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MG MGA - jumping out of reverse

It never rains but it pours ! With the gearbox in my '57 A now ok I found a ball on the floor. Backing out,the box slipped out of reverse and felt very loose. No noise no complaints from reverse.
A light pressure on the lever holds it in.

Will the extension housing come out by dropping the rear down ?

I can probably remove the side cover by creating a flap in the body work and welding it back. The reverse selector rod should come out if the lock screw at the rear of another rod is removed ? ? ?
Everything felt ok on the bench ,moving the selectors by hand, but with the leverage applied by the gear lever , the problem is obvious. The saga continues.
Sean
S Sherry

It's a great deal easier to take out the engine and do the gearbox again than take out everything in the cockpit that isn't designed for easy removal. You can take the engine out and put it back in 5 hours, you will spend at least that messing around with the interior strip and all the modifications you will have to do afterwards.

The manual specifies the engine out way for good reasons, and once you have done it a few times, you will be practiced and fast!

I know exactly how you feel - I did a gearbox overhaul a few years ago and had a baulk ring fail catastrophically within a few gentle changes. Have to say that the supplier replaced it without any arguments at all though, but the work was a PITA.

dominic clancy

Sean -
Can't drop the rear because of the mount configuration. Might be able to live with it, since it isn't hard to hold in reverse for the little you use it; wait 'til you are recharged and it is not driving season, although it's likely always driving time there.
Grin and bear it!
If you leave your balls on the floor your stick won't stay put.

FRM
Fletcher R Millmore

Thanks Fletcher , I'll probably grin and bear it. I recall that some pre war British cars had an exterior clip lock that was flipped over to hold Reverse in.
Maybe I can rig up something simular or perhaps a light spring with a nice chrome hook to slip over the gear lever when engaging Reverse. If I sell the car I can always supply the new owner with a repair kit...
one only ball and two gaskets ! Sean
S Sherry

Reminds me of my Father-in-Law in his little Fiat. He had lost a lot of power in his gear stick changing shoulder. Reverse gear was a particularly hard pull towards him and rearwards. He had a length of rope tied to the gear stick that he used to pull across with his other arm!

Steve
Steve Gyles

This thread was discussed between 11/08/2010 and 12/08/2010

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