Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Were you succcessful in finding it? There is a toggle lever inside the trans shifter cover for the reverse, if disassembled there may be a possibility of the toggle not being engaged in the reverse shifter actuator when reassembled, likely difficult to reassemble this way (haven't tried to do it incorrectly) but you never know. Have to remover shifter mount on trans. and refit if this is the problem - hopefully not!
JK

So, were you able to back out the reverse light switch to determine if this is a cause?

Greg Z

Hi all,
yes I did get my hand up between the g/box and the exhaust pipe turned it so it is hand tight,but still no good.I have the same g/leaver arm that is in the March 70 W S M . I can locate the reverse gear rail with the gear leaver but when I pull the leaver back it hits something and stops the engagement of the gear. What I can't find in my box under the shifter cap is the pin and the thing to the right of it,in sec. F page 5 of above W S M. there is a protusion on the out side next to the reversegear rail and it comes into the box,but I can't see what it dose. When I put the engine in I found it wouldn't role, so removing the shifter cap I saw it was in gear, which turned out to be reverse, so I used a big screw driver to pull in back into neutral, so I'm sure it goes in.


Pleasedof all the help.

Gerald.

Lets try this again, first photo from the previous page.


The same photo is marked with the shifter with the RED arrow pointing to it and the reverse foot with a GREEN arrow pointing to it. The Shifter is engaged with the reverse foot selector. This is how I install the shifter to ensure that the Foot is dropped into the reverse shift rail.

Gary

Hi Gary,
thanks for the foto, I can get the gear leaver to locate into the rail like you've shown, it pushes the rail forwards(gear leaver pulling back and up next to 2nd gear)but it wont engage reverse, that is why I would like to know what the pin and the thing next to it
does,( W S M 70 march)there doesn't seem to be hole for the pin, when I look down into the gear shifter hole I can see the 3 rails with all 3 shifter rails in their neutral position.The reverse rail is about 3/16-1/4 heigher than 1st and 3rd rails.What else is there to know?
thanks again,
Gerald.

Hi Gerald

The pin (single needle roller bearing) does nothing but locate the reverse foot lever, it keeps the reverse foot from sliding out of position. The reverse foot lever is placed into the shifter housing and the pin is dropped into place from the machined surface that the shifter cap screws down onto. It is usually hidden by the shifter cap gasket so its not visible. Did you have the gearbox apart? Did you do the assembly if it was apart? Did you have the shift rail interlock parts out of the main case? I am out of ideas, Your descriptions are not helping me. Maybe its time to say where you are located and get a forum member to stop by or offer to meet them someplace, Without looking at the problem and grabbing the stick shift to feel what is happening I can't help you much. If the Shifter is engaging the shifter reverse foot lever and the lever is in position with the pin on the lever engaged into the reverse shift rail slot, then it should slide forward and engage reverse. If you can use a screwdriver to manually select reverse then the reverse light switch and the interlock mechanism sounds like they are working and are not the problem. All I can offer at this point is to say ?give it hell? and be a bit more forceful.

Gary

Hi Gary,
The gear box was together when I got it, so no I didn't take the box apart, only cleaned it, it wasn't till I started to put her( the car) back together, mainly adding the engine that the rolling chassis didn't roll, thats when I found the reverse gear rail forward of the other two rails,I never checked aterwards to see if it would go back in.As you say all the parts fit into the proper places, but it just wont engage. As for one of the other members coming to take alook at her , unfortunately I live on the south west coast of Ireland, so not mainy passersby here!One ? before I go though, do you know how much forward dose the reverse rail go in comparison to the other 2 rails?

many thanks

Gerald.

Hi all,
Well its been 3 months since my heart bypass & a.d.s. closure,so I thought I'd try to find out what was wrong with my reverse. Greg Z. was on the button. I took out the engine and box{separatley}took the inspection plate off, no springs in the 3 sleves to hold the ballbearing in the groves of the rails, found 3 springs in the shed, hope they will do . But still no reversr, so I took out the re\light switch and hay presto I now have reverse, put back the switch at its proper depth and it sill works,great, put box back in car all in one day. Now just the engine to go back in.

To all thanks for all the help.

S4 70 OEW
Gerald

Glad you got it Kerry, but credit goes to oldelanman for the suggestion. I only 'prodded' you a bit

Greg Z

no one answered the Q.E.W.QUESTION???? its the Queen Elizabeth Way ----or the 'quick and easy ' a week end parking lot for thousands of cars and trucks all summer trying to get to Niagara Falls and the US border to shop our at par Canadian dollars one way or to try to get home to Toronto the other . Also used from 600am to 600pm on week days to also store thousands of cars and trucks daily for free ----ed

'Fanfare for the common man' you mean don't you ?.......