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Triumph TR6 - Second Gear Reluctant to Engage

Just today I experienced a problem with shifting on my 68 TR250. I could not engage second gear on the move. If I slowed down I could get first, and then second, but a direct downshift into second was not possible. It is not a problem with clutch engagement, as there is no gear grinding, just a physical reluctance of the shift lever to move into the second gear gate. Otherwise it shifts fine. The problem occurred after driving about 25 miles.
At idle it will shift through all gears, up or down, without a problem.
The DPO had the transmission rebuilt last year, but hardly drove the car, and I beleive that there is less than 1000 miles on the rebuild. For a variety of reasons I doubt that the shop that did the work would want to fix it a year later.
Any thoughts?
Andy Blackley

Check the oil. If it looks gold then you've lost a Syncro = brass. If it comes out silver then something steel is gone. In either case, and if you can put it in reverse with out grinding gears which usually means the clutch system is at least working then the tranny needs to come out.
skikir

It appears to be a clutch issue after all. I did not have the usally described "sticky clutch" symptoms, i.e. difficulty in getting into first or reverse, but a lot of trouble to get into second and occassionally fourth. I think this was due to the relative position of the syncro hubs when engaging these gears, ie they want to move forward against the thrust of the torque applied under load, which with low clutch pressure, made gear engagement difficult or impossible. Thats my theory anyway.

I beleive I solved the problem when I discovered two things: 1. The clutch MC cap vent hole was blocked; 2.combined with the complete absence of a return spring on the clutch pedal. I found that when I used my toe of my left foot to pull the pedal back out after a gear change before pushing the pedal again that I could then find second gear again!
I acquired this car in March and have been so occupied on other things that I missed the obvious. Thanks to the Buckeye Triumphs Checklist!
There is still a lot of slop due to the worn out pedal shaft bushings and the elongated clevis pin hole on the pedal, but by rectifying the blocked vent and installing a return spring the car shifts well again as the pedal now fully returns. This ensures a full stroke when I do push in the clutch pedal.
As soon as I can get some GL4 gear lube I'll drain whatever the PO had in there too.
Andy Blackley

Andy
Where to find GL4:
As posted in 2005 archives:

JW
Just found answer in another thread.
NAPA....StaLube 80W-90 GL4 in a quart.
Thanks
Rick C


Ha JW
GL-4 in the US 13.95 a 4l JUG.
Thanks
Rick C


Rick C
Rick Crawford

i have exactlt the same symptons as yours and just put it down to the syncromesh being shagged out...
however, i'm now thinking that it could also be the clutch as this morning i noticed a puddle of fluid on the drivers matt directly under the clutch m/c..
Anyway, new seal kit due tomorrow so will keep you posted.....
james

Rick C.: Thanks for the tip. I have tried my local NAPA and they do not stock that brand, or Redline either. I also checked all of the local parts stores and the chains (Autozone, Advance)for GL4 to no avail. I may have to order it.

James: I hope that solves your problem too. Don't you just hate that slick feeling under the heel of your shoes?
So far so good with my car. One other ugly possibility is that the brass bushing or "top-hat" bushing used on the earlier 6 cylinder cars is bad. If I have to pull the gearbox I will seriously consider ungrading to the Akker Toyota 5 speed kit.
Andy Blackley

Usually the symptom for a broken top-hat bushing is that it will slip out of 3rd gear into neutral when not accelerating or decelerating (ie - power on or power off). Hard to get it into 2nd gear gate is another symptom.

Don Elliott, 1958 TR3A with "A" type overdrive
Don Elliott

This thread was discussed between 21/06/2005 and 23/06/2005

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