Gearbox problem

[Andy G]

I will preface this posting by warning everybody that when god was handing out the engineering brains I was obviously asleep. However I have a problem with my Ford sport gearbox it seems that whatever holds the clutch release arm in the bell housing has come adrift/ gone/ exited the gearbox, so it is to paraphrase a python

"a dead gearbox". Others more technically minded have advised me to get a new gearbox housing and I am taking the oppurtunity to recondition the gearbox at the same time. I have 2 questions?

1. I believe that a Ford Sport gearbox has to be modified in some way to fit into a seven, lugs cut off or something? any advice would be helpful.

2. Is there any point in messing around with the ratios whilst the gearbox is in pieces, and if so who is good at supplying the bits.

The car is used on the road, for track days and possibly the odd sprint next year, it is a 1989 1700 supersprint.

TYIAOYH

Andy G

[Allan Haighton]

Andy,

I dont think you can get a new (bell) housing for the 4 speed gearbox - the whole lot (bell housing and gear case) come as one heavy cast iron lump. Since the release lever pivots on a replaceable pin, it sounds a simple fix (but I´ve thought that before.....)

 

SPC in Redditch (see ad . in Low Flying) can fettle internals or fit Quaife straight cut close ratio internals instead. I guess they could fix a problem with your housing - or get one for you if need be.

The SC/CR bits are great on track, but the taller first gear makes pulling away from a standing start a bit of a pain with the 3.64 ratio Ital back axle. So at Curborough you loose a bit on the 64´time, but get it back on the rest of the track.

 

 

 

[R2D2]

Caterham suggest cutting off on lug from the Sport box but even if you don't cut it off the box still fits.

 

The lug theu suggest cutting off is on the bottom of the box at the rear of the gearbox casing and is on the centreline. It is triangular shaped with a hole about 1" diameter in the middle.

 

Removing prevents in from grounding over speed humps.

 

If the pin that holds the clutch arm has pulled out of the casing it could be a pain in the a**e. I think (?) the pin is a press fit into the inegral bell housing and the hole it fits into must have worn slightly over the years.

 

I think the only real fix may be to make up a new pin with a larger diameter location, ream out the hole and press the new pin into place with a reasonable amount of interference. (.002" should be enough)

 

The alternative is to make a pin with a threaded end and tap the bellhousing. I would use a UNC thread into the cast iron. Fit the pin with Loctite so it won't come loose.

[Andy G]

Thanks for the help guys, Chris, the pin and any recognisable method of fixing it appears to be missing, plus the fact that around the area where the clutch release mechanism fits into the housing it is so worn that the clutch release arm or I suspect a succession of them, have worn through the housing so I think a new housing is in order!

 

 

 

Edited by - Andy G on 25 Nov 2001 13:45:35