No lift on gearlever

[Steve4012]

Finding gears; 1st is very dificult and reverse is nowhere to be found but I'm sure the crossgate cable is miles off so will have to look at the adjustment, however is there is no upward movement in the gearlever to 'lift' for reverse. Try lifting gearlever and less than 1mm of upward movement. Maybe a mechanical problem that I'll need to look at the base of the gearlever. Anyone experienced this?

[ramjet]

Sorry mate. I can't help. The S4 is different in the way it works. Hope you get it sorted out.

[Choppa]

I think the problem with reverse is certain to be at the gear lever rather than at the box. Maybe once you get the cross gate cable adjusted it will improve, as it could be that is  preventing you from lifting the pin over the step to get it lined up to go into reverse. Couple of other thoughts have you got the modified cross gate linkage fitted, that is well worth doing  and I would suggest you give the cable some TLC if you are not planning to replace it, but I'm sure this is a job you're planning to do given your problem.

Quite a few people have found that replacing the bushes on the  links from the gear lever to the box that do the front to back movement helps things enormously. In my case the most noticeable improvement was with sorting out the wear in the translator which sits in the middle of that linkage . Mine had a 1:1 translator but I think you may have an 0.86:1 translator with a slightly different mounting arrangement, SJs have those ones listed on their site as well as a kit to sort the weakness with the original cross gate mechanism.

[C43]

my brothers had no lift for reverse. When we took to lever to pieces it had been bodged so there was no longer the roll pin that has to slide over the gate to get reverse. I think broken gear levers can happen and if new parts are not fitted the repair looses the lift gate. I would strip the linkage down and replace with new parts, the change should be sweet after that.

there is quite a lot of info on here about fitting stiffer bushes (some of it form me). Having fitted both standard and stiffer bushing to different cars I would go with standard but new bushes as this gives a positive engagement and light change.

C43

[molemot]

If you are doing anything to the gear linkage, then you might just as well go through all of it and get rid of all the slop and lost motion that will have crept in over the years. Once you have stopped it wobbling about and got a nice "tight" linkage, then set up the crossgate accurately and all should be well.

[Steve4012]

Thanks Gents. A bit of progress, thought I'd investigate the non lift of the gear lever first and all is not well, see pics! Same as yours Christian, poor repair which has now lost the lift for reverse and the protruding bit that needs to be lifted over the gate. It's obviously snapped and been welded back together. Also because there is now no end stop the gearlever can go across too far and has gouged the gearlever half way up on the gaiter bracket. I haven't been able to investigate replacement parts yet so any opinions welcome, whether whole new assembly or just repair/ replace what I have. Thanks, Steve. 

[Steve4012]

SJ sells a replacement gearlever but will be M8 rather than my earlier M7. Will this fit into my linkage? Also because it's a mess of weld, I can't tell where my gear lever finishes and mechanism begins, is my mechanisim now butchered too far to simply buy another gear lever and fit or is the mess just the gearlever and the mechanism is ok?

[Choppa]

To my knowledge the difference is just with the thread for the gear knob and that the lever is black rather than chrome.  You could try Lotusbits to see if they have a chrome one with an M7 thread.

If your gear knob is original, treasure it and try and keep it with the new set up as it seems people notice if an aftermarket knob is fitted

[Steve4012]

Some progress this morning and now fixed at gearbox end! I was puzzled why I had no reverse OR 1st. Just the options of 3rd and 4the gears only. Turns out the Crossgate cable had been wound out so much to reverse bias by the previous keeper that it had introduced and bow to the cable and a small bend in the thread at the end of the crossgate cable (see pic). Any pushing action for reverse simply made the cable bow and any pulling for 1st simply took up the slack which is why I had neither. Disconnected Crossgate, straightened thread which was luckily in good condition and bent back without weakening, refitted, adjusted correctly and bingo, all gears present and correct 

[C43]

Hi

looking at it your mechanism has been bodged too much to fit the new lever and get revere inhibit back in. There was a new mechanism on e bay a few months ago, perhaps someone here bought it and never used it?

good luck

C43

[TAR]

It was Kemp High Performance Engines who was selling the gearchange mechanism. He had more than one so would be worth a call to see if he still has one.

http://lotusengineparts.com/  

[Steve4012]

Thanks chaps. I too thought it was beyond help and a new gearlever mechanism would be required. Just a thought, I haven't checked the parts cross ref. Is this exclusive to Esprit?

[Steve4012]

Just an update with this. I have found and fitted a replacement gear lever assembly. Also the fix at the end of the crossgate cable was short lived as it simply bent again. Lotus obviously knew this and introduced a stiffening nut to put on the earlier long cross gate cables. I've now changed the original set up for the modified sj version with the rose joint/ stiffening nut and fitted new bushes throughout. The relay lever still has too much play in my opinion and I may look to do this also but for now it is 99% better and I can find every gear easily.

[C43]

nice job. you can get them pretty good.

I would like to change the bush on the gear lever end but I just can't get the gear knob off, I thought these were just screwed on but I think mine has been glued as an earlier bodge..

C43

[Big Vern]

Steve, how did you undo the bolt underneath the lever on the bottom right?

[Steve4012]

Hi Brett,

Do you mean the bolt that attaches the bottom of the gear lever mechanism to the tubular linkage? If so I undid the linkage at the other end in the engine bay which gives enough slack to pull the gear lever assembly out the chassis and undo.

*Just re-read: if it's one of the four bolts on the top I think I removed the big bolt holding the crossgate bracket onto the gearstick if I remember correctly.

[Big Vern]

Yes thats right Steve, im just not sure about taking out the spirol pin, so if that one comes undone and i can get to the bolt ill have a go.
Nice one, Thanks

[Steve4012]

Revisited my photos, I removed the spirol pin. See pic of the old gearlever. I had to re use the cross gate lever round the gearstick which is why I remember taking it off.

[Big Vern]

Thanks Steve, looks like spirol pin out it is then!

I must remember to take pics, we all love pics on here lol

[TAR]

@Big Vern you can just remove the big bolt holding the arm. This will give you access to the last bolt.

 

 

[Big Vern]

Thanks Tim , ill try that first and report back!

[Big Vern]

Mmm the big bolt is proving rather stubborn, im hoping not to snap off the head.......

[drdoom]

How to remove the knob from the gear lever?

[drdoom]

OK, found the desired info on another thread here in this forum. Just need to persuade the threads on knob and lever to part company, giving it a soak with Liquid Wrench.

Cheers