BN2 trans gear lever getting stuck

[bighealeysource]

Hey all,
Since it was 72 degrees here yesterday had my 100M out for a drive ( I know rub it in for those already snowed in ). Have a problem with the gear shift lever actually getting stuck between gears when I go to shift into reverse. This happens occasionally and only when shifting from a forward gear into reverse. If it does occur, like the trans is stuck between gears as if I let out the clutch, can hear a noise like a turning gear but not a gear grinding. It will then pop back out of this no mans land after trying to move the gear lever around but strangely enough, not immediately. Trans works great otherwise and just replaced the brass bushing at the end of the gear lever thinking that might have had something to do with this problem. Could this be the selector shaft for reverse or any other ideas ? Trust me, I can live with this versus taking the trans out but mainly wanting to figure out what it might be and will it damage other parts or just remain an occasional problem.
Many thanks,
Mike

 

[roscoe]

I won't be much help here except to commiserate. Although I can't say I have the exact same issue, it sure sounds like what happens to my BN2 gearbox once in a while. I however, have not been able to pin it down to anything other than going through neutral when shifting from a full stop. What happens is that is seems like the gear pattern is lost. Nothing is where it is supposed to be. In some positions the transmission seems to be locked and will stall the engine if I let the clutch out, and if I stir it around I can usually get it to a spot where I can actually drive it slowly, but with no idea what gear I'm in. Then after a minute of doing everything I can think of, everything is normal again. It'll go for months without happening and there has been no metal in the oil and everything works as it should to the point where I forget about it or think is done doing that and then it happens again. It has never happened twice on the same drive, no matter how much stop and go I'm doing. I've managed to pull the side cover when it was in this state and could find nothing wrong; put it back together and everything works. For me it has just become an occasional reminder that I am driving a very special car.

 

[bighealeysource]

Hey Jon,
Thanks for your input and empathy for our shared problem. Did some reading in my well read Tech Talk as originally done by Norman Nock - boy he is missed - and he had some similar thoughts about it was best to go always go into neutral before tying to go into reverse. So it must be a somewhat known issue so had her out today, just 69 degrees and sunny, and practiced that and no problems at all. Norman even suggested just starting from 2nd gear unless 1st was really necessary for some reason to put less strain on all the inner bits and pieces. 1st on a BN2 is like 1st gear on an old VW bug, use it for about 10 feet and then shift.
Regards,
Mike

 

[BertVanBrande]

If it feels like the shift pattern is lost or hard to find then I would check if all the little detent or selector balls and associated springs for the selector shafts are in place.

3 selector balls are underneath the side-cover plate with little springs. There are 2 interlock balls between the selector rods inserted from above. All these keep selector shafts lined up and keep you from selecting two gears at the same time which would be catastrophic.

The rubbers buffers for the shift/selector rods in the bell housing and od also come to mind. They limit movement of the rods and if they are not present, you might loose more detent balls and spring in the 3rd of 4th hubs, Eventually when you loose all detent balls there you might get locked in gear. (3rd or 4th)

The springs underneath the side-cover that keep the balls in firm contact with the detents could be just be broken or worn and the selector shafts detents themselves could be worn out (from hard shifting) which would allow some slop and leave a selector rod in a position that's hard to shift into.

I rebuild my BN2 4 speed box 2 summers ago and it's just back in the car, so it has not many miles on it except for bench-testing. On my box I also did have to work a bit on the reverse fork detent and plunger as it was almost impossible to overcome the resistance of the plunger.

Just a couple of ideas from another Austin-Healey student. :cooler:

Unfortunately most of the fixes require a teardown.

bert

 

[roscoe]

Thanks for the feedback. I had my transmission apart during my rebuild when I was initially having OD problems, and the side cover and springs and ball bearings out several times and can't seem to pinpoint a problem. The last time was quite a while ago and I have to admit that it did not occur to me that perhaps a ball or spring was somehow hanging up. The spring pressure as you know is a fair amount so I figured if everything was there it was probably working. It does seem like it could be causing my occasional problem. I'll add replacing the balls and checking for possible hang-ups back on the list.

I always use second gear from a dead stop. First works fine but it really isn't necessary here on the flat ground in the central valley of CA. If I ever get my courage up to drive into San Francisco with the Healey I'm sure 1st will be handy (along with some fancy clutch work).

 

[Bob_Spidell]

...
I always use second gear from a dead stop. First works fine but it really isn't necessary here on the flat ground in the central valley of CA. If I ever get my courage up to drive into San Francisco with the Healey I'm sure 1st will be handy (along with some fancy clutch work).

Make sure your parking/emergency brake is in good nick as well; best hill technique IMO is to set the brake, put the trans in neutral then put the trans in gear when you're ready to go and release the brake as you engage the clutch and apply torque.

Once I was in the City in my BJ8 and decided to go down Lombard St. ('The Crookedest Street in the World'). I was coming up the road on the backside--forget the street name--which has several 4-way stops; at one of the stops a woman in front of me in a Volvo station wagon couldn't get traction off the stop. Her front wheels were spinning like crazy as the car started to back down the road--straight for my front shroud! Fortunately, knowing how unsafe Volvos are I'd left plenty of room behind her, and finally she got a grip and moved forward. Lot scarier than the hills themselves.

 

[Randy Forbes]

I bought my 100/6 in San Francisco, so it has many "City" miles under its belt. They are ideally suited for taking off from a stop on the hills, with all their torque.

Bert's hit all the relevant points in his post, so not much I can add, except to say that the selector forks themselves may have enough wear on them that the selector shaft (the one that rides in the cover) can slip through the "square" cutouts of the forks. I suppose you need pictures of what I just described... :wink:

 

[tahoe healey]

I drove a local delivery truck and van in SF in the sixties. Clutches don't last long. Curb wheels and use E brake. Watch them cable car tracks especially when wet. Many hill had bricks for paving in those days.Fun when wet and going down hill.
Randy, maybe Norman Nock worked on your car at one time. He worked for BMC on Van Ness, I believe.
TH

 

[bighealeysource]

Hey Randy,
Was just re-reading the posts on this subject as had it happen again this weekend. As before,went to shift into reverse and did not go into neutral first so got stuck between gears for a while, then just gets unstuck. Weird how it is stuck one moment and unstuck the next. Anyway, if you have pictures to post they would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Mike