Anything and everything Vitesse.

Clutch, gearbox, overdrive, propeller shaft.

Help!
My Vitesse suddenly stuck in third gear as I was driving along. I can drive it as the clutch works but I don't want to do the 20-25 miles to work like this.
I'm guessing I'm going to need a part or two but which?

I changed the gearbox oil yesterday which cured the 12-14 second overdrive engagement/dropping out problem.

Having removed the remote and the top cover I can still not see anything amiss except that I cannot move the 3rd/4th synchro sleeve even when pressing the clutch down. I thought I would see if I could put it into neutral. It appears stuck on the 3rd gear.

Any help appreciated.

"Well, I'll do it myself!", said the little red hen!

I think I've found the problem. The box is missing a synchro cone forward of the 3/4 synchro sleeve which has allowed the outer sleeve to move too far and a spring and ball bearing to jump out and prevent its return.

Couldn't have done it without the help of Tony Linsay-Dean, Kingston Sportscars. Many, many thanks to him.

It's missing a synchro cone???

That must be in there somewhere, they don't just disappear!

Did Tony recommend a solution??? I would have thought if the cone has disintrigated, something else may be seriously amiss, my bet being the bearing on the end of the mainshaft having failed, taking out the input shaft with it.

Apologies for not spotting the original posting, they fly by too fast sometimes.

Colin

No, it really is missing; not even any debris. It did behave as Tony thought it would; it always crunched into third if I didn't get the revs just right. I thought that it was just because the clutch needed bleeding which, of course, it still might, but it was always an essentially good box.

The solution is to put the box together properly, having examined and cleaned every component thoroughly. I had been afraid I would have to buy a new (or refurbished) box but with Tony's support and encouragement I bit the bullet and pulled it apart myself. As he put it "You could get hold of another box but you still don't know what you're getting!"
And I believe these words are proved by this case. Who rebuilt it?

I went through each part and then again with Tony at the other end of the phone and I believe we have established that it is a fairly original box but with a later gearset.
The mainshaft needle bearing is fine and you can hardly see any wear on the tip. The main bearings I can't get clean enough to justify re-using.

I should add that the only problem was that it had jammed in 3rd. It still drove and there were no strange noises but, of course, one can never know.

I should also like to point out that as I live in Denmark, it is not as simple as just getting another box. It must come from a reputable supplier in the UK and the costs and logistics would still be a nightmare; this is my everyday transport. I'd have had to take a cheapo flight and rope my parents into picking me up. And with a gearbox in my baggage!!!

I'll follow up next week when I have reassembled the whole thing again.

Sounds like it really was just missing! Top qualty rebuild somewhere along the line.

And don't jest about gearboxes as hand luggage, I have a friend who regularly used to take OD boxes to the States as just that!

He left the cast iron bellhousings behind though......

Colin

Section : Gearbox

Stuck in Gear

Followups :

Stuck in Gear

Stuck in Gear

Stuck in Gear

Stuck in Gear