Lack of reverse gear

[John]

OK guys, problem. 1996 V6-24 manual. I can no longer select reverse. Have checked linkage to 'box and can confirm that problem appears to be inside the 'box (which I rebuilt three years ago).

Now, there is a mechanism that prevents the selection of reverse directly from 5th. Has anybody had a problem with this?

Has anybody had this no reverse problem and had it solved easily?

I know I can drop the box again and take it apart but I'd really like a solution that doesn't involve that!

I should add that I've but on a few hundred miles in this condition and the forward gears are working fine with no unusual noises from the box.

[Nick Mann]

I think there is a mechanism to prevent the lever going from 5th to reverse. I'm not sure what it is though.

IIRC you can alter the cable tension from the lever end of the cable. That may be worth a try?

[Eurospec]

Right, i dont know this for a FACT, its just my suspiscion 'cause it happens on other mitsubishi's and lots of the stuff is similar.

The selector mechanism (ie the bit on the box with the two levers) has a chunky shaft on the end of it. That mechanism enguages with 3 rods which move the shifter forks.

On the chunky shaft is a pivot- the 5th to reverse stopper as nick points out- that pivot is held on by a 12mm bolt. That bolt shakes loose over time and backs out. The bolt head then fowls on the side of the casing and it will block reverse. (it will feel like a brick wall- as if the gear position doesnt exist).

On other mitsus- noteably the earlier boxes, you can withdraw the selector mechanism complete, tighten the nut, and refit. I dont know if this is possible on the v6 box.

Either way, here is a very big health warning. On the cars i've done this on, there is a detent spring underneath the selector mechanism. If you are not VERY VERY VERY careful as you withdraw the selector, the spring will fly off and drop between the gears, meaning you have to take the box apart to get it out.

Whenever i explain this to people or to customers pottentially getting it done, i explain that the way to think of it is that the box has to come out to fix it. There is a chance that you can fix it without, but if the spring drops out, you have to take the box out anyway, ie think of it as a bonus if the box doesnt have to come out.

Of all the ones i have done, i've dropped the spring twice and i think mark dropped one once. The first one was our 'practice gearbox' ie an old box we had laying about on the floor so it didnt matter. The other one i did i was lucky and managed to fish out the spring with a magnet on a stick.

As i say i dont KNOW that the V6 box works like this, but at least its something to look at.

Cheers,

Ben.

[John]

Thanks Ben. That's the answer I was hoping for. I'll try the selector mechanism extraction method first (it is possible and quite easy) and see what I can find. Symptoms are exactly as you describe: something mechanical stopping the selector moving to reverse.