj8

What problem?
You never know if it really needs to be rebuilt of if he needs to pay his morgage.

Let's say he is correct.
What could be the problem?
What needs to be done to fix the problem?
How long and how much? Any guess'?

He is right. It does not always go into 2nd everytime. Sometimes it needs a little patience and double clutching.

Thank you, Roger

 

[Keoke]

Well I would wait for something more catastrophic than that before I went into the tranny. It could be something as simple as bad Baulk rings and then again it could be the more expensive second gear and a sliding hub. Excluding parts cost you be looking at about $400.00 or more in labor.---Fwiw--Keoke

 

[AUSMHLY]

As always, thank you Keoke for your input.
The mechanic said he estimated about 1,500-2,000
What should he be doing for that much money?
Roger

 

[Keoke]

OH I guess, he just be taking his cotton picken sweet time. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif But tranny parts are very expensive and labor intensive to fit. A proper old tranny overhaul and repair can exceed the cost of installing the Smitty 5 speed conversion---Keoke- /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yesnod.gif

 

[tahoe healey]

Roger, was the gear box rebuilt when you had the car apart? Check what is in the catch basket inside the big brass plate at the bottom (drain oil first and save especially if you use Red Line). I'm certanily not expert but you can take the top off the box and have a look inside with out removing it from the car. There are three brass fork devices at the top. This is where the shift lever pushes to change gears. With the clutch in you should be able to move them one at a time. They are what changes the gears (first and second in the middle and third and forth on the right) Play like you are going from 2nd to 3rd (opposite direction of using the shift nob) They are on shafts with a ball bearing device at the front end. With the top off check that the bearings are in the hole in the front of the housing with the springs (a magnet helps). This system keeps you from getting into two gears at the same time and thus jamming or fighting for position. I'm told by an expert that this is something that gets left out a lot. It was on mine. It eventually ate the main imput shaft(a not available part but I got lucky). I'm sure I will get corrected but that is my take on it. I'd leave any rebuild to the experts. You don't want any ruined gears. Those that are available are not cheap. You can inspect them a little with that top off. Also check for simple problems on the selector not being set properly. I had this problem on my XK140. It wasn't pusning far enough. I personally would not wait for something more costly to happen after my experience. Keoke's on spot with the costs with out parts especially if you drive in with the gear box accessable. I got a quote from someone local(ish) to you for $2500.00 so shop around and ask the fouum who to use and who to avoid.
Keoke, I'm not sure what baulk rings are?
Ok, I'm waiting for the spatter from the fan.

 

[Keoke]

"Keoke, I'm not sure what baulk rings are?"

OH! TH, them are the parts that Baulk when you try to shift it! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Maybe you will recognise them if I call them-----Synchro Rings.---Keoke- /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

OH! be careful the Healey's gear box does not like being shifted setting still and this test can be misleading.