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MG MGF Technical - TF Gear Change

IMO the TF gear change is so much better than my Mk1 F, but there are times when the reverse gear doesn’t fully engage, even though it feels as though it’s in its slot. The result is a rather embarrassing noise, which sounds very unhealthy.

Has anyone else got this problem? Is it a simple matter of cable adjustment or something more serious?

Cheers

Mike
Michael Williams

Does the TF still use the PG1 gearbox? I thought it did, and this noise is pretty common on all Fs, so i presume the TF is the same.

You could check the gearbox oil, there was a recent thread which Dieter contributed some 'how to' type instructions for this.

Other than this, maybe double de-clutching would help. This is what i do, and have done since day 1 when trying to engage reverse (habit i learned from the three previous Montego's i had!) this works 9 times out of 10 IME.

TF has only minor revisions to the changer IIRC and is in this regard similar to the Techspeed kit, ie a more efficient and precise standard set up.

SF
SF

It is not a probhlem associated only with the MGF, my Escort also has problems going into reverse, and for that matter to a lesser extent has every car I have owned. As most cars don't have synchro on reverse it is hardly surprisin that this happens, it is just exagerated by the fact the linkage uses cables on the F.
T.E.D.

another cure that works for me is to select second (any forward gear will do) then immediately slot into reverse .
David

I think we are all missing the point - Mike had an *F* before the *TF* so he is well aware of the reverse problem it seems it is worse with his new car - I would therefor say that the adjustment could well be a factor.

Ted
Ted Newman

Thanks Ted, yes we have all had problems with reverse gear on numerous cars but this is different.

It feels as though the selector is firmly in the reverse gear slot and you only know that it isn't when you release the clutch.

Cheers

Mike
Michael Williams

Mike,

On switching from the F to the TF, one of the things I picked up on quite quickly was how smooth the change into reverse was, relative to the F, which almost every time didn't properly engage into reverse.

I can't recall the TF having suffered from this since we picked up (although, having said that, no doubt it'll be crunching away everytime it goes into reverse at the CSMGF run on Sunday!).

Sorry I can't help.

Derek
Derek Meldrum

Evening all!!
My TF can be a sod at times getting into reverse, in fact some "quick gear" changes in the the heat of the moment have ended in much embarrasment. Ive even had it jump out of reverse too on some occasions, cue smirking neighbour! I had a '98 F and when I got my TF I thought the T's gear change was such an improvement at the time. Hope to be fitting a Satur SSK2 soon. Tried one in a stationary car (Mike Satur's display at the MGF meet at Stanford Hall) and it felt a hell of a lot more possitive!!

Regards all
Pete.
P J Lilley

As most have pointed out the TF's gear change does seem to be far better than the F used to be. I can't say I recall any difficulties with reverse on my TF, there have been *very* few occasions where I've had any problems with reverse. My F on the other hand was a fairly frequent offender. I'd go with Ted and say perhaps it is an adjustment issue.
Paul Lathwell

IIRC the later F gearboxes had a internal mod to help the reverse gear selection/graunch.HTH
mike.
mike

So what was that mike - a synchro hub?

Ted
Ted Newman

>> You could check the gearbox oil, there was a recent thread which Dieter contributed some 'how to' type instructions for this. <<

The thread i am thinking of said something along the lines of the factory has been known to underfill the gearbox with oil. Might be worth ferreting around in the archives (it was fairly recent) as Dieter gave instructions on how to check and top it up.

SF
SF

Yup..it's happened on my TF 3 times in the month I've owned it. Needless to say, all three times when there's been an audience!!

It feels like it's selected (i.e. the lever feels solidly up against its "stop"), but when you let the clutch up mucho grinding and jangling!!

So it's intermittent, with no obvious pre-conditions other than an (initially at least!!) admiring audience.
SimonKE

Would the MS SSK kit fix this problem?

Has anyone on the Fyldcoast fitted this kit,as I would like to see it in action.
Joe

Had this exact problem on my 2001 MGF 1.8i. It was OK then one day I just couldn't get it into reverse at all. Felt like it was selected, but it wasn't. I must have tried all the tricks mentioned in this thread, and still no luck, just a sickening and embarassing grinding noise! The car was only 2 weeks old at the time, yet it would only select reverse 1 time in 10. At one point I was stuck in an ASDA carpark nose to nose with an MX5, who has loads of traffic behind him. I had to reverse but couldn't. What could be worse than having to actually get out and push a 2 week old MGF backwards in full view of an MX5 driver!!!
Took the car to the dealer who said it was a selector problem, and this was re-aligned (common problem I was told). However, they also replaced the gearbox in case it had been damaged!! Amazing dealer!
Never had the problem again (not even once did it fail to select reverse again) and since I got my Trophy in March 2002 up to the heartbreaking sale of it in August 2002, I never had a problem with that either.
Looking forward to getting another Trophy or TF160 at Easter, so hope I don't have the problem again.
Cheers
Paul
Paul

<So what was that mike - a synchro hub?>
Not quite Ted but that would make life interesting if reverse was selected at 70mph,LOL.
Some simple cable adjustments could help with reverse selection, the SSK won't cure a defective gear box but it takes all the excess play out of the selection process and because the fitting requires carefull adjustment of the cables the reverse crunching is virtually elimnated.
Joe if you are in the area we have a F and a TF with the SSK fitted if you want to try it out.. before buying;-)
Mike.
mike

>...instructions on how to check and top it up.

75W85 and Carl as keyword should work on finding the thread in the archives.

Still not done and pictured the job.

This weekend is unpleasant Fiesta Diesel service-works :(
That cr*ap thing starts bad. Heat-plugs to be changed, oil change etc. I love it ;)
Dieter K.

There was a mod to the gearbox to prevent/lessen this problem as Mike says... I have info about it in the FAQ from a MG technician......

http://www.dotcomoff.demon.co.uk
Paul Lathwell

Mike

>IIRC the later F gearboxes had a internal mod to help the reverse gear selection/graunch.HTH<

Do you know whether the TF gearbox has this mod?

Mike
Michael Williams

I have one of the very last F's regd late november 2001,and althought the box feels better in all forward gears it still on occasion makes that terrible grinding/crunching noise when you fel you have selected reverse but you have not.
It has never been unable to select reverse you just have to be more careful.
My previous F regd march 2001 was exactly the same when selecting reverse,and on some extened test drives in the TF the gearbox/gearchange felt the same as my current F.
I would like to try Mr MS's SSK to see if gear changes are smoother and more precise and to see if it cure the reverse problem.

And yes it always happens when you've got an audience.
Joe

Joe if you are in the area we have a F and a TF with the SSK fitted if you want to try it out.. before buying;-)

<Do you know whether the TF gearbox has this mod?>
Mike, I reckon Rover would have carried over this mod.
One thing I have noticed on the TF is the gear cable to the bottom of the bell crank seems to be slightly offset causing a misalignment this tends to result in the cable pulling skew.I cured this on our TF by remaking the bellcrank with the lower lever in line with the the pull of the cable, this hopefully will lengthen the life of the cable and makes the changing smoother.
Of course this is available if anyone wants one,LOL.
Mike.
mike

This thread was discussed between 08/10/2002 and 11/10/2002

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGF Technical BBS is active now.