This will be my last ditch effort before I bail

[bnw]

I've been struggling with this 1980 1500 Spit for almost a year. What I'm down to is this: after a crank regrind, new rods, mains,and thrust washers timing chain, rear main seal, 3 piece clutch, regrind stepped flywheel, 4 new synchros, trans input shaft seal, trans output trans seal,used but very good shift forks, all appropriate gaskets, I'm left with this: excellent upshifts, clashing downshifts (better with double clutching or just waiting), possible OD slipping but only with OD NOT engaged, under load, and after full depressing of the clutch pedal. Needless to say, lots of $$$ and time and I'm still not there. Car has OD, hardtop needing side lites, custom fully instrumented dash (well done with TR gauges) great seats/carpets, uninstalled poly tunnel, very good body with bright yellow paint, all decals, newish tonneau,new uninstalled bra,excellent top, and hood cover, new tires. Webber carb with header. I'm going to rebuild the clutch master and slave this weekend. If the trans does not improve, I'M DONE. Any buyers out there???

 

[bobh]

Basic question: Are your hydraulics good? I've never worked on a Spitfire. Assuming they havs a master and slave cylinder like the TR6. If these are not providing enough pressure/movement the clutch may not be disengaging fully when you down shift.
Although I never tried this I've been told you can upshift without disengaging the clutch. I don't think this is the case with down shifts.

Anyone have comments or ideas?

BOBH
(The original BOBH)

 

[Andrew Mace]

Although I never tried this I've been told you can upshift without disengaging the clutch. I don't think this is the case with down shifts.

One can go either way...with no small amount of practice. For upshifts, you can "feel" for the point where the dropping engine revs match the gearbox as you get the shift lever to the next gear. Not as easy with downshifts, as you need to rev the engine as you go to the lower gear and then "feel" for that point.

Oddly, it use to be pretty easy with my old early Volvo 144 series cars, all of which had a ridiculously long, spindly shift that not only gave that extra bit of leverage but also made the "feel" easier to, uh, feel. :wink: But I once got myself about 15 miles to home after the pressure plate in my Herald partially disintegrated. It was still functional enough to help propel the car, but the way it broke it would not disengage the friction plate. Not fun, and admittedly not totally silent on the shifts, but I made it home without doing any real damage to the gearbox!

 

[bnw]

As for the hydraulics, that is my "last ditch effort" Repair kits coming from Engle tomorrow. If the cylinders are beyond repair, I don't know what I'll do. I'm sick of throwing money at this car. My 57 smallmouth project is crying for attention. We used to call shifting w/o the clutch "dry shifting" It works well both ways with a little practice. The really old cars w/o sychroes had to be shifted this way. It's just a variation on double clutching without the clutch. I learned years ago you don't do this with a British gear box!

 

[TRDejaVu]

...I learned years ago you don't do this with a British gear box!

Not completely true. I used to do it a lot with various olde country Ford Cortinas and Escorts back in the day. For some reason it was easy on "Dagenham Dustbins".

 

[Scott_Hower]

If you don't mind losing the OD, used 1500 gearboxes are cheap and plentiful. Heck, a rebuilt box with 12mo/12k mile warranty is a about $600 from Quantum Mechanics.

 

[tomgt6]

I wish I had some helpful advise but with the OD I have no experience. I think your on the right track.

As for giving up don't!!!!!

You will regret it forever. You will find out what is going on and you will find it may be something as simple as having the OD wired wrong.

Don't give up.

 

[HerronScott]

I'm left with this: excellent upshifts, clashing downshifts (better with double clutching or just waiting), possible OD slipping but only with OD NOT engaged, under load, and after full depressing of the clutch pedal.

Do you have any difficulties getting the car into reverse from neutral after having the clutch disengaged? If not then I'm not sure that I would suspect any clutch master or slave hydraulic issues.

Scott

 

[Guest]

Pressure plate or disc may be bent too and dragging. Not as noticable on upshift as the disc needs to be slowed down anyway.