My car when changing into 2nd gear from 1st or 3rd crunches half the time, unless you put it in really REALLY slowly...it also occasionally does it in 3rd too. Is it common for TR's to have gearbox problems? What could be causing this? (apart from the obvious) :confused:

Manual? Your 2nd gear synchros are gone.

Slow down the speed of your gearchanging and the crunching should reduce.

eg:
1st,
put clutch in
(wait 1 sec)
move lever to 2nd slowly
(wait 1 sec)
let clutch out


Learn to match revs to roadspeed and the layshaft gears' internal speed
and you won't have to rely on the synchros so much.

50yrs ago synchros weren't common in cars, so everyone had to learn
how to drive properly otherwise they'd be rebuilding their gearboxes every year.

yeah thats what i thought it would be, was hoping it would be something not as serious though :cry: i hope it doesnt get any worse too soon, coz for now i can put up with having to change gears slowly :)

Synchros use friction to do their work (sync'ing the speed between gear clusters), so the less you rely on it the whole gearbox lasts longer.

Gearbox's oil causes drag on the gears so there's a little bit of friction there too... which helps the synchros do less work if you take it easy & slow on the stick.

Ifeel your pain.. My clutch is going and its really annoying. Hope you are able to get it fixed up soon. :)

I have similar problems, except with first and second. Mainly happens when it's cold. Do a search for 'synchros' and you'll find out a fair bit.

I highly recommend that you get thinner oil put into your gearbox. Get some of the special stuff for front wheel drive cars with shift problems. Madmagna most likely knows the best oil to use.

I have similar problems, except with first and second. Mainly happens when it's cold. Do a search for 'synchros' and you'll find out a fair bit.

I highly recommend that you get thinner oil put into your gearbox. Get some of the special stuff for front wheel drive cars with shift problems. Madmagna most likely knows the best oil to use.


I second that, a thinner oil will definately help your worn synchros because the thinner oil will move through the little grooves on the synchro much easier giving you friction and synchronisation sooner. This is only delaying the inevitable though, a rebuild.

Rebuild eh?

Heh, I can just imagine down at the mechanic.....

I'm sorry sir, there aren't any more manual gearboxes for the magnas about. There aren't any parts around for us to do a rebuild. Would you like to do a manual to auto conversion?

*AM member screams, beats chest and drowns self in nearest 44gal drum of engine oil*

Thanks for the advice, and sympathy lol
My mums old car (a 1985 mazda 626) had a similar problem after about 250 000 kms. She had the gearbox oil changed and the problem went away, and never came back, even after 400 000+ kms...
I will change the gearbox oil and see what happens, hopefully it will make it better :)