More about a 280i 4-speed

[grady]

This has to do with the dissolving plastic bushing that centers the shift lever in the transmission. These critical things seem to be disappearing (or disolving) rapidly.

I know the 4-speed transmission is known in the UK as an "E Type" but can can you guys (or gals) provide more info? (e.g actual FoMoCo model number(s), other cars that used the transmission, etc.)

Also, would anyone know the part number of the plastic part?

Any thoughts or suggestion (or cautions) would be appreciated. Thanks Grady

>>> Edited by grady on Tuesday 22 March 05:22

[jchase]

I was told when I bought a reverse light switch for the old 1981 2.8i that the gearbox in question was used on the 3.0 capri, and not the 2.8i capri. I have no idea if this is true, but the nylon bit I got off them fit right in great, and worked fine until it melted like the old one !

-Jim

[bigbeard]

Burton Power have a description of what fords used which gearboxes:

https://www.burtonpower.com/tech_support.aspx

I suspect that the gearbox on the 2.8 powered wedges is the Type 5 (as used on in the 3.0 and 2.8 powered capris before they went to the the type 9 five speed box).

I might be wrong on this though!


Ian

[grahamw48]

According to the Haynes manual, which covers both 3 litre Essex and 2.8 Cologne engines, both were fitted with the 'type 5' 3-rail 4-speed box, until the 5-speed replaced it.

I had a 3 litre Essex 4-speeder cluttering up my garage for years, so I could identify one in the pitch dark.

Curiously, in the 'bible', the box labelled as a type E is actually a type 5 (as per Haynes).
At any rate, Burton and the 'bible' seem to differ on which is which.



>> Edited by grahamw48 on Tuesday 22 March 16:55

[niva441]

From my recent fun trying to work out how to replace the nylon gearlever bush, I found that the Bible is wrong in this case. The Burton site provided some wonderful and much need clarity as the pictures clearly showed which gearbox was fitted.

I managed to find a secondhand Capri bush, but fellow PH'er Avalon has prepared a drawing of it.

Possibly it's something that should be on the Wedgepages.

Moore Racing did have a couple of gearboxes with quickshifts ready, I think they wanted about £150 for them (an expensive way to replace 10pence of nylon). Apparently the quickshift conversion was a gearbox out job and not just a lever replacement.

[grady]

Thanks to Allan's V-8 conversion, I have scored a used bushing which he describes as "brittle".

If Avalon is doing CAD drawings maybe we could get some made up (in plastic or metal) for future needs.