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Healey Transmission

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Pete3000

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I have a couple of questions for all you Healey enthusiasts out there. I have a 62 3000 BT7 Centershift and it was restored previously to my owning it. Runs well and shifts fine, however, when I start the car, and I'm idling/warming up,in the garage, I then try to put in gear from neutral and she wants to grind. I have tried all gears but cannot engage. (Obviously with clutch pedal pressed). If I shut car down, then engage into any gear (easily done) I can press clutch, start and It will run fine, all day. Only the initial start up. Any ideas? Is this normal? 2nd question. First gear sounds different than all others, almost like a growl, or whiring sound. Is this normal on these gearboxes? Again, no problem shifting and All other gears sound great. I usually start out in second gear. Thanks , Pete
 
Hi Pete3000, First the first gear is a bit of a bugger. This gear does not have a synchronizer and takes a bit of finesse to engage. The noise you refer to can be attributed to wear; 1st gear on the cluster gear,cluster gear shaft or its bearings. One note;Sometimes if the hand brake or foot brake is set stationary first gear shifts may be impeded.---Fwiw--Keoke
 
Pete -

By any chance are you running a very high viscocity gear oil in your gearbox (possibly hypoid?). If so this may be causing your problems.

The only type of oil that should be used in your box is either 30 wt non detergent motor oil or Redline MTL90.
 
I had exactly the same problem with my BT7. First start of the day had to be with it in gear and the clutch depressed. OK for the rest of the day. Notes from the POs indicated this had been going on for a long time. Turned out to be oil (from the gearbox) on the clutch disk. Clutch job fixed it.

Marv James
 
Have you tried putting it in 2nd then into 1st on the morning starts? Don't let the clutch out, just neutral, 2nd, then first. Works for me.
 
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