Gearbox trouble with my Jersey Girl

svxistentialist · #1 03-30-2008, 09:15 AM

I had my silver Jersey car in the auto specialist yesterday.

When I purchased the Jersey owner had said that the engagement of reverse was intermittent. By the time I collected the car in January there was no reverse at all!

Driving home by ferry had to be well planned, a bit more stressful than the usual SVX drive.

Yesterday I left it to the specialist in Dublin to install the gearbox I bought from Graham. Some of you will know he has a 5-speed in his since the Anniversary meet in Devon.

The box bolted up OK, was driven out for a test drive, then motive power failed, no forward, no reverse. After the car was towed back to the shop it was found to be still full of fresh oil, no leaks apparent, but on taking off the cooler pipe, no oil is pumping, so a pump fault is suspected. Being late Saturday it will not be checked till Monday now.

No blinking lights to indicate codes, so any ideas? My suspicion is that the pickup pipe has possibly got blocked with solid waste from the 6 years lying around. If the pump is starved, it can't provide motive power.

Has anyone had a similar problem?

Joe

b3lha · #2 03-30-2008, 11:51 AM

Sorry to hear it Joe. If that's the luck of the Irish, I want none of it.

You seem to have had more than your fair share of transmission trouble. I don't have any experience of your problem, but the lack of oil flow is undoubtedly a big clue.

Phil.

svxistentialist · #3 03-30-2008, 12:33 PM

Thanks Phil

I'm hoping it will be a cheap and easy fix, but with my luck, who knows?

From my memory of what's on the inside, I can't imagine how the pump would stop pumping oil without stripping teeth off a spline or breaking something. But I'm no expert on auto boxes.

This is why I think it might be a blockage of some sort. However, let's say it actually is a blockage caused by moisture condensation or sludge of some sort, if the pump managed to force any of this crap into the valve chest, I would be thinking some small passages would get blocked, and require a strip-down.

Hopefully not.

The other thing that comes to mind as a possibility is a solenoid valve mechanically stuck either open or closed due to rust from moisture. This would probably not show a code. I don't know enough to know if any of the solenoids might starve the pump of oil.

Joe

svxistentialist · #4 03-31-2008, 03:35 PM

OK, unlike Phil, we are suckin' diesel!!

Jersey girl is home and running sweet.

The problem was caused by contaminated oil getting to the pump. With the gearbox laid up for the last six years, condensation caused water in the oil. The fitters put fresh oil in to the box, but some of the old oil/water mix remained in the strainer. [an oil change in the 4EAT only ever changes about 3/4 of what's in there at any time, and of course worse still, they would have had to refill it cold]

With water contamination in the [old] atf, as soon as the box gets to operating temperature, the water turns to vapour and the pump can't push vapour. ergo, loss of motive power.

Now fitted with a different strainer and the atf flushed twice, she is running like a dream.

I have binding at the back because the box was laid up, but I will perform the figure of 8 movement when I get a big enough car park empty, and that should cure that.

Joe

svxistentialist · #5 03-31-2008, 03:49 PM

My next move will be to pay the horrendous import tax our government charges for putting cars on potholed Irish roads.

My Jersey purchase is basically very sound indeed, but there are a fair few little things to improve.

There is a small piece of surface rust behind the right rear plastic cladding, that needs to be stopped in its tracks and will be sorted soon.

Worst mechanical problem is a sticking caliper left rear. This has been ignored, the pads have worn to the metal, the disk is scored. I'm going to buy a pair of rear disks and EBC green stuff pads. Also I will fit braided brake hoses all round.

With only 38k on the clock I reckon the car is on only the second set of tyres. These are old and showing signs of it. I have already sorted this by fitting the nearly new Dunlops from Black Betty. Betty can have the 17" rims from Germany with nearly new Pirellis.

I thought the steering felt a bit heavy. Taking off the front wheels shows why; a 2" bald strip on the inside of both tyres shows the tracking to be way off, wheels toed out way too much. She is now due a trip to my 4-wheel laser tracking shop before tracking harms the new tyres.

