Chimaera gear box.

[gadgit]

Been to look at a Chimaera today (1998 model) as I'm intending to get another TVR if all goes well.

Car was in very good order, but had a job getting reverse gear. The car had been like this when the owner bought it, and he was told to select 5th gear and then reverse to make is a bit better to drop into reverse. I have driven a Chimaera before with no problems with any gears.

Is there an inherant difficulty in reverse gear on some models?

Or could this be a problem with the box?

Apart from this the car seemed fine.

Advise please!!!

gadgit.

[T5AMX]

I owned a 1999 one and never had any problems with that

[GreenV8S]

gadgit said:

Car was in very good order, but had a job getting reverse gear. The car had been like this when the owner bought it, and he was told to select 5th gear and then reverse to make is a bit better to drop into reverse.

That's perfectly normal IME. If you don't need to do this then it probably means the gearbox oil is too thick or summat.

[ariddell]

Yep, mine does that too.

You can get it into reverse without going to 5th first but it's way easier and avoids any risk of crunching noises to do so.

Becomes second nature very quickly. I think it mentioned that this was perfectly normal in the bible too if memory serves.

[P400PLS]

Mine's the same and I recall threads on this issue previously.
It appears this is nothing unusual.

5th then reverse is automatic for me now.

[alaws]

Yep mine does it too on a '97 box. Quite common I think. 5th then reverse works OK.

Andy

[E2DJH]

TADTS!
My understanding (I'm not technical,this is what was told) is that there is no synchromesh on the reverse gear, hence the slight reluctance to engage. I lways go into 5th first.

[gadgit]

Thanks everyone!

And yes, its great on this site (in the TVR section) for a response.

gadgit.