Beta gearbox with no reverse or 5th

[Fulvia-hf]

Hello,
I have a 1975 Beta coupe. Since last week the reverse and 5th gear will not engage anymore.
Has somebody ever got the same experience?
Thanx and kind regards,
William

[SubGothius]

Sounds like a problem with your linkage; most likely a bushing disintegrated, probably the socket part of the ball joint where the forward main linkage rod connects to the selector coming out of the top of the tranny.

If you're going to rebush that joint, you might as well rebush your entire linkage at once and be done with it. Rebush kits are available from the usual vendors, or you can cobble up a cheaper, arguably better solution using steel spherical bushings and assorted hardware such as discussed here:
http://lancisti.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2170

[Fulvia-hf]

A few years ago I have bought new white plastic bushings. From Citroen. I read on probably this forum that they fit right away. Do you mean these bushings? Never came round installing them as the linkage was OK.
William

[davidb]

Also check the front vertical adjusting rod that bolts onto the
gearbox. There are washers/bushings in the bottom of the
rod eyelet [w/a thru-bolt] that fail. Which causes an incredible
amount of slop, difficulty in gear selection/engagement. You
can install a bushing kit for the linkage rod spherical joints but
if the adjusting rod eyelet isn't checked it'll still shift poorly.

[Jim Keller]

It could be the main rod bushings, but more likely the small support rod as David mentioned. Inspect that bushing at the trans mounting location to see if it is gone, if so, re-bush it. You will have to find a suitable replacement, in other words, improvise. I do have a used one that will be ok for some time I could mail you but is missing one side of the flange, (broke it off removing it from the rod, rod was cut by someone and was no good but I saved that bush), the flange missing isn't a problem really, just makes it easy to slide in since you dont have to work the flange part through the rod and the washer on either side of the rod will hold it in place.

Now, if you find it is ok and your main shift rod bushings are fine, inspect the motor mounts, especially that one just below the radiator and crank pully for sag, dried out, broken or oil soaked mushy. The firewall mount and the upper support rod, (I call the "Dog Bone" motor mount), is one everyone remarks on and do go bad causing sag and excessive engine movement which in turn causes the shift rod assembly to be out of alignment and prevent you from getting into the REV and 5th gear gate also. However, that said, I have actually had more of the front by the radiator due to drying out and sagging and the one under the crank pully due to oil soaking and mushing out cause shifting problems than the firewall or dog bone ones.

If it is the motor mounts, you can simply adjust that front small support rod at the trans, a half turn at a time, to re-align the gates to get by until you get to the motor mount replacements and installed. But you DO need to get the mounts replaced if they are bad as it effects a lot of things, not just the shifting. It strains the entire drivetrain as the engine flops around while driving due to mushy, dried out or broken mounts.

When all mounts and bushing are in good to excellent condition, you adjust the shift rod thru that small support rod side to side so that the shift handle is 90 deg straight up, once you get it there, you start driving it and fine tuning the adjustment until you get it dialed in to perfection as every car is slightly different due to age, previous accidents, rail road crossing jumping and so one and the factory adjustment proceedures are for the general masses, sort of like timing, all cars come from the factory timed at 10 deg but every Beta I had ran a lot better bumping that up to various deg depending on the engine condition and tune

[Fulvia-hf]

Hi everybody,
Last weekend I cracked the problem. It turned out the plastic bushing on the aft end of the selectorshaft (running from the gearbox to the firewall) was completely disintegrated. I found on this forum the Citroen replacement number, bought and fitted one. Now it shifts a lot better and with fifth and reverse!
Thanks for the support.
William