Occasioonal difficulty engaging reverse when cold

[alan12666]

Dear all,

My car is a 3.4 manual, overdrive, early box (non synchro first gear). When cold I occasionally have a minor issue with reverse. The car goes in the garage forwards, so I have to reverse our, and it's a slight uphill (increasing maybe to maximum 10 degrees?) on the way out.

Initially (level in garage) reverse engages fine, and the car moves smoothly.
Once the slope starts to take effect and load increases, then progress stops. I get a strange sound from the gearbox; nothing major or nasty, but it sounds like the gear is slipping and not fully engaged. Almost like spinning in neutral, just gentle gear noises. If I press the accel pedal a little, the engine speed will increase but we go nowhere - but the gear noise does vary suggesting clutch engaged and not slipping.

All it takes to rectify is to engage 1st, go forwards a few feet, then back into reverse and up we go.

Clutch seems OK (pedal is definitely fully released, foot off).
Brakes seem OK and not dragging - before I start up the car is easy to push by hand.
Gear selection seems OK; I think I'm getting full forward level travel and final lever position when selected seems the same in all situations.

So, two questions:
a) are there any known issues with reverse selection / engagement which might cause this - any suggestions?
b) the box is candidate for removal and strip / rebuild at some point; any suggestions on specialists to do the rebuild please?

Thanks

Alan

[Martec]

It sounds as though you have the early Moss gearbox, the synchromesh is machined onto the gears, no replaceable syncho cones, so once they have worn they would need replacing. I think you would be lucky to find any new/good gears, the bearings can be replaced but that is about it, don't know about overdrive repairs. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

My old moss box synchro's were knackered on 2nd so I replaced it with a recon later fully synchro box and good overdrive. Read other posts on here about fitting modern 5 speed boxes!!

Have you checked on the gearstick rubber gaiter, when I was looking for one I fitted an E type one which caused similar problems of pushing it out of gear, I can't remember which one I replaced it with, it needs to be soft rubber.

best of luck
Brian

[piman]

Hello Alan,

you don't say but it sounds like an overdrive still engaged. If it is and you try and reverse it can cause damege to the overdrive?

Alec