Question
from Nigel Hylands-White
I tried an RV8 today with a view to purchase, all was fine except
5th gear selection goes in at low revs but jumps out when you
try to engage at higher revs. The RV8 is Oxford Blue 0312 with
engine 0129, one of 36 Oxford Blue cars that remained in the
UK. I can’t be sure, but I do remember 5th is right towards
the steering wheel, and up. When we had it up on the ramp the
mechanic commented the gear lever ‘goes straight into the
box’ unlike my MGBGT which has a linkage from the stick
to the box. The RV8 seemed OK in all respects except for the
crunchy 5th gear that would only engage at low revs. The mileage
is 47,000 and whilst on the ramp I had a good look round underneath,
inspecting all the usual rot areas. The car had obviously been
undersealed from new, and not touched since. The castle rails
had some surface rust where the seal had worn away. It has new
MOT.
Any suggestions please?
(4.10.09)
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Specialist's
response from Clive Wheatley
The RV8 you looked at last week, Oxford Blue 0312, has got the
early LT77 gearbox.This was fitted until chassis 0644 when the
R380 gearbox was fitted. The LT77 gearbox normally gives less
problems than the later R380 with its extra syncro rings has
more to go wrong. The synchro rings are around £250 a
set too. You mention that the car would go into 5th gear when
you went in slowly and at low revs but would jump out when going
in at higher revs.This could be a simple thing like the gearbox
mounts need changing or even the righthand engine mount may
have broken away or partially broken, so accentuating the position
of the gearstick when you try to get 5th gear. In these cases
the engine twists on its mounts at high revs and the gear stick
pushes against the body of the car. If however the gear selection
crunches going into gear then it's probably the syncro rings
that are at fault on that gear.
If we can be of any assistance phone us on 01746 710810.
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