Where's 1st Gear?

[Grim]

I seem to have lost my first gear, anyone seen it lying about?

 

I can select if i have the engine revs above 2000, not if below, and very clunky and difficult with the engine stopped.

 

Any ideas?

[Snapperpaul]

How many miles has the clutch done?

Normaly hard to engage first is a sign of clutch wear or in my case not enough throw on the cable

[Grim]

found the source of the problem...

 

took the gear lever off to find a reasonable quantity of broken black plastic... oh, and now i can engage reverse without pushing the stick down...

 

I'm guessing this black piece of plastic has a name and is something to do with selecting reverse. I've found it in the haynes manual on page 112, image 8.1.1c (green manual) attached to the "selector rod connector".

 

Anybody how it is possible to replace it without taking the box apart? I've phoned ford who didn't seem to have much of an idea what it was, but i'll pop along tomorrow and look at their diagrams. That is, if my car drives!

[Guest chris brown]

found the source of the problem...

 

took the gear lever off to find a reasonable quantity of broken black plastic... oh, and now i can engage reverse without pushing the stick down...

 

I'm guessing this black piece of plastic has a name and is something to do with selecting reverse. I've found it in the haynes manual on page 112, image 8.1.1c (green manual) attached to the "selector rod connector".

 

Anybody how it is possible to replace it without taking the box apart? I've phoned ford who didn't seem to have much of an idea what it was, but i'll pop along tomorrow and look at their diagrams. That is, if my car drives!

If it is the plastic piece that fits over the selector rod which the fork on the end of the leaver sits on then I got one from ford and I think it was 88 pence but took ages to find it on there system. Mine broke up and made the leaver very sloppy BTW very easy to fit. It just pushes over the selector rod but there is a right way round.

[Grim]

good good just hope i can nurse it there without accidentally selecting reverse!!!!

 

Now all i need to do is to fabricate a new quickshift, as the previous owner's idea of a quickshift was 3 nyloc nuts sitting between the gear lever and the box!!! Holy smoke.... i thought i was half arsed!

[Peter Bell]

Ive got a bit of ally plate but a few have used a plastic chopping board, not all of it of course

[Longboarder]

The plastic saddle in place on a modified quick shift lever.

 

Nigel

[Guest chris brown]

good good just hope i can nurse it there without accidentally selecting reverse!!!!

 

Now all i need to do is to fabricate a new quickshift, as the previous owner's idea of a quickshift was 3 nyloc nuts sitting between the gear lever and the box!!! Holy smoke.... i thought i was half arsed!

As recomended by Dave Andrews "see here"

[Andy Spencer]

Ford part number is P F1522783

 

I got a couple but it was a challenge for them to find it on the system.

 

They were under a quid each plus VAT. I find I get through one a year with the Hoodie style quickshift. Gearbox goes sloppy and is a nightmare without it.

 

Good luck

 

Andy

[Grim]

thanks for all of your replies. Oddly mine is just like the dave andrews one, but with nothing to fill in the gap, just fresh air.

A 2nd oddly is that without the plastic, the change is so much better! I can get it into reverse so simply now Can only imagine what it is gonig to be like with a new one in then!

[Guest vacinc]

All quite interesting, wonder if this is the cause of my floppy gear lever, but mines a type5 box so dont know if it should have a "gate" for reverse, anyone know?

mine is not sloppy at all, in fact its tight and notchy. But i dont have to push down to select reverse,

it"ll slip in there without any effort. should it ?

[peter_m7uk]

Interesting I took my gear lever off recently to convert it to a Rally Design

quickshift and there was no sign of that black plastic thingy. My kit isn't driveable

yet, but I don't remember any problems with any of the gears on the donor Sierra.

I suppose the stick was a bit wobbly, but I just assumed it was like that on an old

car. Strange that some think it's necessary, but some of us aren't having any bother.

Think I'll order one anyway and see if my selector stiffens up

 

Pete

[Grim]

it's fine running without it, no problems, but like you say, a little sloppy. I've got 2 on order just for good luck!