Souster Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Hi all. Im having trouble with 2nd gear on my 1995 defender 300tdi 130k miles. When the vehicle is cold or it has been standing, 2nd gear is near impossible to get without forcing it. It feels like something is blocking it from going into gear. When i first bought the vehicle i didn't experience it this bad, which was about 6 months ago. All the other gears are perfect, warm or cold. After a couple months of ownership I changed the ATF in the gearbox with new ATF.. It seemed to improve the 2nd gear change when warm quite considerably but made it worse when cold. It takes a good while for the 2nd gear to loosen up and go into gear decently, approx 10 miles. But the last month getting worse. So a couple of days ago i decided to give MTF94 a try, after ashcroft transmissions and several people on here recommended to me. The outcome of MTF94 im quite disappointed with. When cold its no better at all. When warm it seems to go into 2nd gear but it goes in notchy (can sort of feel the gears mesh). Yet Going from 1st to wiggle in neutral to 2nd does seem to improve the change however. The two different fluids are giving both fors and against when the vehicle is warm. With ATF i seem to be able to go through the gate 1st to 2nd with care, and it will crunch about 25% of the time. MTF i seem to be able to rev higher in 1st gear, to change into second. But it wont do this smoothly unless i wiggle it in neutral before going into 2nd. What do you guys think i should do? Could it be remedied by anything outside the gearbox such as a slick shift modification, Or anything in the gear stick housing thats causing it to select poorly. There is a fair amount of slack with the gearstick, however when i bought it - it changed gear great, despite feeling like a stick in a pot of grease. And ive only done about 1000 miles in it. many thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 A slick shift modification will not cure a fault Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dailysleaze Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 It's very common. Sometimes I double declutch when going into second, just to help. Or don't change until the speed has dropped under 15mph. I've tried MTF and Difflock Evo 1. It didn't make much difference. I find that the biggest difference is humidity in the atmosphere. Dry days are the worst and wet days are the best, regardless of temperature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanuki Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 R380s are very variable in what they like. The one in my 2001 90TD5 has always been a bit problematic when cold, making a nuisance of itself if I stupidly try to shift-to-second before it's really ready. I've tried various oils - and have come back to MTF94. My solution to the 'problem' - such as it exists - is to accept the designer's intent and use plenty of revs before changing-up. I've trained the other people on our fleet to do likewise: modern Diesels are instinctively free-revving and changing-up early does nothing for transmission-life - it grenades gearboxes knocks out big-end bearings and messes-up dual-mass-flywheels. I'd much rather see a TD5 on the datalogger being regularly bounced off the rev-limiter than being expected to stagger along at 1500RPM in 5th with the throttle wide-open and a trailer on the back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HPLP Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 R380s are very variable in what they like. The one in my 2001 90TD5 has always been a bit problematic when cold, making a nuisance of itself if I stupidly try to shift-to-second before it's really ready. I've tried various oils - and have come back to MTF94. My solution to the 'problem' - such as it exists - is to accept the designer's intent and use plenty of revs before changing-up. I've trained the other people on our fleet to do likewise: modern Diesels are instinctively free-revving and changing-up early does nothing for transmission-life - it grenades gearboxes knocks out big-end bearings and messes-up dual-mass-flywheels. I'd much rather see a TD5 on the datalogger being regularly bounced off the rev-limiter than being expected to stagger along at 1500RPM in 5th with the throttle wide-open and a trailer on the back. Agree with you mate. Much better for the gearbox and often economy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Souster Posted September 16, 2014 Author Share Posted September 16, 2014 Thanks very much guys. R380s are very variable in what they like. The one in my 2001 90TD5 has always been a bit problematic when cold, making a nuisance of itself if I stupidly try to shift-to-second before it's really ready. I've tried various oils - and have come back to MTF94. My solution to the 'problem' - such as it exists - is to accept the designer's intent and use plenty of revs before changing-up. I've trained the other people on our fleet to do likewise: modern Diesels are instinctively free-revving and changing-up early does nothing for transmission-life - it grenades gearboxes knocks out big-end bearings and messes-up dual-mass-flywheels. I'd much rather see a TD5 on the datalogger being regularly bounced off the rev-limiter than being expected to stagger along at 1500RPM in 5th with the throttle wide-open and a trailer on the back. Thanks Tanuki for your in depth response. I see where your coming from with regarding revving it higher in first gear, to get it into second easier. MTF certainly makes this more do able i notice. However, it doesnt want to go into 2nd at all when its cold. It takes about 10 miles before it will go in decently even in this current temp. Im also not a fan of revving the engine before its up to temperature. Have i got to live with it do you suggest? Is it an r380 and defender characteristic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Ask Dave at Ashcroft, or have a look on their website it may be a common fault they have the answer too on there Edit:I've just looked, it doesn't list it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashtrans Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 a poor 2nd gear shift is very common when cold, you need to give the syncro a little more time to do it's thing, I think this is a combination of the thicker oil and the bigger ratio step between 1st and 2nd than the other shifts, Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco-Ron Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 I realise it's a different box. But the first to second shift on my lt77 is awkward. What I've discovered is that second is not directly below first. You have to push left on the lever. Maybe this is partly why a wiggle in neutral helps? ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Souster Posted September 17, 2014 Author Share Posted September 17, 2014 a poor 2nd gear shift is very common when cold, you need to give the syncro a little more time to do it's thing, I think this is a combination of the thicker oil and the bigger ratio step between 1st and 2nd than the other shifts, Dave Thanks Dave for your response. I dont mind a poor or notchy change, but when its cold 2nd gear doesnt want to go in at all. 3rd is slightly notchy untill warm too. Maybe I'll have to live with it then. I must admit i took it on a good run today, about 40 mile. And after 10 mile, the box felt good. Giving it a wiggle in neutral deffo seems to help it since the MTF94 went in. I can get 2nd gear lovely 90% of the time by doing that. And thanks disco-Ron. I know exactly where your coming from and i do push it to the one side more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulnb57 Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 I have an Ashcroft R380, with supposedly better gershift, utter sh*te! Its crunched into second from day 1, learned to live with it, but disappointing in a recon box from a specialist..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 I have an Ashcroft R380, with supposedly better gershift, utter sh*te! Its crunched into second from day 1, learned to live with it, but disappointing in a recon box from a specialist..... my R380 came from Ashcroft a few years ago & it's been fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dailysleaze Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Mine's been a bit crunchy at times, but I've driven worse. It's better than the one that came out. I tried an R380 a couple of years ago with delivery miles and it was phenomenal. That's when I realised why they're called "reconditioned" and not "brand new". If you want new you have to buy new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tacr2man Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 I used a td5 /p38 R380 in my 110 , the change was carp, after the lt85 , but i remembered the change being very crisp in my 130 DCHCPU on examining the components of the change , I replaced the turret, and ball, and adjusted the bias spring , now its very positive , to the point that you can just flick it out of second to third and fourth. I have also noticed its much better going into 2nd when cold, and I am running Redline MTF , and when warm second is no problem as long a you dont try to pop it thru like on a 4 speed ford box! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dailysleaze Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 I do suspect that the turret assembly can have a lot to do with it. When I bought mine, 5th gear was very sloppy. I could almost push the stick into my left knee if I wanted to. When I opened it, the plastic yoke collar had almost disintegrated The best 30 minute job I ever did! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 Slightly off topic, my LT77 has a very sloppy shift, which parts should I be looking at adjusting or replacing to improve it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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