No Reverse or 5th gear - Diagnosis Advice needed

[NoahR]

Hi all,

I'm back with another question - This time on shifting. I seemed to have completely lost the ability to get into reverse and am looking for some advice on where to start with diagnosing my problems.

I've never driven another Elan so I can't comment on how bad my shifter slop (in all gears) is compared to others, but it does feel pretty awful. Specifically, it's been getting harder and more fiddly to find reverse on the shifter for a while, but I now totally can not get the car into reverse. Moving the shifter right and down hasn't ever really been a problem, but I often seem to end up selecting a forward gear, rather than managing to nail reverse because it's so loose and hard to find - ocasionally it does click, though.

Because, even after a good few minutes of not finding reverse, it does click in without issue, I don't think it's a gearbox issue and instead something todo with the selecting system.

I've read other threads on here that I can find and seem relevant - In one, Dapinky suggested that the 'cross-gate gear selector cable [may have] gone out of adjustment'. - Could someone advise on what this is and where to start with having a play with this? - Sorry, a bit lost!

I haven't yet had the opportunity to drive the car fast enough to get into 5th, but with the engine off, getting into 5th feels like a struggle as well, and I'm not convinced it gets into gear.

I've taken a look at what I think is the end of the cable (?) and its attatched, and feels solid. The bracket it attaches to, however, has some play (not sure how much is normal). I've uploaded a video of me running through the gears 1 - 4, and then trying to get into 5th and then reverse, and a video of me showing the play at the end point. - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing

I wonder if replacing the top nylon bush shown in this post - viewtopic.php?f=48&t=30558 - and the endpoint video might help with the play, and that might be the issue making it hard to get into gear. I sort of imagine this alone won't fix it though.

Separate good news - the car only very slightly missed the MOT pass. - The drop links for the front anti-roll bar were bad - in the interest of time, I have ordered two from SJ Sports, so hopefully should have a pass sometime next week. Thank you for all the help so far, everyone!

Thanks in advance!

[Tuga2112]

look up gear cables in the forum.

usually the other cable fails. and you get only 1-3-5 or 2-4-R

i can send you a video of what your looking for on facebook if ytour there.

[NoahR]

Tuga, I've got 1, 2, 3, and 4 fine, but can't get 5 or R - which is a bit confusing. They are sloppy, but getting in and out of them isn't a problem at all.

I'm on both of the Facebook groups, yes - I'll send you a PM with my Facebook.

[KenS]

Not sure if it helps, but post viewtopic.php?f=48&t=29368 had no reverse and 5th, but ended with cable rusted and broken (has a photo of where)

[NoahR]

Not sure if it helps, but post viewtopic.php?f=48&t=29368 had no reverse and 5th, but ended with cable rusted and broken (has a photo of where)

Thanks Ken - I had seen that one as that's where Dapinky mentioned about the cross-gate gear selector cable being out from. I'll have another dig through the workshop manuals and see if I can find anything about how to adjust it.

[NoahR]

Interesting update, I've found that by reaching in the engine bay where the shift cables go to, I can sort of push/pull two different brackets to pull the shifter side, and then into reverse - all from in the engine bay haha! - It then drives in reverse, no problem.

So I can't actually select it from the shifter, but I can get it directly. The cables feel tight when I press on them, but given that the end linkage works, I assume the issue is either in the shift mechanism or in the cables. When I get some time, I'll do more digging around the car.

[NoahR]

Further update;

A) Car passed its MOT yesterday! Thank you for the help across my threads, everyone.

B) While the shifter goes rightwards very easily, it doesn't actually engage the crossgate arm most of the time. When it does work, I have to be very precise about getting the shifter on the right plane, then pulling it rightwards is difficult, but it does engage the crossgate arm and, in turn, can engage reverse. It does however go into first and second fine, so it can go leftwards on the same plane without any issues.

[jcfx11]

I had a look at your endpoint video, there is too much movement on the crossgate lever you are moving. That pin and the plastic bushes are the parts I replaced on mine, I got them from SJS as per my post on sloppy gearshifts.

After I replaced the pin and bushes I had no lost movement on the crossgate lever.

John

plastic bush

[NoahR]

Thanks John - I've added those to the SJ order!

I assume I remove the circlip and it will all fall apart, then just reverse to put it back together?

Haven't ordered cables as I think mine might be okay - we shall see once I reassemble everything.

[NoahR]

Just as an update for anyone reading this in the future:

My shifter bracket, which attaches the shifter to the car, was actually broken. I replaced that and adjusted the cables as per the manual, and now all seems happy/much better than before!