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MG MGF Technical - Sticky Gear Change

finding the gear change hard work compared to normal cars - hard to push it into first gear and reverse is always very tricky (a matter of find it or grind it) anybody else have this problem?

also the steering wheel vibrates at high speeds - is this an indication that the wheels need balancing or something more sinister?

the MG garage adjusted the engine but the throttle is quite sticky although about 50% better. I had a courtesy F which had a throttle which was smooth as silk. blah!

Jody

Hi Jody

>>finding the gear change hard work compared to normal cars - hard to push it into first gear and reverse is always very tricky (a matter of find it or grind it) anybody else have this problem?<<

Sounds like a linkage misalignment problem. If you have about a 100 quid to spend and want a really good shift, then I have been hearing that the boys at Techspeed have developed a new shift that is significantly more direct than standard. Everyone who has tries it so far has given it rave reviews- to such an extent that I am considering this option too even though I have no problem with my car's shift!

>>also the steering wheel vibrates at high speeds - is this an indication that the wheels need balancing or something more sinister?<<

Usual checks apply- go to a tyre centre and have both the wheel balance and the front tracking checked.

HTH

Rob
Rob Bell

>Usual checks apply-

At first the ride hight, please.

dk
Dieter

>>
finding the gear change hard work compared to normal cars - hard to push it into first gear and reverse is always very tricky (a matter of find it or grind it) anybody else have this problem?
<<

Jody, I used to have a problem with reverse gear. As do many other MGF owners. Leaving a car park in a mass exodus on a Club MGF weekend is always a painful and noisey experience.

Used to have the problem until the boys at Techspeed sorted it. Not crunched reverse once since Late November.

Rob (and others), cost of the Techspeed gearshift which includes a shorter gear lever, including fitting is £160 plus VAT.


Paul
P9 VLS
Paul

I will add a variation here and this is from a clue concerning the particular difficulty with 1st and reverse engagement, along with the 'grinding' clue.

Try this first. Engine off and go through all gears engagement several times. Especially in respect of 1st and reverse is it significantly easier with the engine off? I would not be surprised if that was yes.

If the linkage needs adjustement then the engine running will not make that much difference to the effort needed, but, if the clutch is dragging then this loads up the gearbox and prevents engagement. 1st and reverse are usually selected from standstill and so natural gear alignement is not possible.

By this I mean that the engine speed and the road speed will at one point be the same so gear engagement is quite simple without the need for a clutch, except when stationary. I have driven a car over 100 miles going up and down the box with a broken clutch cable, only stops causing a little problem!

I have mentioned problems of clutch drag with the clutch used in the F before, along with my two tier approach to getting round it. (It is the same unit as fitted to Maestro/Montego Turbo and other Rover models since 1985.)

Of course if the engagement is still bad with the engine off then follow the linkage adjustement route. Incidentally I have driven Techspeeds demo car and one of it's many excellent features was the gearchange.

Re the wheel wobble it is almost certainly a balance problem. Tyres deform as they wear, and if the wear is unbalanced then so balance will suffer. The solution to the wobble will be to have the wheels/tyres rebalanced, but note the comments re the possible cause of uneven wear.

Rog
Roger Parker

My 1st gear is excellent, and reverse not to bad (better than all other rovers i have driven) but i do have problem when changing quickly from 1st to 2nd. Just doesn't like going, in. doesn't grind, feels almost like trying to put into 6th on the motorway (i can't be the only one that tries that) eventually it goes into gear but by then i've lost momentum and the scally in the Nova GSi has gone.
Matt

Techspeed contact details anyone ???
Gaz

>>Techspeed contact details anyone ???

Telephone 01926 632066 - ask for Marvin or Mick

Paul
P9 VLS
Paul

Thanks chaps - have had the wheels rebalanced and retracked today - both out now fixed.

Will definitely go for the Techspeed thingey soon as I can find the time to hike up to Coventry.

Cheers
Jody

This thread was discussed between 04/02/2000 and 19/02/2000

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