Trouble getting into third gear

[RobM77]

Towards the end of my first test session in my Roadsport race car I was having trouble getting down into 3rd gear from fourth. It was ok for the rest of the day (though a bit stiff on all gears). Does anyone have any ideas? The clutch biting point is midway, all other gears are fine, my heel and toe is fine, there's no crunching at all - it just won't go in! I've checked the little plastic bit where the gearstick connects to the gearchange rod and it seems ok, but then again I'm not sure what it's supposed to look like..

Any thoughts greatly appreciated before I take the gearbox out!

[peter-2006]

Try Road and Race Transmissions as they do the gear box rebuilds. Contact details here(www.applegate.co.uk/company/13/64/802.htm). Quite a common problem that we've had a couple of times.

[Pugsey]

RobM77 said:

Towards the end of my first test session in my Roadsport race car I was having trouble getting down into 3rd gear from fourth. It was ok for the rest of the day (though a bit stiff on all gears). Does anyone have any ideas? The clutch biting point is midway, all other gears are fine, my heel and toe is fine, there's no crunching at all - it just won't go in! I've checked the little plastic bit where the gearstick connects to the gearchange rod and it seems ok, but then again I'm not sure what it's supposed to look like..

Any thoughts greatly appreciated before I take the gearbox out!

This is going to sound stupid - but bare with me. I raced a Roadsport - all bare ali inside and the centre tunnel tends to take a pounding as you jump in and out and gets dented and unsightly. Caterham do a repair panel - just an ali cover that you fix over the original tunnel. Team fitted one for me and all was fine - trouble was they didn't get as far as testing it in third. Out on track, 1st, 2nd then clunk! Fit that panel a few mm to much towards the rear and you effectively blank off 3rd gear. A few people have done it! Have you?

[RobM77]

peter-2006 said:

Try Road and Race Transmissions as they do the gear box rebuilds. Contact details here(www.applegate.co.uk/company/13/64/802.htm). Quite a common problem that we've had a couple of times.

I've had a chat with them and they didn't mention it as a common problem. They got me to check a few things like gearbox oil, clutch biting point etc. Failing that it's gearbox out and down to them for repair! Before I do that I thought I'd just find out a bit more!

[rubystone]

Is it a 6 speed Rob? If so, having experienced two problems with these in 2 different cars, the first sign is often a reluctance to change from 4th to 3rd - eventually (in fact very soon after first experiencing this) it'll refuse to come out of 3rd and at that point you could find that the rebuild cost goes up significantly. Phil rebuilds boxes for very reasonable money and in your situation I'd whip it out and have it down to him. He'll also upgrade it with the latest mods.

[RobM77]

rubystone said:

Is it a 6 speed Rob? If so, having experienced two problems with these in 2 different cars, the first sign is often a reluctance to change from 4th to 3rd - eventually (in fact very soon after first experiencing this) it'll refuse to come out of 3rd and at that point you could find that the rebuild cost goes up significantly. Phil rebuilds boxes for very reasonable money and in your situation I'd whip it out and have it down to him. He'll also upgrade it with the latest mods.

Sorry, I should have said - it's a 5 speed.