Gearbox Question

Hey all it has been awhile since posting. Still crackin away on restoring my 82 310. I just finished installing new brake lines and got them all plumbed. So to my question, I installed the gearbox and I am not certain it is shifting right, although this may sound odd but is there away to misassemble the transmission, can you get things backward, or not aligned, etc ? It seemed to go together well and shifting it on the bench seemed ok (for John I checked the back up switch and it was working properly )

I will describe what I see - btw it is in place in the chassis and attached to the side mounts but is resting on the rear cross car support (bell housing not attached to the engine yet). This is what I observe:

Reverse = OK seems to go to reverse, heavy spring resistance to get into the "gate" as I think it is intended to be that way
1st and 2nd = This is the one set I am concerned with, it too has spring resistance and difficult to get it into the gate (vague)
3rd and 4th = OK goes into each easily (is where the shifter will go if let go to neutral, centered between the gears)
5th = OK goes into gear easily

For first and second the shift lever is pushing back with resistance like I was going into reverse. It goes into 1st and I believe 2nd but my expectation is it would not have so much resistance. It does not naturally just push into 1st gear, I have to fiddle with it to fine the right spot for the "gate" and going into second is vague and seems easy to miss it. (like could either go to reverse or 4th). With all that said anyone have any issues like described? It may be fine but my gut feel is something is not right and I am looking for second opinions.

Thanks,
Brian

BTW this shows some of the latest progress:
https://www.facebook.com/americanalpinea310/?fref=ts

[Alpineandy]

Sorry I can't help but I wouldn't even consider opening a gearbox up, It's witchcraft!

You may find a workshop manual for a Renault R30 V6 would give you the info, if you can find one...

[simontaylor]

Where are you based, no indication in your profile location, Derek at Benchley Garage in Kent might be able to assist, I think he is a gear box specialist in the past.

Thanks for the responses. A little patience and the help of a buddy we got it all sorted. I just did not have the side to side (rotational) adjustment correct - I think just a bit too far to the left. I tried adjusting it after a day of putting the trans back in and I think I was just impatient. I called my buddy to come give it a look with me and after a few minutes we got it aligned and it slides into all gears correctly.

So now I have to move the engine from my model shop to the garage then to get it running again.

Location - I am in Detroit Mi in the USA.

[johnb]

Thanks for the responses. A little patience and the help of a buddy we got it all sorted. I just did not have the side to side (rotational) adjustment correct - I think just a bit too far to the left. I tried adjusting it after a day of putting the trans back in and I think I was just impatient. I called my buddy to come give it a look with me and after a few minutes we got it aligned and it slides into all gears correctly.

Glad you've sorted it, Brian.
I had a similar situation where, at first, it was too easy to find you were in 3rd when you thought you'd selected 1st. I spent some time sat in the car with the gearbox tunnel cover removed and the centre tunnel side pieces removed so that I could study what was happening at the gear lever and at the gearbox linkages. I'm sure you've been doing the same. That removable cover was essential.
Looking at my notes from the time I noted:
'Reverse wouldn't engage at first and 1st gear was too far over towards reverse and not engaging. Need to ensure that the plastic disc below the gear lever is in contact with the reverse stop when the gear lever is in the 1st/2nd longitudinal plane.'
Ever since it's worked perfectly.

Your restoration, on the American Alpine A310 Facebook, looks very professional. It looks as if you have access to some good engineering facilities. When do you think it will be finished? They're probably never really finished but you know what i mean.

That is excellent feedback and exactly what I was looking for. I had not removed the side trim or boot around the shift lever. At the point where I was looking for my trimclip popper to remove the boot I could not find it and called it a day at that point. I then called my buddy Paul. He works for American Axle and gears and gear systems are a natural for him. After we got the lever in the right spot I see it has too much play (top wiggles up 30-40mm) as well which Im sure added to problem. I will remove it this weekend and hope I just need to replace the lower bushing.

I have been restoring the car for 41/2 years now and expect to have all the mechanics working this summer and plan to finish it next year after a fresh paint job. I have a full new set of textile parts from Les Selliers Du Domaine (less seats and door cards) on hand and in transit. I need a license plate lamp, headlight glass, and a couple minor trim parts and that is it.

I have access to a full protoshop and engineering tools like CAD. I don't too much in the office but I fab and assemble the car in my garage for which I have some fab equipment.

Are you sure it is not a DeLorean you have been doing up for 41 years #backtothefuture as the 310 is it only 30 odd years old !

[simontaylor]

i think it says four and a half years for the restoration.

Yeah that one took me a minute to decipher, It is an 82 A310 that I have been working on for 4.5 years. The 310 has also been around much longer than the Delorean too - just a minor point.

[johnb]

That is excellent feedback and exactly what I was looking for. I had not removed the side trim or boot around the shift lever. At the point where I was looking for my trimclip popper to remove the boot I could not find it and called it a day at that point. I then called my buddy Paul. He works for American Axle and gears and gear systems are a natural for him. After we got the lever in the right spot I see it has too much play (top wiggles up 30-40mm) as well which Im sure added to problem. I will remove it this weekend and hope I just need to replace the lower bushing.

I have been restoring the car for 41/2 years now and expect to have all the mechanics working this summer and plan to finish it next year after a fresh paint job. I have a full new set of textile parts from Les Selliers Du Domaine (less seats and door cards) on hand and in transit. I need a license plate lamp, headlight glass, and a couple minor trim parts and that is it.

I have access to a full protoshop and engineering tools like CAD. I don't too much in the office but I fab and assemble the car in my garage for which I have some fab equipment.

Took a couple of photos this afternoon to show what I meant about the position of the gear lever in the 1st/2nd longitudinal plane. Both photos are looking towards the front of the car with the gaiter pulled out of the way. One is with the gear lever in its normal rest position, biased towards 3rd/4th gears. The other is when, still in neutral, positioned to the left with the plastic collar resting against the reverse stop, ready to engage either 1st or 2nd.
As you probably know, when you engage reverse the plastic collar slips under the reverse stop against spring pressure.
As my car is a Phase 1 the arrangement may not be exactly as your car.

Should be a great car when it's finished. You'll be in the best phase of the restoration now, when all the dirty work is out of the way.

[johnb]

...................I need a license plate lamp..............

You may have done some searching already for this lamp but Simon Auto list it at a price, part no. 161018.
On some versions of the A110, like this one with the Gordini engine that's currently the backdrop photo for the forum, a similar (if not the same) lamp was used. GBS, in france, list that lamp against the A110, part no. C0081. If you haven't dealt with GBS before you have to ask them for pricing information by email.
The previous owner of my car left a spare lamp with the car. The box has a label with the part no. MP4809 which, I'm sure, was from Mecaparts. They're not listing it now but it might be worth an email.
The lamp I have is in a Seima Italiana spa box and the lamp parts are marked with the name Yorka.

Great information. I have not gotten down to the tunnel on the interior so I did not know how it all went together. I appreciate the pictures. For the lamp yes Simon is very expensive. I have seen several on Leboncoin at great prices but none of the French guys want to deal with shipping to the US. Most don't even respond to my inquiries. I have not purchased anything from GBS but I have had them quote parts. In the end I have bought most everything from Simon. Not much progress on the car this weekend except I had fabbed up a cart to transport my engine from my modelshop to my garage. It will need to go up a grass hill so I made sure it is sturdy. I will take photos when I get a moment. Thanks again for the information.

I finally removed the side panels of the carpet and accessed the shift lever bushing and sure enough it was very loose. The guys in my shop turned down a new one and the shifter is tight and ready for the track.