Changing gear.

[jdw66]

Hi i've been having trouble selecting first and second gear (to a lesser extent) for the last week, all the other forward gears are fine . Considering the cars done 160.000 miles do you think it's the box or the bushes. By the way i've always had difficulty engaging reverse since day one and that was 7 years ago. Thanks in advance, John.

[marcus]

Check your clutch cable isn't starting to pull through the bulkhead, when this happened on mine it started off with 1st and 2nd becoming gradually harder to engage.

[jdw66]

That happened about 2 years ago and i had a new plate welded in so it can't be that. Thanks anyway , John.

[ianaudia4]

I would be looking at the bushes first, cheaper (much!) and easier to do as a start point.

[jdw66]

I would be looking at the bushes first, cheaper (much!) and easier to do as a start point.

That's what i was thinking. So how hard are they to change?.

[ianaudia4]

Not too hard. easier if you can get the car up a height. Just work front to back, one at a time etc, take your time.

[jdw66]

My mate (sort off) runs a garage . And as i spend most afternoons there i've got access to the lift when it's empty. So all i whant now is the bushes. Can you recommend anybody?. Thanks again , John.

[ianaudia4]

GSF do the set, I think the last time I bought some was back in 2010 for about £7 or so.

While you are at it check you have the right amount of oil in the gearbox or even change it.

[mark1gls]

I would agree with ianaudia4 change the gearbox oil as well if you have not done it before, it is one thing that a lot of people over look, for the cost of the oil and perhaps the tool to take out the drain and filler plug it's alot cheaper than a new gearbox.
This is the tool needed to remove the plugs.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DRAPER-38323- ... 2a1b1087e5

[jdw66]

I agree, i think i do need to change the gearbox oil. The last time i even checked the level was when i bought the car. I only did this because the box was making a whining noise under heavy acceleration . So i topped up the gearbox oil which cured the problem. So thanks for all the advise guys. Will put your advice into action over the next few weeks and hopefully sort out the problem.

[ianaudia4]

Hope it gets sorted bud.

[PeteGLi]

When you put it all back together, if you find that you still cannot get 1st & 2nd, it will be because the splines on the Selector Shaft need adjusting where it mates with the Selector Lever.
You may find it easier with someone in the car holding the gearstick vertical, so that there is a gap of 15mm (I think it is) between the reverse lock out finger on the Selector Shaft and the metal cover plate. Haynes shows the procedure.