166 6-Speed 5th / 6th Selection Problem

Hi,

I have problems selecting 5th & 6th gear in my 166 Super. All other gears are fine, but I have to pull the gearlever hard across to the right to h.ave a chance of getting 5th & 6th. If I lift the reverse collar 5th & 6th can again be selected.

I think that there has perhaps been some stretch or wear in the linkage. If anyone else has experienced similar I would really appriciate any advice.

Cheers,

Crayf

Could be the bushes starting to seize reducing the movement across the gate - Is the spring loading into the centre (3rd/4th) plane still working freely? If not its likely the bushes.

Hi meldrew,

The lever movement is not stiff in any direction. Reverse is still easily selected. If it is bushes are they easy to replace?

TIA - Crayf

Not easy no, they are in the housing on the top of the gearbox where the cables attach . The area is difficult to get at under the coolant reservoir and the compete housing really needs to be removed to sort it. If the spring loading is still free its unlikely to be the problem though.

Is there any adjustment available in the linkage?

No there is no adjustment available. Did have a vaguely similar problem on a 156 v6, the stop at the base of the gearlever which prevents movement into the reverse plane had been broken off and someone had repired it with a self tapping screw!!! The end of the screw was fouling the gearlever. That really was an odd one though I cant imagine ever finding that again. Might be worth pulling out the gaiter and insulation and looking at the base of the gearlever? The operation of the reverse lock is obvious when you see it.

Aha - The throw across the gate is begining to stiffen-up. Looks like that's my weekend sorted then...

Thanks for your help - Crayfish

I have te same problem with my 156 V6, did you get it resolved and if so how?

Originally Posted by Meldrew

Is the spring loading into the centre (3rd/4th) plane still working freely? If not its likely the bushes.

That's interesting because I noticed that, if I don't use my car for a few weeks, the spring-loading disappears but, after a bit of use, it re-appears and works fine again...

Sorry been occupied with other things of late - houses!! Sounds like the bushes problem. The bushes are a plastic material and very thin, I would guess half a mil or so. They are fitted in an alloy casting with the steel shaft of the bellcrank type lever passing through. When the lubrication has gone the alloy casting starts to corrode, expands and squeezes the plastic bushes tight into the shaft. the whole lot then starts to seize resulting in the gearlever becoming stiff across the gate. In the long term the bushes will wear out and the whole thing becomes sloppy! Easy solution is to remove the assembly take out the shaft and knock the bushes out. The drilling in the casting can then be cleaned up - a small rotary wire brush is good, clean and lubricate the bushes and its usually perfect again. I think new bushes are available if necessary. Almost all modern Alfas use the same system and suffer the same problem despite differences in gearboxes _ I've just done my son's 147, different box but the same problem and I think identical bushes.