Crunch in 5th and reverse !!

[diggerjohno]

Picked up my "new" 2001 Tuscan on Friday and yes its all true. My face hurts so much i cant stop smiling, even when i got caught in the rain in a traffic jam on the A12.......Roof and back window tucked away nicely in the garage at home !! Yes i looked a prat but still smiling. Anyway i guess the first of a few posts...i cant get my Tus into 5th without a massive crunch, its the same with reverse. Also all the gears are quite difficult to get in most of the time but its 5th and reverse that crunch !! Any ideas?

[lady topaz]

You do have to go into 5th prior to engaging reverse. Without doing so will result in a reverse gear crunch. With regard to a 5th gear crunch, this is not an uncommon problem. It was discussed on here a while back but I cant find the link. Those more mechanically able than I should have a solution for you.

Di

[Mustang Baz]

Scott - agreed with Diane on the 5th gear before reverse, every time!

Try this link - www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=59360&f=5&h=0&p=2 - which contains some handy hints on initial ownership.

Welcome to the club.....keep smiling, keep patient......and keep some cash in the bank

>> Edited by Mustang Baz on Monday 10th April 17:35

[L1OFF]

Hard to get into all gears, and crunches on 5th & reverse. Sorry mate sounds like the clutch to me.
What miles has it done? they normally give up at 20K (ish)
Alan

[diggerjohno]

I need to check the paperwork but im sure it has recently had (in the past year) the cluch changed. The engine was rebuilt a year ago (done approx 5k on it), im sure the previous owner said he had the cluch done at the same time. Any other symptoms if the cluch is going?, as i said all the other gears 1 - 4 are quite hard to engage but this might be normal. The problem is worse when im at a stand still. Yes i have been informed to engage 5th before engaging reverse. Which makes the whole thing twice as bad. Other than that what a truly amazing feeling driving a car which seems to have no limits. Looking forward to the hot sunny days, might even cancel the family summer holiday, wouldnt wana miss an oppotunity to go out ! Just dont tell the wife. ;-)

>> Edited by diggerjohno on Monday 10th April 23:20

[yzf1070]

diggerjohno said:

I need to check the paperwork but im sure it has recently had (in the past year) the cluch changed. The engine was rebuilt a year ago (done approx 5k on it), im sure the previous owner said he had the cluch done at the same time. Any other symptoms if the cluch is going?, as i said all the other gears 1 - 4 are quite hard to engage but this might be normal. The problem is worse when im at a stand still. Yes i have been informed to engage 5th before engaging reverse. Which makes the whole thing twice as bad. Other than that what a truly amazing feeling driving a car which seems to have no limits. Looking forward to the hot sunny days, might even cancel the family summer holiday, wouldnt wana miss an oppotunity to go out ! Just dont tell the wife. ;-) >> Edited by diggerjohno on Monday 10th April 23:20

At a long shot I would first check the clutch fluid level, if its low top it up and inspect the hydraulic lines. But I think its worth your while reading up on clutch failures within the forums. Whilst I have'nt personnally experienced a failed clutch with mine (wasn't on the road long enough), gear selection was easy in every gear stationary or moving. Reverse was always selected after having hooked up 5th first and never crunched in either, except for when I forgot and put it straight into reverse and even then it was only slight. From what I have read on here previously, and what you are describing it does sound as if the pressure plate fingers are starting to break off. TVRCraft do a superior clutch mechanism althogether, or for a cheaper alternative they have my original gearbox and clutch assembly which has covered 7200 miles from new. Dave may be willing to do a deal with you on my old clutch assembly if your interested.

Autocraft Special Vehicle Engineering Ltd
Unit 11 Harnham Trading Estate
Salisbury SP2 8NW
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

www.autocraftsve.co.uk

Good luck
G

[LEERDAM23]

Re 5th gear crunch.

Does it do it whilst you are underway? Does changing from 3rd to 5th make it worse? Does changing from 1st to 5th at high 1st gear rpm's make it much worse?

Could be 5th gear syncromesh, i had a failure myself, but the dealer fixed it under warrenty.

[christiaan]

Sounds very similar to my Tuscan 2.... 3000 miles into ownership. Starts to crunch into 5th and reverse.... diagnosis:.... those finger jobbies breaking off.... solution... new clutch and gearbox sent to Blackpool to have 5th and reverse gear replaced.

[diggerjohno]

Oh dear that sound very expensive, what sort of money am i looking at? I think the best bet is to get to my local dealer, CASTLE TVR. and get it looked at. shame as ive only had her 4 days. But what a fantastic 4 days. Even driving her the 40 miles to CASTLE will be a pleasure.

[christiaan]

No idea what that would cost as mine was free.... new car and all that... Good luck!

[J_S_G]

Don't put the car into 5th everytime before engaging reverse - especially if 5th itself is crunching... It's the weakest gear in the box (all the issues around the circlip, etc). Absolutely use another gear first to solve the problem with reverse... I'd suggest alternating between them. Personally, I tended to use 3rd and 4th most knowing that 2nd got more of a hammering during general driving as I was always changing up/down through it, 1st isn't the easiest gear to get into itself, and 5th had probably been overused for this by previous owners (in principle there's not problem for using 5th for this, it's just not ideal to ALWAYS use 5th for that).

If 5th is starting to crunch on changes during change-up, it generally means the synchromesh is starting to wear on it. If you find it crunches more the higher the revs when changing, this'll add more weight to that being the cause. If that is the case, it'll get worse over time, but you can easily go for months/years without it needing financial assistance if you're sympathetic to it (and depending on how long it's been like that). If you're having real problems with it (5th) at a stand-still, it could be the clutch rather than the gearbox.

Hope that's of some help...

[nelly1]

Must be the season for it

Mine has just started getting harder to engage gears, particularly at standstill.......occasionally can't get any gears at all and have to turn the engine off / engage gear / start engine with clutch depressed.

Seems to point to either :-

a - the clutch cylinder seals going, so the clutch is not disengaging properly;
b - the diaphragm fingers starting to go, so the clutch does not always disengage evenly...or (long shot)
c - just air in the system - a quick bleed and everything will be sweetness and light!

Personally, my money's on (b) as sh*t happens, but even in its' weakened state, it took a hell of a thrashing on saturday at Santa Pod and still got me home (funny - seemed better after a good thrash!).

Now, if it could just get me through the rolling road day this saturday I'll be WELL chuffed!!

Look on the bright side - at least there isn't the supply problem there was a few months ago - the turn around is only a couple of days
Best to get it sorted out before the decent weather eventually () gets here......

Neill

[basil brush]

If it's a then you should be able to tell from the fluid level dropping and fluid on the ground under the car. The situation will get worse very quickly.

If it's b then it did seem better when the car was warm than cold when mine started to go last year. It will get worse more gradually than in a until all the fingers snap and you have no clutch at all.

It could possibly be your master cylinder too.

[Syko]

Mine seems to be hard to get into and out of FORST gear. The others seem fine. Any clues anyone? 22K miles, clutch replaced 2000 miles ago.