Gearbox rebuild difficulty

[Skerd]

A transmission client of mine has decided to retire one year sooner than planned. It is now or never if I want him to repair my (minor) transmission problem. It is "the usual noise made when going into 2nd or 3rd at higher rpm" Higher rpm defined as 4,500 for second. Everything else is perfect. I use to think they all do it, so why bother. But a 1988 Esprit I use to have was rebuilt by the new owner and now that car shifts at redline like a Honda! If a 1988 can, why can't a 1995?

The question is is there anything special/unusual/strange about the Lotus gearbox that someone who has worked on transmissions for over fourty years would not know? Is there any Lotus only special tools required that are a must have? Any tips to share? I called JAE and Jeff said they sell anything I would need, so part availability is no problem.

[rob.ellis]

Skerd

THere some interesting info on gearbox rebuilds on mike o'sullivan's site:

http://users.rcn.com/mosull/Lotus/Mods/transmission.htm

Also, suggest that if you were to post on the UK yahoo group you may get a better response. We have a number of esprit-owner guys with engineering backgrounds who could maybe give you some additional insight (yahoo, groups, UKLotusEsprit).

Cheers
Rob

[cnh1990]

The 88 and the 95 first of all would shift a little different from each other, they do after all have different makes of transmission. The 88 has a Citroen and the 95 has a Renault box. A newly serived box would shift better than before. Just out of curiosity has the fluids ever been changed in the 95 box? It is supposed to be serviced at the normal intervals. The new Redline fluid will make it shift better. Special tool? maybe to set the roll pins I think Tim made the one we use.
Calvin
Calvin

[Skerd]

Sorry for the delay, but I couldn't access this site for a while. The gearbox fluid was changed about ten months ago. That did seem to help a little. Would you believe my transmission client is trying to talk me out of doing it! He says there is not enough wrong with it, and it is junk to begin with. I think I will wait until it is worse.

[cnh1990]

How many miles does it have?
Are the shifter cables adjusted correctly?

[cnh1990]

Define "that usual noise when going into 2nd or 3rd"?
Maybe you just need a shift alignment ot the cables stretched a bit.

[Skerd]

Calvin:

It has 57,000 miles. About 6 months ago the linkage broke. The dealer reattached it, and the shifter feel was instantly much better. Tighter, less slop, just better feeling in every way. That noise is a grinding/crunching noise which ONLY happens at high rpm gear changes from 1st to 2nd , and a lesser degree from 2nd to 3rd. Unfortunately now with my BOV installed, since I rarely shift at full boost/high rpm's, it does not get utilized how it wants to. I am going to have the gearbox fluid changed soon (about 18,000 miles since last done).

[cnh1990]

Well I can't say that the sound in normal. Mine does not make that sound. It did make that type of sound a few years ago when I first got the car as it had the dreaded red hose. After that, the hydraulics rebuild and system bleeding it is fine. Not any type of sound like that. With grinding like that it is taking a beating. must fix it. Seems like an adjustment problem or the clutch fork is not being pressed in all the way or something like that. Well I really have low miles for my car being a 90 so maybe that's it.
Calvin 90 SE