Suddenly lost reverse gear

[Quietlybonkers]

Wednesday night I reversed the car into its garage as normal. Reverse gear has never been a problem on this car, I have only had to use fifth first about once in twenty times.
Yesterday I got it out, and drove off to go to the James Staines Memorial Drive in Southend (114 miles away).
Stopped off halfway for fuel and needed reverse gear. It wouldn't go into reverse. Lever felt like it was hitting something solid (the edge of the hole it goes through?) before the cog was engaged. I could hear (and feel) a slight cogs noise, but no matter how many times I tried, including going into fifth and then reverse, it wouldn't engage.
At the Memorial Drive a Tuscan owner with a garage business tried it for me with no better results, and when i asked him was it a linkage problem, he said he thought it was a gear selector issue and the box would have to come out to fix it. I have tried it several times since, still feels exactly the same, as if something has completely changed.

Anyone had this happen before, and anyone got any other ideas? Clearly it will have to go to the skilled technician with the monkey wrench on Monday unless it is something simple that can be fixed by an ordinary numpty like me, but ideas from you experienced guys would be really useful.

[peaktorque]

Always 5th-to-reverse. Try slowly releasing the clutch as you select.

[JPW231]

I had read somewhere that it was advised not to go into 5th first as it contributed to premature wear on the selector for 5th!
What's the best advice?

Sorry to hear about your woes. Hope that you get things sorted quickly and with little inconvenience.

[GJR]

Quietlybonkers said:

I have only had to use fifth first about once in twenty times.... he said he thought it was a gear selector issue and the box would have to come out to fix it.

I guess you can't rule out a real issue that results in a trip to a garage, but as peaktorque says, try lifting the clutch an inch when you are trying to engage reverse. I find I have to do that with mine every now and again. I think when the gear fails to engage it's natural to think you have to push the clutch pedal down further, right through the floor. But, I found by accident that it will pop into gear if you lift the clutch a little. It's probably also worth trying to get into a routine of always using fifth to reverse rather than only using it when reverse is difficult to select. If you go straight for reverse and only go for fifth-reverse after grinding the cogs there couldbe accumulative damage over time.

[Quietlybonkers]

Thanks guys - just been outside and tried it again, exactly the same as yesterday. There's a sound and feel of a gear lightly grating, but no feeling that it is actually trying to mesh. This is the same with and without the clutch. Afraid it feels like something is broken and is sitting loose.

Off to the man with the knowhow and the titanium monkey wrench (it IS a Chimp, after all) on Tuesday (busy tomorrow).

[Quietlybonkers]

PS, car came with a three month warranty......which expires on 10th August.....

[Chilliman]

Sorry to hear this Anthony. Agree with what the guys above say, I always use 5th first and occasionally have to lift the clutch a touch..

Chilli.

[Quietlybonkers]

Thanks Dick. I actually usually do lift the clutch slightly - old habit from Mini days ( and I mean 1967 Mini, not these German lookalikes). Sadly, it is a sudden and complete change, and whilst i have not heard anything break, broken is how it feels.

[GJR]

JPW231 said:

I had read somewhere that it was advised not to go into 5th first as it contributed to premature wear on the selector for 5th!

Since the reverse gear has no synchromesh, the gear speed needs to be synchronised against one of the other gears. I don't imagine it matters which you choose, but fifth is simply the easiest one to go for. Since fifth and reverse are probably the least used gears I can't imagine that the number of 5-R selection sequences comes anywhere near the number of lower gear selections over the lifetime of a gearbox.

[V8 GRF]

I always go 1st then reverse, especially as 5th is a weak gear.

The fact it's just grinding suggests that maybe the clutch needs adjusting and isn't quite de-selected?

[Quietlybonkers]

Thanks V8 - more a gentle coggy whirry noise than actual grind - no feeling of any resistance. All thoughts gratefully received, just in case either there's something i can do myself, or I am being a muppet and missing the obvious.

[GJR]

V8 GRF, can you explain why the fifth gear is weak? Do you mean that it's components/construction are physically weaker than the lower gears. If so, what JPW231 has read is likely correct.

[haircutmike]

5th is weak, not sure of the technicalaties, (John Read will know) but I lost 5th, last year.

Crusing on the motorway at 65-70, (wife behind ) and I lost 5th, revs rising and no drive!

Seems it "fell off" the shaft and floated to the bottom of the box.......

Nothing to do with reverse, just thought I'd share.

Good luck with the fix QB.

[V8 GRF]

GJR said:

V8 GRF, can you explain why the fifth gear is weak? Do you mean that it's components/construction are physically weaker than the lower gears. If so, what JPW231 has read is likely correct.

I seem to remember reading that it was an inherent design issue, smaller gear/shaft or something as it was added into a design that was originally a four speed so the fifth gear was shoehorned into the casing.

That might be a figment of my imagination but I've been told several times not to boot it hard in fifth because of that, I believe it was an issue with AJP Cerberas as well.

[Chilliman]

Peter, is there anything that HASN'T gone wrong with your car?

[Simon says]

Can you select rev without the engine running and then start the motor to see if its a clutch fault, quite frankly cant see this is the case however as reverse will go into gear clutch down or not at all though it will protest obviously for those saying 5th gear is bad for using before selecting rev just how much torque do you think a motor is making at idle? you are just stopping the input shaft from rotating as even with the clutch disengaged you will always get slight rotation of the input shaft (dragging) no synchromesh on rev you see

[Tavan]

Simon YHM

[haircutmike]

Chilliman said:

Peter, is there anything that HASN'T gone wrong with your car?

NO!

Actually,yes.........................................................................................................Ah no, thinking about it.


All will be fine in a few months, ze master plan is taking shape im meine kopf!

[Simon says]

Come on Peter TA roller rockers and a solid cam.

[haircutmike]

Simon says said:

Come on Peter TA roller rockers and a solid cam.

I had a solid cam and lifters, that went all pear shaped!

Aren't roller rockers an arm and a leg?

Roller lifters would be sooo good.