Three Rail detent ball shim?

[Briggs1]

I pulled the cover to the trans last night and had a "Spare" part appear.

The picture shows a metal slug that looks like it was used in one of the spring captures - the two to the right show signs of spring contact at the base the one on the left is clear. The slug was on top of the trans after I pulled the cover so I'm not sure where it fell from. The picture shows the shim half off of the cover. I'm guessing that it is about .060" thick.

Is there any reason someone would have installed this to increase pressure on the one detent ball?

Briggs Pletcher

[CBUEB1771]

Briggs,
I have one of the aluminum slugs in each of the three locations in my gearbox. I am quite sure that these were installed by Ford at original assembly. I am the first person to have taken mine apart since it left the factory and I found them in each location. Double check all three recesses in the top cover, sometimes they get stuck in there. Oddly (or not oddly depending on your experience level) I don't see these listed in the Lotus service parts list or Dave Bean catalog.

[garyeanderson]

Hi Briggs
Well after looking at one of the spares in the hall closet, thats the 3/4 shift rail and it was probably poping out of 4 th gear. I would pull the shift fork from the left side and inspect for excessive ware.

Gary

[garyeanderson]

Briggs,
I have one of the aluminum slugs in each of the three locations in my gearbox. I am quite sure that these were installed by Ford at original assembly. I am the first person to have taken mine apart since it left the factory and I found them in each location. Double check all three recesses in the top cover, sometimes they get stuck in there. Oddly (or not oddly depending on your experience level) I don't see these listed in the Lotus service parts list or Dave Bean catalog.

Odd, I have a few boxes about and I don't remember (maybe not so odd) seeing these preload spacers. I have mostly older boxes though and I know Russ's gearbox is a later snap ring retained mainshaft, a 71 or so. Maybe Ford got a better deal on some different springs and the covers were alreary bored to depth. Who knows, Like I said in my email to you Briggs, the gearboxes were pretty good and normally don't present problems unless you run them out of oil.

[types26/36]

I have also stripped quite a few of those gearbox's (not always Elans) but from other Fords and I have never seen those plugs.
Like Gary they were mostly older cars so its possible Lotus or Ford did fit them on later cars.

[CBUEB1771]

I have mostly older boxes though and I know Russ's gearbox is a later snap ring retained mainshaft, a 71 or so.

Gary, yes my +2 shows August 1971 on the plate in the door jamb. I guess the gearbox would have been made in the 6 or 12 months prior to that month. From responses I guess it is obvious but I failed to state that the function of the "slugs" is to increase preload on the ball detent springs. Briggs, do you know if you have a later snap-ring style gearbox?

[Briggs1]

How do I determine if it is a snap ring type ? I'll have to look this evening when I get home.

Briggs

[CBUEB1771]

How do I determine if it is a snap ring type ? I'll have to look this evening when I get home.

It is most easy to check if the tail housing is separated from the main housing. Look at the output shaft just aft of the speedometer drive gear. If the gear is retained by a snap ring then it is a later snap ring style box. If is is retained by a large hex nut then it is an earlier gearbox. I don't think the snap ring boxes appeared until perhaps late 1970. (Just noticed the Dave Bean catalog says "post 1970".)

[Briggs1]

My box is the large hex nut style.

And - by the way - after fully reading the shop manual this evening I noticed that it said the springs are supposed to protrude from the top of the trans housing a given distance - if that distance is not obtained a spacer of .048 can be added to increase the effective spring length.

So, looks like I'm short on one of my springs -

[CBUEB1771]

And - by the way - after fully reading the shop manual this evening I noticed that it said the springs are supposed to protrude from the top of the trans housing a given distance - if that distance is not obtained a spacer of .048 can be added to increase the effective spring length.

Well, there we be. I preach about consulting the service parts list and workshop manual. In reality I only read enough to get myself into really deep s**t. I never noticed the section about checking the installed length of the detent springs. All righty then, back to taking the Elite apart.

[Briggs1]

Section F.5 - Additional Information

2. ....the dimensions must be within .335/.375 in. If necessary, the dimension can be achieved by the addition of steel shims .25in diameter by .048 thickness, inserted below the springs in their recesses in the cover.

This is in the section about jumping out of gear - NOT in the reassembling the gearbox section. So it is there - I just needed to hunt for it.

I?m a stickler for looking at the manual first too - I missed it the other night and humbly apologize to the collective.