Gearbox: Unidentified Ring

[Armando]

Chaps - when I removed the bell-housing for repair a while back, I found the following (broken) item stuck to the magnetic sump plug on the gearbox......

Broken ring (cleaned) found at sump plug

DSCF5806.JPG (147.02 KiB) Viewed 11277 times

Any idea what function it served and whether or not it requires replacement?

I can still select all the gears.

Thanks.

A.

[Armando]

Just to clarify..... The 'ring' was found inside the bottom of the gearbox (stuck to the drain plug) and it has a D cross section (if that helps!).

A.

[callum]

Armando,
That's a syncho circlip/ring. If your box has synchro on 2nd, 3rd and 4th then it may be a 'spare' that someone's not taken out after a repalcement has been fitted.

Rgrds
Callum

[Ken Hanna]

Armando,
when you say that it's still possible to select all of the gears, is that 'on the move' and if so, is there any 'crunching' when engaging gear?
When a synchro clip fails in this manner, it's usually either 2nd or 3rd gear which is the culprit and a full stripdown is required to replace it.

At least it didn't get caught up between the pinions, which does happen and can cause damage to the teeth...

[Armando]

Thanks Callum and Ken - I did wonder about the synchro, but wasn't sure what the rings would do - looks like they act as tension springs......

It's the original 1982 gearbox with approximately 55K miles on it. I can easily select gears when static. On the move I have no idea. I checked with Pete Sparrow (who supplied the donor) - he only drove it around the yard in 1st gear due to lack of brakes , so it is effectively an unknown quantity.

I suppose if this, the original, clip failed, it would have been found when/if a new one was fitted? Unless it was fitted in situ?

I'll have a close look at the crown wheel and pinions to see if the teeth are damaged.

Does a gearbox strip (to replace the rings) require specialist tools? Maybe it's a Rick Pembro job?

A.

[Ken Hanna]

Armando,
if it had been caught up in the workings of the gearbox, it would look very different from how it appears in your photograph, so no worries on that front.
However, fitting a replacement clip does require a stripdown, during which it makes sense to replace the other two synchromesh clips, plus (most of) the bearings in the gearbox.

[Armando]

Thanks, Ken.

Spoke with Rick P today - it'll be on its way to him this weekend for the full treatment.

A.