LT77 Shift Remote Issues! (Chimaera 430)

[andrewcheesman]

Hello all! Brand new member - bought an incredible '93 Chim 430 about two weeks ago, ran into my first gremlin yesterday. The shift lever behaved like any other manual prior, and then in a matter of about half an hour I started to observe the below symptoms:

1. I can engage all 6 gears (5F 1R); in gear, the car behaves normally
2. In neutral, I can move the shifter around more or less 360 degrees - imagine the handle of a spoon that's stuck in a bowl. I.e. I can engage 3rd gear by moving the handle to the right from in 1st, without moving back into the center of the pattern
3. To engage a gear, I need to push the shifter at the extent of a given gear's position until you feel it engage, then release the clutch. It's basically by feel
4. When in gear, I can play the shift level forwards and back freely a few inches

I've done some research that suggests it could be either a) a couple loose bolts around the top of the linkage assembly b) worn or disintegrated rubber bushes c) a worn shift cup d) a loose grub screw? Talked with the PO's service shop, they suggested it was likely the loose bolts.

Any thoughts? Has any one run into this issue and fixed it?

Thanks all - excited to be part of the community

[andrewbr]

Sounds like the lower bushing on the gearlever is cracked or disintegrated. I had to do this recently, not the most fun repair job.

Couple of helpful threads on here about it, also a somewhat-recent post on the TVR Chimaera Facebook group if you're on there.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
https://www.gomog.com/allmorgan/remoteissues.html

You need these components:
https://partsfortvrs.com/tvr-parts/part-details/tv...
https://partsfortvrs.com/tvr-parts/part-details/tv...
https://partsfortvrs.com/tvr-parts/part-details/tv...

Remove the centre console to take the gearlever out, you'll be able to see from the top if the bushing is still there or not.

Put the new bushing in (with some grease) and from below put on the new circlip. This is the fun part, but it can be done. You don't have to disassemble the whole lower linkage as mentioned in the other threads, but removing the reverse light switch does give you more room. The trick is to move the selector assembly side-to-side to give you clearance for the circlip pliers. Be patient with it and good luck.

[andrewcheesman]

This is fantastic information - thank you! I had come across that Morgan page - glad to see I was on the right track.

Going to crack into the console this weekend, likely - will take photos in case they're helpful to someone in the future.

[MikeE]

I've had to do this. It's not just the nylon cup that wers out, it's at various other points in the mechanism too. Personally I'd remove the leaver from the top then remove the entire remote linkage Aluminum 'saddle' piece with the mechanism still in it, from underneath the car, it can be maneuvered around the side of the gearbox in situ.

Then on the bench you can easily:

- replace the nylon ball joint and circlip
- replace the two small rose joints (being careful to make sure the new ones are adjusted to be the same length as the old ones you take off)
- fix where the rose joint mechanism is bolted to the gear selector rod coming out of the box (with a single square bolt I think). This goes oval over time and makes for a sloppy shift, you should drill and tap an extra couple of grub screws in here to massively improve the shift, that's a tip I got from Grantura Engineering
- check the brass bushes in the aluminum 'saddle' and replace to if they are warn

[SwervinIrvin]

On my 93, I found the set screw that attaches the linkage to the shaft to be loose It could be sliding on the shaft causing your problems. You can get to it from under the car, it’s a tight fit though. Look for the square set screw

[pits]

Sod of job if you don't have a ramp, make sure you mark where the forked spring is so you can install eeverything back in place, I personally just levered mine to the side to get it out, on a ramp it is no more than a half hour job, on a jack and stands its a good 3-4 hours

[andrewcheesman]

Findings after a first foray into the car's guts:

- Removal of the center console was straightforward. Only had screws under the rear tray, after that sticky vinyl was the most significant structural element holding everything together

- Bits of electrics and the door cables underneath, photographed and disconnected and/or just pushed aside
- The shift lever was surrounded by a rubber gasket fixed to the GRP tunnel by rivets - those were drilled out easily enough to allow access

- No apparent issues from the top of the box - nothing loose, nothing obviously deteriorated

~HOWEVER~

- Crawled under, and after asking the shop assistant (my dad) to wiggle the stick, the problem became apparent - the vinyl gear lever boot/cup is just simply gone!
- Not sure how visible things are in this final photo but the end of the gear lever is just floating around inside the ring at the end of the rod that engages the gearbox - explains pretty clearly why it was necessary to really push to get into gear, and why there's plenty of play back/forth when in gear



Thanks for all the info and support, all. andrewbr, already have the necessary bits en route thanks to your post. Will return with more info once complete...

Edited by andrewcheesman on Sunday 26th June 19:46

Edited by andrewcheesman on Sunday 26th June 19:47

Edited by andrewcheesman on Sunday 26th June 19:48

[andrewcheesman]

Touching back now that things are buttoned-up again:

Ended up deciding to extract the whole shift yoke after a few hours attempting (and failing) to fiddle the circlip into place. There must've been some kind of deformity or rubbing on the rod, b/c even that took some "coaxing" (with a prybar) after removing the 10mm square nut and the cable attachment, and the yoke was fine upon inspection.

After the yoke was out, installing the new shift boot and the circlip was a snap; reinserting the yoke required more "coaxing" (this time in reverse, of course). The anti-rattle spring/plunger bit on the gear
lever was also a pain in the butt - shot across the garage a couple of times, but reinserted the gear lever, reinstalled the center console - good to go.

Thanks all for the input!