Gearbox Problems

[Guest tom2b]

I have got the sierra 5 speed type 9 box in my 2b, occasionaly it appears to jam in 3rd gear with no drive and its a real effort to get the lever back out and pick up another gear. It scared me the other day as it happened when i was overtaking someone and i lost all drive and had to abort whilst on the wrong side of the road Its only happening in 3rd, bear in mind the box has 90k + miles on it.

 

I have the following options:

Get my gearbox reconditioned by the local transmission people. Cost £300 approx

 

Recondition it myself, no idea of cost

 

Buy a reconditioned box off of ebay for £300 LINK

 

Buy a box off of a scrappy not gambling on it being a good box Cost approx £50 - £70

 

I really dont know what to do

[Guest Daniel Aldridge]

Hi Tom,

May I suggest you at least have a look inside the box first before you condem it. Do you get no drive when you select third gear or loose drive in third gear? From what little I know about boxes if drives with no unusual grinding or rattles and the other gears are ok it may be a selector problem that may be repaired through the top plate without even having to remove the whole box.

Hope this helps.

Danny.

[Guest tom2b]

I get no drive in 3rd sometimes, someone i know who was a mechanic reckons its the 3rd gear synchro thats on its way out. Ive checked the selector with nigel (longboarder) and all appears fine

[Guest chris brown]

I can’t see it being the synchro as that would make it difficult to get in and would grind the gears doing so for all you say you have checked the selectors I still suspect that is the problem – i.e. one side of the fork broken off - but it does mean removing the box to check it as it is right inside the box. Have you ever had problems with 4th as that uses the same selector?

[Snapperpaul]

What ever its a box out job, the type 9 is pretty cheap so get a scrapyard one and save your money.

[Guest tom2b]

actually nigel and i checked the bit that the gearlever itself attaches to. I will take your advice and check the selector forks.

It only does it in 3rd, 4th is still a smooth change

[Guest elwe]

If you are worried about a scrapyard box being dodgy then buy a whole sierra, drive it a bit and check the box is ok. Then either scrap it at home or find a helpful scrap yard/metal merchant and have the box out at the scrap yard/metal merchant just before giving them the sierra. A cheap sierra is likely to be cheaper than a box from the breakers as a CVH one will do nicely.

[Guest tom2b]

Thanks for that idea, im currently on a waiting list at a scrapyard near me for a whole sierra, approx £100 for a whole reasonable sierra. Problem is there getting scarce and all of the really clean ones are commanding more than im willing to pay.

[Guest salty_monk]

You must be able to get one for less than 300 notes.... you should get more than that back if you break it yourself after....

 

Dan

[Guest tom2b]

I know but its time and hassle to do it

[Guest salty_monk]

Yep, know where you're coming from. You can usually find them ok in the breakers up round our way, even one from a CVH, estate etc will fit so they shouldn't be in too short supply.

 

If you're having one reconditioned you could get the longer 1st gear fitted...

 

Dan

[Guest tom2b]

If im getting a whole car ill get a pinto, what will i do with a cvh engine!

Is it really worth getting the longer first gear?

Has anyone fitted a diesel gearbox, would it be worth a try as it should give good acceleration? just curious.

[Guest elwe]

Does the Diesel gearbox have different ratios? I though it was only the diff that had a different ratio in the diesel?

[Longboarder]

Tom, do you want me to check out the Plymouth breakers for a type nine 5 speed box. When I bought my last one which is a good, they had a choice of three.

 

Nigel

[steve in stockport]

Tom

if you go down the buying a car route be sure to check what box is on it, dont take it for granted to be a type 9.

i've just sold the sierra i drove for the past 2 years - it was a J plate 1.8cvh and i'm pretty certain it wasnt a type 9 box, massive alloy bellhousing with ribs all over it could be an mt75 but never got that close to look at it.

 

Steve