hard shifting - i know it has been asked 1000 times before...

Hello - same car here. I too had the throw out bearing replaced and was under the impression my 10k mile car need transmission work ! My skilled mechanic first started on adjusting the two arm shifting linkage and it made a world of difference. Getting to operating temperature is a must, and 2nd gear is never a speed shift or gate throw - a little love and throttle blips gets you there. cheers hg

 

I had the same issue, now mine shifts great. Drain the transmission oil, remove the forward engine mount on the driver’s side. Open up the inspection plate on the side of the transmission. One nut is hidden inside the engine mount.

Loosen the locknut on the rod that connects the shift linkage to the eyelet at the end of the shifter rod that emerges from the transmission. The tab at the other end of the rod inside the crankcase must be precisely positioned in the centre, both x any y axis. Tighten everything without disturbing it. Reinstall the cover with the appropriate sealant. Refill trans oil, install engine mount. It takes me a Saturday morning.

The alignment gets misadjusted whenever the engine is removed and the linkage is disassembled.
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when the shifting before engine out was ok then it is not a problem of the adjustment in the gearbox

you may have a look when in 2nd or 3rd gear if the shifter is exactly in the middle of the gear selector ( 25 ). you may take out the 2 screws ( 38 )
from this gear selector and then let it down and see if the 2 holes in the selector are matching with the holes in the gearbox casing ( 24 ). if not then you may adjust the adjusting tie rod ( 28 )


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Disassembly of the car or transmission cover is simply not needed.

To begin with you need a new mechanic, one who knows TRs well. This is a very easy adjustment done 100% externally in just a few minutes by the right person.
If anyone has ever been into the transmission and intervened in internal adjustment that may need straightening out but not for simple adjustment of the location of the main shifting finger.
Its very easy for the correct person.

 

Unrelated to the hard shifting...

I believe your transmission requires GL4, not "Castrol GL5 80-90W fluid"

GL5 is for differentials and in the diff of your car you should use non-synthetic with limited slip additive...

PennGrade makes an excellent period correct GL4, which will not harm the 'yellow metals' of the gears and synchros (VPRacing also has an excellent GL4)

 

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/redline-mtl-big-improvement.573814/


Agip Rotra SX 75w90 mentioned in the manual was replaced by LSX 75w90 and SX/S 75w90 synthetic, GL4, GL5.

http://olie.ndi.eu/Produktdatablad/Produktdatablade Udgået!/rotra sxs.pdf

 

Re: GL4

@Rifledriver 's post referenced on p5 at the link above:

"I have been using MTL in customer cars that had chronic shifting complaints for several years including one 85 308 in daily service with over 115,000 miles on it and the owner is pleased to this day how his transmission performs. It's great oil. If you have a shifting problem use it. I would not use it in any transaxle in a 275, 330, 365, BB, BBi, TR, 288, F40, 550, 456, 360, 430, 612, or 599. Those are all medium offset hypoid gear differentials and should have GL5 oil."

 

TR has a transaxle -- so the transmission and the differential share a common lubricant, and, unlike the 308/328, the differential is a hypoid (offset) ring and pinion so should use a GL-5 rated lubricant. My last ex-TR preference was Ravenol VSG gold synthetic 75W90 (but individual cars can vary in this behavior depending on brand of lubricant).

 

@Steve Magnusson

Great insight, non-synthetic GL5 + additive then (I always prefer use of period specific oils other than brake, modern DOT4 there)

 

Synthetics in TR transmissions have shown to work very well. Lubricants have improved a great deal in the 50 years since that transmission was designed. Not a single good reason to be stuck in 50 year old lubricant technology.

When you speak of additive, I assume you are speaking of positraction additive. The vast majority of GL5 oil have it. More is not better. In fact in most cases less is better. Positraction additives work against the functioning of the syncros and for that reason alone many seek out GL5 that does not contain positraction additives.

 

I have been using the MOTUL 75W90 as of late. A bit pricey, but the gearboxes seem to like it. Gear engagement seems smoother. I haven't had to use any friction modifier at all.

 

If you re-read what I wrote, 'non-synthetic' plus (limited slip) additive...agreed, most synthetic GL5 has it already in the mix..and that's printed on the label (no need to add more)

and full synthetics, in general, do not always play well with engines and other components not designed to fully contain the uniform molecules that full synthetics provide that can leak past seals and gaskets and mineral oil (i.e. non-synthetic) does not leak in same applications...'modern' is really without any meaning in the context of earlier designs...nothing 'stuck' about what works exactly as designed...I have numerous experiences where full synthetics leak where even semi-synthetics do not and where appropriate, non-synthetic (i.e. mineral oil), again, depending on what original spec indicated, works exactly as designed.

 

correct, and then you not even have to push the clutch pedal

 

I have and already changed some times my gearbox/transaxle oil in my competiton and also in my BB with castrol Gl 5, 85 W 140 and had never any problems, even not in cold condition. but important is that the adjustment from the linkage and also in the gearbox is ok.

I wonder at your car that even you put in 2nd gear without engine running several times that even then you have problems. as I have written before, you not even have to push the clutch when you put in again the same gear.

do you have this problem only with 2nd and 3rd gear? or also 4th and 5th as well as reverse and 1st?

 

The TR likes Mobil 1 75w90..try it ..it still will be a little hard for the first couple of miles or so but it should be smooth after that in a 75 degree day

 

and what is about not pressing the clutch at the 2nd and 3rd time?
what is with reverse and 1st gear?

 

how many miles the transmisson has?