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EEK Crunching Gears!

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Dear all

I could do with picking some brains! I've just bought a 71 Sprite but have never owned a classic before so am going to need some hand holding. I also posted this on the Austin Healey forum, I was given some helpful advice but was also sent here.

Basically I'm having a few problems when changing gear in my lovely little car. She's got a 1275 engine and as far as I am aware an original gearbox.

Pootling around town gear changes are reasonably smooth although sometimes there is a slight knock when I try to get her into first.

The problem kicks in after I've put my foot down! After a few miles of going above forty, she refuses to let me put her into any gear, after forcing her to go into first or second she crunched in protest and then is ok until after I have put my foot down & it all starts again.

I'm not aware of the gearbox oil being topped up & this is next on my list of things to investigate, it's also been suggested that it could be a problem with the hydraulic clutch, it's fairly low but seems to work ok - I think bleeding and replacing the fluid might be worthwhile.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, do I top up the gearbox oil from inside the car? Is it better to replace it all together? What do I use and is there any gear conditioner /slick that anyone would recommend?

Has anyone else had this problem - any other ideas?

I've got a couple of other niggles & will post these as separate topics - thanks in advance!

Melissa
 
First - Welcome.

Second, 1st gear doesn't have a synchronizer (syncro) so you need to shift into 2nd to get the shaft speeds matched up and then immediately shift to first. This should be done with the car stopped.

If it grinds in 2nd or is difficult to get into gear it very well may be the clutch hydraulics. The clutch slave on these cars are notoriously difficult to bleed. Keep bleeding until you get all the air out. You can search the spridget forum for various techniques but it needs to be air free.

As for the oil, pull the tunnel carpet up on the left side of the tunnel adjacent to the gear shift. There will be an oval plug/ hole nest to the bulkhead / firewall. the fill plug is accessed through this hole. You'll need a hose or long funnel. Top it off with 20w50 (same as the engine)
 
Melissa- I had a similar problem to yours, especially when ambient temperatures started to get really hot. The 20/50 recommended oil for the gearbox was too thin, mostly because my gearbox is worn out and needs a rebuild. I managed to solve a big portion of the lockout by switching to a HD40 weight oil.

On the left side transmission tunnel there's an oval rubber access point. There's a filler plug there. Probably just want to drain what ever lubricant is in there and fill it with fresh. It's worth a shot and fairly easy to do.
 
Thanks Chris,

This is really helpful, I'll get some oil on my way home. Is there a fill level or do I fill it to the top? Also is it worth adding a gearbox treatment?

Cheers

Melissa
 
Fill it right up to the filler plug. Many of the treatments do nothing really, and some of the newer stuff is not good for the older cars.
 
Just fill it to the top.

A lot of this info is in any service manual, which is essential if you have one of these cars. There is a Haynes manual, which is cheap and pretty good. It's also a good idea to have the standard shop manual, which is reprinted by Bentley Publishers. You can also find a copy at https://www.spridget-tech.com/page3.html.

More useful literature is at https://www.1978mgmidget.com/manuals_and_booklets.html.

The MGA Guru site is focused on MGAs, of course, but a lot is relevant to us: https://www.mgaguru.com/mgtech/

And, if you just scrounge around the internet, you'll find all kinds of info.

Have fun with the car! Be sure to let us know how you get on with it, and if you can, post a picture or two.
 
Steve, this is really helpful.

My car came with a Haynes manual which told me to top up the gearbox but didn't tell me how to do it! I'm on the look out for a copy of the original manual but in the meant time your links are very useful - thanks so much.

I'll have a go at topping up the gearbox oil later & am still toying with the idea of a Slick 50 gearbox treatment but am concerned about Bryan's comments about doing more harm than good.

Any other thoughts on this will be most welcomed.

Photo's will definately follow :eek:)

Melissa
 
You're best off to avoid any of the engine/gearbox treatments. A simple top-up with engine oil is the way to go.
 
ChrisS said:
First - Welcome.

Second, 1st gear doesn't have a synchronizer (syncro) so you need to shift into 2nd to get the shaft speeds matched up and then immediately shift to first. This should be done with the car stopped.
Click to expand...

They didn't have 1st gear syncho yet by '71?
 
jvandyke said:
ChrisS said:
First - Welcome.

Second, 1st gear doesn't have a synchronizer (syncro) so you need to shift into 2nd to get the shaft speeds matched up and then immediately shift to first. This should be done with the car stopped.
Click to expand...

They didn't have 1st gear syncho yet by '71?
Click to expand...

Nope - not till the 1500 gearbox did they get synchro in all gears - just another reason to go with that fined tuned performance engine (not to mention those stylish bumpers)

grin.gif
 
Do not put anything in the gearbox other than what is in your engine.

Check the owners manual for your choices, 20-50 is great both places.

Additives will not fix worn parts.
 
Thanks all for good advice.

Right then, I'm home and have picked away the carpet and found the bung - and it's stuck fast, so I think that answers my question about the previous owner topping it up - ha ha! I'm going to try to pry away the bung to have a look at the level before heading off to find some 20-50 (no additives - noted!), but what if I break the bung? It could probably do with replacing anyway - what would I call this part when looking on a parts list - i've tried googling bung with little result!

Cheers m'dears - you've all been brilliant!

Melissa
 
Jim, just looking back through posts & missed your reply, this sounds like it might be worth a go, will investigate. In the mean time moving from second to first before I pull away seems to have eased the crunchy start - so we're getting there!
 
If it makes you feel better, my PO (previous owner) had carpeted over the access plug too, and my gearbox started to destruct after 10 miles on the highway. No oil was present. I had to pull the motor and swap in a new gearbox. That was almost exactly a year ago. I have since spent countless hours tinkering with the car and it is easily the most rewarding and fun car I've ever owned.
I find if I apply steady pressure to the stick I can ease it into first even while rolling slightly, no grind. Sometimes letting the rpms drop a tad between gears (hold in clutch wait a second then move to next gear) helps too. I've learned her subtle ways and now she treats me right, oh, the car too.
 
To remove the "bung" try prising at the edge with a broad, flat screwdriver and then jimmy it around the access hole to pop it out (by the way, "it" is most commonly referred to as the gearbox filler plug cover). To remove the actual filler plug on the gearbox, a socket and extension will make the job easy!
 
I'ts probably "cooked" and turned to HARD rubber. Push, pull, pry, tear, rip it out. Fill the tranny till it starts to overflow. Order a NEW plug. Most often listed in the Mo#$ or VB catalogs as a plug, also available at (https://www.macgregorukcarparts.com/). You can drive the car without waiting for the new plug, it's just that a ton of heat will come in and roast you feet.
 
Yep - it certainly was! I got it out with a bit of a struggle & had a look at the gearbox oil, it was full almost to the top and really clean. Very good news as I was expecting it to be grim & empty! I'm feeling reassured.

So now I'm thinking it could be air trapped in the clutch. I'll look at getting it bled and will report back. This may take a week or two to get round to doing.

Thanks everyone for such good advice.
 
New bungs are about 3 bucks or so, pry it out with a screwdriver.

Cover hole with duct tape till your new bung arrives.
 
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