I'm currently driving (Was until yesterday) a 2001 Rover 25 Diesel with 182,000 on the clock.
I've trawled through the forum and Google but I'm a bit stuck (Like my gears).:crying2:
The last couple of days the clutch pedal has been getting lower and lower. I could change into 1st gear but only with the engine off but I could get 2nd 3rd and 4th whilst driving.
Until now...I've lost the ability to change gear. With the engine off and my foot off the clutch the gear stick moves quite freely and I can here and feel the linkages move. With the engine on I can't get any gear at all.
I fitted an new genuine rover clutch cable but I'm getting the same effect. My question is in relation to the clutch lever on the gearbox. With the cable disconnected from the lever I noticed no upward movement in it just a bit of downwards. Is that right? Apologies for waffling.
I've got no movement in the forward gears with the engine running, it does try and engage reverse with the engine running but it grinds and won't fully go into gear.
With the engine off I've all the movement with the gearstick.
I'm hoping it is something 'not as expensive clutchy' rather than 'expensive gearboxy'.
I've just started now to remove the bits and pieces to remove my gearbox as per the Haynes Book.
1. Engine ECU Removed.
2. Battery and Tray Removed.
3. Clutch Cable Disconnected.
4. Starter Motor left in but disconnected steady bar undone.
5. Gearbox Drained.
6. Reverse Switch and earths disconnected.
Tomorrow if the weather is good again i'll carry on. Trying now to locate the bolt that holds the coolant pipe to the gearbox. The Haynes illustration is as much use as a chocolate teapot.
Not fun. I hope it's just a clutch issue and not expensive.
As your car should have a pg1 gearbox in it chances are the clutch arm may have seized that goes through the side of the box. Check this as my zr suffered with the same thing. If this is the case the only real fix is to remove the box, remove the release arm where it goes through the box, slide it out and clean up the rust and I put a load of copper grease on mine to prevent it from seizing but you can buy grease able arms on eBay to prevent them seizing again.
If you search about it on here I'm sure there is a guide somewhere.
Good luck
I'm currently 'trying' to remove the gearbox today. I've never done one before and it's taking a lot longer than I thought just to get the above bits off. I've not even reached driveshaft stage yet..not looking forward to that.
I shall how I get on today....at least the sun is shining and it's not raining...yet
this is live real time.....exciting stuff...
1. Roll pin from gear linkage stuck in place.
2. I'm trying to go through the process of driveshafts..I've never had luck with them. Is it easier / best to remove the whole driveshaft completely or just TRY and remove the inners only.
Just try to pop it out the gearbox end using a pry bar. Be careful cos you'll prob find some oil will come out.
The roll pin can be a nightmare. Don't worry about how long it takes other people to do things. Just do it at your own pace, rather be methodical then rush and end up braking something.
I've taken the laptop in the garage and I'm following the rover workshop procedure and the Haynes procedure step by sptep.
So after 3 hours
1. The gearbox stick linkage removed.
2. Lower wishbone disconnected as I cross threaded the lower ball joint nut....grrr
3. Driver Side driveshaft not touched.
4. Passenger Side driveshaft....not moved....grrrrrrrrrrrrr
I've got my assistant sat in the car supervising keeping me calm, if I get grrrrr moments I go and see what he suggests.....unfortunately border collies don't come up with many but he's enjoying sitting on the backseat in the sun
Right after about 3-4 hours wiggling my passenger driveshaft is still stuck in there.....why is it when I try and work on something I cannot ever get the driveshaft to 'pop out'....grrrr I just don't seem to have the knack with them.
I've not even touched the passenger side let alone started to unbolt the gearbox.
If you start to get agged with it then stop for 5 mins, have a cup of tea and come back to it, you'll find things will fall into place. I do it at work sometimes, you get so worked up and frustrated you end up not getting anywhere.
With the drive shaft try and get 2 bars behind it, one on each side and lever it out straight, if you try at an angle it can fight you, and just pulling on it doesn't usually work for me either. Unfortunately it's one of them jobs that ain't fun, especially when your trying to do it lying on your back on the floor.
You'll get there in the end. I know how you feel anyway. In the beginning of January my 160 snapped it's cambelt, there is a thread on here somewhere...
Anyway it left me stranded at 3 am then it seemed to fight me every step trying to fix it. I was sitting outside in the snow taking it apart, the bloke doing the machine work went sick for a few weeks. It dragged out for nearly a month before I got it back on the road...
Just try to remember once it's done it's done. You'll get there eventually.
Easiest way to get the driveshafts out is to undo the outer driveshaft nut.
Remove the track tod end from the hub casting. (optional)
Remove two tiebar bolts from the front subframe to hub
Undo the lower arm bolt where it attaches to the car subframe
Pull the hub away from the car and push the outer CV joint out of the hub (persuade with soft faced hammer if necessary)
Then use a brick bolster (wide chisel), between the inner CV joint and the gearbox. A sharp tap or lever and it'll pop out. If not rotate the joint 90 degrees and try again.
(some oil will likely come out).
Fault is probably either the clutch broken up, or the clutch arm has bent/broken due to it being seized in the gearbox (Common). If you look around the pivot on the clutch arm it isn't unusual for them to break the weld.
Have you done anything with the roll pin, or is it still being a pain?
Just mentioning this as I had similar problems selecting gears, the roll pin had snapped/worn away. Took a while to drive it out with a punch. Replaced with a high tensile nut and bolt and it's been fine since.
Thanks for all the responses and information and apologies for not posting anything on the progress....or unfortunately the lack of.
I could not get the driveshafts out or the roll pin...after 4 days....grrrrrrrr. In the end the other half said leave it and concentrate on finding a suitable replacement car...which I did. A Rover 45 1.4 Spirit.
So I put everything back to together and she starts on the button still just no gears. I'm going to be putting the car on ebay as a spares or repair if anyone is interested.
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