After that, I'm ready for JAE

Joe

b3lha · #6 03-31-2008, 04:05 PM

That's great news Joe. Glad to hear it was something simple and easy to fix.

svxistentialist · #7 03-31-2008, 07:19 PM

Thanks Phil.

I'm pleased as punch.

Joe

Phil Hill · #8 04-01-2008, 01:41 AM

Good news indeed Joe.

Speaking of JAE (wrong place I know !!) but are we definately going to attend ?? Reason for asking is that I will have to apply for the pitch as I have yet to do so.

The costs are the same as before I think, £1 per car for the weekend to reserve the pitch, should I punt £20 as in the past two years.

Phil.

svxistentialist · #9 04-01-2008, 03:02 AM

Thanks Phil, I'm pleased it was a relatively painless fix, for once.

Regards JAE, well yes, I would like to go now that I have a nice car to show off.

I might even have one or two to sell

The time of year suits me anyway, a month earlier I will be touring France by bike.

You paid the £20 last year and were not recompensed, I don't think that's fair. Maybe now is the time for a show of hands, and see how many will commit to traveling? It's far enough away so that most will have already organised their holidays, and know what is clashing and what is not.

Joe

svxistentialist · #10 05-20-2008, 05:53 AM

Well, just when I thought there was light at the end of the tunnel, I hear the sound of a locomotive coming this way! Darn!

While my replacement gearbox was initially going nicely, it has developed a fault that may prove costly.

It slipped or "flared" a couple of times under hard acceleration. In the last 60 miles it has gradually got to a stage where I have 1st range and 3rd range, but I am missing 2 and 4.

Pat my transmission specialist is not optimistic. On face value it needs the brake band adjusted. However the change has happened so quickly Pat thinks the water in the transmission while lying up has caused the friction material on the brake band to degrade. Possibly the water has caused the adhesive to lose its strength, and what's happened may be the friction material has stripped from the brake band altogether. If this is actually the case, then the transmission will need a refurb, replacing all clutches. I can't afford this right now.

What I am going to do first is try adjustment, i.e. tightening of the band. If Pat's suspicion or diagnosis is correct it won't cure the problem. If it does even partly cure the problem, maybe I can nurse it for a bit until I can afford another box change.

The Joy of Svx

Joe

Phil Hill · #11 05-20-2008, 06:26 AM

for a Manual transmission swap Joe ??

Phil.

svxistentialist · #12 05-20-2008, 06:47 AM

Tempting Phil, very tempting......

It's not really an option I would favour on this low mileage car. I want to keep it totally stock. As near stock as I can manage anyway, it is meant to be a show car.

Anyway I prefer the automatic.

However, it is my medium term goal to get Black Betty up and running. It will not be this summer, I have too many other tasks on my plate. Now that you mention it it might be an idea to have one car totally stock, as in auto, and the black one converted to manual, just for the hell of it.

Good thinking Phil, I owe you a pint.

Joe

Phil Hill · #13 05-20-2008, 07:48 AM

Actually I agree with you in a lot of ways, I think the Auto box does suite the car, being a Grand Tourer in every sense of the term.

I was being purely practical in that a rebuild on the Auto costs a mint (seemingly) and manual's seem more available.

Sounds like you've almost convinced yourself to sacrifice the Auto out of BB to put in to the Jersey Girl............

Phil.

TomsSVX · #14 05-20-2008, 07:51 AM

Sounds like it is time for a box swap... Let me know if you need any assistance

Tom

svxistentialist · #15 05-20-2008, 08:38 AM

Thanks fellas, the advice and help from the "family" is appreciated.

Phil, the auto from Betty is not an option. She has a new engine but was awaiting a box transplant. No sniggering in the back!!

The one I put into Jersey Girl was originally destined/purchased for Betty.

Now I will have to rectify the Jersey Girl problem or else replace the trans, and I think I will go ahead and do a manual transplant for Betty. It will be interesting. If I need help with it Tom you're #1 on the list.

Joe