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MG MGA - Ford Type 9 gear box.

I've just been for a lovely drive in the New Forest. Spring is in the air and the sky is blue. The MGA has been tucked up for the winter an only been used two or three times since Christmas. It started first time and behaved perfectly...except it seemed reluctant to go into second gear. The lever would not go into position without some force.

I installed the 5 speed gearbox (second hand) in 2005. It transformed the car and it has never given any trouble in 17 years.

I know nothing about these gearboxes and wonder if this is a known fault. My first thought is to remove the gearlever cover and try and squirt some oil into the yoke at the base of the lever.

Has anyone had a similar issue?

David
David Marklew

Check the usual simple things first, check your oil level in the gearbox - and if the oil is 17+ years old
consider a hot drain/syphon and replace with new oil (opportunity to upgrade oil too depending on your oil beliefs).

If your gear lever mechanism uses the Ford black plastic saddle then swapping that for the better red hard wearing replacement can firm up shifts. - https://www.burtonpower.com/parts-by-fitment-type/parts-by-gearbox-all/ford-type-9-gearbox.html

If you have a rubber gear lever gaiter and it's gone hard and stiff that might not help.

If you have any trouble with other gears perhaps it could be clutch/hydraulics related.






Nigel Atkins

David unfortunately these gearboxes do not have a drain plug!

I always drill and tap and put one in when I use a Type 9.

It might well be 1st / 2nd syncro hub causing your problem.

Colin
Colin Parkinson

When I first got my MGA, the gearchange on the T9 gearbox was quite notchy when cold, particularly in 1st and 2nd gears and it was often quite difficult to change down from 2nd to 1st.

However, the gearchange always became much easier after driving for a few miles when the gearbox oil warmed up.

However, I had the gearbox rebuilt a couple of years ago when it began to jump out of 2nd gear on the over-run and after this, the gearchange has been like a hot knife through butter.

(Also, whilst the box was being fixed, I had some uprated bearings fitted and new closer ratio gears ratios installed to suit my new engine.)

On the subject of the Ford T9 box, does anyone know if Highgear Engineering have their own 5-speed gearbox on the market yet?

Cheers
Colyn
Colyn Firth

The T9 is particularly notchy to 2nd gear when it's cold hence previous recommendations to a Castrol oil that was good for cold shifting but it's no longer sold. As you know there is some rabid believe in what oil "must" be used, difficult to reason with beliefs so best to say have the oil of your choice at the correct level (there are different specifications given in various sources so again perhaps a matter of belief).

As I put personally if the oil is 17+ years old I'd consider a hot drain/syphon and replace with new oil with the opportunity to upgrade oil too, depending on your oil beliefs.

Colyn,
MGOC and Moss don't show stock so you'd have to contact Hi-Gear to see what the situation is. - https://hi-gearengineering.co.uk/mga-5-speed-gearbox-conversion-kit
Nigel Atkins

David
I still have the original 4 speed box, but I also have an MGR V8 and when I bought it, a few years back, the gear box was a nightmre to change to/from some of the gears.

All it needed was new bushes on the remote, to prevent the selector slipping slightly out of position - just wondering if it may be something similar, as if so its an inexpensive and fairly easy fix
Graham V

Nigel
Castrol Transmax Manual Multivehicle 75W-90 should do the trick

The 75 spec is the main requirement if you poke 80/90 in them , yep notchy---With your cooler weather there you'd probably be better going for a 75/85 like
Castrol synytans 75/85

Graham
Having the same issues with a recent V8 conversion, replaced the gearlever swivel bit and the plasic cap and circlip on the end and the preload spring setup but it still gets knotted up and suspected the selector shaft bushes but on removal there aren't any bushes the shaft runs straight in the housing,,tossing up on machining the housing and fitting bushes to make it all snug---Did your car have bushes in the housing originally or did you have to machine it out---thanks
willy
William Revit

The Type 9 never came with a sump drain plug. It was 'sealed for life'. Whether that is eternity or the expected life of the car is open to debate. I retrofitted one about 5 years on the Type 9 that I had installed back in 2000. I recorded what I did: http://www.classic-british-car-jacks.uk/MGA_Roadster/Ford_Type_9_Sump_Plug.htm I believe most suppliers of the Type 9 these days fit the plug as standard.

I use the specified Ford oil (75W/90) from my local Ford garage and all has been okay.

I did have initial problems back in 2000 with the car jumping out of most gears on the over run but that was down to a combination the gaiter and the long throw gear stick I used in those days. I got round the gaiter stiffness/elasticity by running up a soft leather one on my sewing machine (photo) - similar to the MGB gaiter. I also converted to the short throw gear stick.

