Help, my Rover won't shift into 2nd gear!

[Faulkner34]

Hello again!

So after finally getting my '73 SIII running well yet another issue has arisen (I know, I know....this is probably to be expected).

For some reason in the last two weeks my Rover will no longer shift into 2nd gear. The issue isn't that it makes a grinding sound when I try to shift into 2nd but rather that the gear shift simply won't go into 2nd. The shift feels almost as if it is blocked from going into 2nd gear.

I have no problem getting it into reverse, 1st, 3rd and 4th but the gear shift won't physically go into 2nd gear. The first couple times it happened I pulled off to the side of the road, came to a stop, depressed the clutch and cycled the gear shift through each of the gears except 2nd a few times and then when I took off driving again I could get it to go into 2nd. I tried that tonight without success - the only way to get back home was to shift from 1st to 3rd gear.

I installed a new clutch master cylinder last spring. I haven't checked the slave cylinder yet but assume if that went then I would have problems getting into all gears?

Anybody have any thoughts on what might be going on or what I should do to troubleshoot this further?

Thank you as always!

Jason

[LaneRover]

Any chance its as simple as something getting stuck in the linkages?

[SafeAirOne]

Check the condition of the little ball and rubber ring (or plastic buffer) on the transmission end of the gearshift lever. If there is wear or the buffer is broken, it could allow you to shift out of a gear and into neural without fully positioning the selector rod for the previous gear. If the selector rod isn't properly positioned, it can lock out the other gear selector rods.

[Faulkner34]

Check the condition of the little ball and rubber ring (or plastic buffer) on the transmission end of the gearshift lever. If there is wear or the buffer is broken, it could allow you to shift out of a gear and into neural without fully positioning the selector rod for the previous gear. If the selector rod isn't properly positioned, it can lock out the other gear selector rods.

Thanks for the suggestion! I will give that a shot.

[clearcut]

HI

If Mark's idea does not work you, I had the same issue. Here are the pictures

1138211383

Did a full rebuild done on transmission after finding this issue

josh

[Faulkner34]

HI

If Mark's idea does not work you, I had the same issue. Here are the pictures

1138211383

Did a full rebuild done on transmission after finding this issue

josh

Thanks for letting me know. Very much hoping Mark's solution works as I am now envisioning significant $ signs!

[neil.peru]

Hi Jason;

My LRS2a-109-70's truck was having some similar issues; but except that I had to push really hard to go onto 2nd and 3rd but when I will start slowing down these gears will disengage and will pop out. I end up bringing it to my Mechanic and he had to open/dismantle the gear box and found that the synchronizer had a crack on it, the main shaft had some wear and some other small things which created some play in the internals and allowed for the shifts not to be engaged all the time. All, parts and labor, cost me $500 in Peru.

One thing my mechanic tried before fixing the gearbox was something external at the base of the gear handle (under a small cover), like Mark explains, he installed some metal fillers under a spring to help the gear to stay on position, but it did not work, so we went into the gear box.

Hope is not something extensive, but I guess it is the beauty of having a LR that get us smiling all the time we drive on them.
Regards.
Neil

[Manny]

11386

This is from a Series 2a but the S3 is very similar. make sure the washer (in green in this photo) has not broken into pieces and lodged into the gear selector. I had the same problem as you and this is what was causing it

[Faulkner34]

11386

This is from a Series 2a but the S3 is very similar. make sure the washer (in green in this photo) has not broken into pieces and lodged into the gear selector. I had the same problem as you and this is what was causing it


Thanks Manny - that is helpful. Hoping to dive into this over the weekend

[Manny]

Did you find your problem?

[Faulkner34]

Did you find your problem?

I believe I did and it seems like a simple fix. When I took the boot off from over the gear shift lever I noticed the bolt that holds the lever in place (so it doesn't rotate) had backed out. As a result the shift lever had some ability to rotate more than it should. I tightened the bolt and put some tape over it to ensure it stays secured and shifting into 2nd gear is now possible again!

[lumpydog]

Nice work! Now back that bolt out, put a little loctite on it and tighten it back up. No place for tape on a Rover.

[Manny]

Nice! I love an easy fix