Hidden gear hat kills the engine!

wiffers

Member
My wife has an X-reg 1.4 petrol manual.

This is all intermittent...

When I go from 1 to R (reverse) or 2 to R the engine sometimes cuts out.
If I go from 1 to 2 or 2 to 1 it seems to 'blip', i.e. cut out a tiny bit, enough to make radio 'flicker' but not to kill engine.
If I put stalled car in R, then start engine it works, but as soon as I go from R to 1 or 2 it will do it again.

It seems to me as if there is a sensor between 1, 2 and R (probably more like R) that seems to be doing something and cutting the car's power when it's selected ... again intermittently.

What sensors could it be, and where are they?

Thanks, I need to get this fixed as my car's engine has blown (bottom end) and it's the only one we have left.

Cheers
 
UPDATE - CONFUSED

OKay, figured it out ... kind of.

The gear cables go in to the engine bay and join on to a metal thing which looks like the end of a golf club. OKay they control the gearbox, but the 'golf club' bit I can only assume is a counterweight. This moves side to slide as the gear stick moves left to right.

Below this, at one end is what looks to be a coil or something. The metal bit when it moves to the left (as you look at the car) has worn away the plastic coating on this and as such touches metal to metal, causes a big spark and kills the engine.

I've duct-taped for insulation for now, but going to move the postive terminal out of the way as soon as I get a spanner.

Seems a pretty bad design flaw.

Thoughts?
 
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I've undone the positive terminal, twisted 90 degrees so it's 1"' from the counterweight, and done up.

Going to get some heat resistant insulation to be safe.

Any idea what this part is? Be handy if there's a proper cover. This one looks bodged...

I can upload photos if needed

Ta
 
sounds like its the solinoid on the starter motor , it lives just under the counter weight and has a thick rubber sheild over all the wires, the counter weight does not touch this rubber but comes very close so id imagine your counterweight or selector shaft is posibly bent a little as you say it catches, i have a got a good gearbox taken out of my project car which has all the selector shaft and counterweight all attached if yours is not fixable. id also have the rubber sheild for the starter motor which is held in place with a large tie wrap ...
 
Yeah that'll be it cheers.

The counterwight is a bit loose (not bent) and that may be why. But the positive terminal was bent up about an inch for some unknown reason. So Ive undone the bolt and twisted it down again.

Doesn't seem to touch. I've reassembled and put tape in it so I'll see if it rubs. I'll check every day. And in the mean time getting some heat proof insulation.

If it rubs again I'll be in touch!

Thanks mate

At least it's fixed, could have been a big bang!
 
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