Steve



Steve Gyles

Steve
Just to add to your drain plug guide,yes there is webbing in there so the hole definitely needs to be in the rear half of the plate as the webbing is in the front half--also I believe the best spot for the hole is just to the RH side of centre, there's a drain hole through the plate on the left and two holes together could weaken the plate, but in saying that it's not really stressed in that area so either side I guess but definitely in the rear half----

willy





William Revit

Willy
In answer to your question, mine has an R380 gearbox. Not sure if yours is the same. There are eight bushes, 2 at each point as per the attached diagram. It made an enormous difference replacing them, it made it feel like a brand new gearbox.


Graham V

Another spot for the drain plug is in the middle of the "round" profiled part of the casing. Inside this is a magnetic ring for collection of anything metallic that may come off over the years. I've done three of these drain holes...now they come with the drain plugs as specified above.
Gary Lock

Thanks Graham, yeah, same box, have replaced those bushes with solid ones but the issue now is the actual selector shaft has worn badly in the gearchange housing itself which is allowing the shaft to move sideways instead of rotating when you go accross the gate-- I thought there would have been bushes/ bearings in the housing but in this box it's just metal to metal---just have to drill it out and make up some bushes by the look of it--I can't see any bearings/bushes listed anywhere for them so I guess they don't have them at all--I was hoping you were going to tell me 'yes' mine had bushes, here's the part number---How's your RV8 been going, I was tempted by one the other day, very high mileage but immaculate condition and around 1/2-the usual asking price --but I was strong and looked the other way-------------but
William Revit

Willy
Sorry that wasnt much help to you. I have changed gearboxes, but never dived inside one. All a bit beyond me.
Maybe this article may be helpful, if you havent read it before - for example it talks about the grub screw causing gear change problems.
www.gomog.com/allmorgan/remoteissues.html


I am just about to take my RV8 off what is known over here as "SORN". This allows you to register it off the road (in my case, for the winter period) and so avoid paying road tax. But I am about to change that!
Graham V

Willy.
thanks, that's wasn't yet sold over here IIRC when they stopped selling the previous 75w90 Syntrans Multivehicle (TDS dated 31 July 2020).

As you know I risk the life of the box and myself by not sticking to 'the LAW' of T9 oil but you'll be glad to know I continue to retain my teeth, looks and modesty.
Nigel Atkins

Arie De Best's sump plug.

I wish my T9 box looked anywhere as near as good from the con-artist I bought from and had installed by.



Nigel Atkins

Steve,
if you think the Ford oil is special I can put you in touch with a military gentleman from the African continent about a good investment. I hope you're not paying £26 for a litre bottle (Ford 75w90 Transmission Oil – 1790199).

You might as well get the Comma SX 75w90 (GL4 !! of course) as it might be the Ford stuff with a cheaper label, £8 for a litre bottle. - https://www.wilcodirect.co.uk/product/gear-oil/comma-gear-oil-sx75w90-gl4-1-litre-co-sxgl41l/CO-SXGL41L

Or better still use your drain plug to hot drain the 'Ford' stuff and refresh with the better Castrol TRANSMAX Manual Multivehicle 75W-90 Fully Synthetic.






Nigel Atkins

Comma is what Hi-Gear supply wiuth their gearboxes.
Gary Lock

Yes and the gearbox rebuilder for the Ford fans in the UK only recommended the Ford oil despite it's specification being widen over the decades to encompass more boxes and the Comma (which might the Ford stuff anyway, but I don't know). Possibly this is easier than confusing their customer with alternatives and prevent them from using EP80, ATF and engine oils.

Dealing with gearboxes first used in the 1980s and being conservative by nature the builders give no quarter is given to any developments the following 40 years.

Comma is cheap and does the job as the boxes were 40 years ago, my father-in-law had a 2.0 Sierra back in the 80s and we had it for 2-weeks whilst he was on holiday and back then it was an OK gearbox for a family saloon but not a slick or fast box as standard. Over 30 years later I had the same box in my midget and it's the same so any improvements that can be achieved at very low cost like better oil are very welcome. I've no idea what the MGA gearbox was like but a Spridget box (in good condition) was a joy for gear shifts so the difference with the T9 is very noticeable. Standard Spridget box was almost as nice as when I had an MX-5 but the MX-5 box was shorter, quicker and even nicer. I was hoping the Toyota boxes were still about when I need to change my present Midget box but sadly they weren't and the Morris Minor Centre idea had been taken up by another and it wasn't Hi-Gear unfortunately.
Nigel Atkins

Thanks for that Graham, yeah we've covered most everything but this worn housing is the issue--The box was a full reco and in itself it is fine but there was no remote gearchange with it and this old worn one was the only one about--The guy that owns the car has a T5 Tremec box spare so being a converted car and not a factory car I'm thinking it might be the best option, at least parts are a bit more readily available for them here-

cheers
William Revit

I bought my T9 five speed about 7 years ago and Hi Gear had started putting drain plugs in at that time. Here’s a picture of where the drain plug is as installed by Hi Gear.

Jim


JL Cheatham

This thread was discussed between 22/03/2022 and 18/04/2022

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