Gearbox expert required

[johnsimister]

Well, the drive from the Brussels dealer to home last Friday in my newly-bought HF went very well, and the car is now safely in my garage. It needs a couple of things before it will get a new MOT, specifically rear anti-roll bar bushes and RH front outer CV boot but overall it's in great shape. I've already fitted new RHD outer headlamps; these contain double-filament H4 bulbs but for now I've just wired in the dipped beam as per the originals.

The biggest snag with this otherwise lovely, and clearly much-loved, HF is the gearbox noise. My initial diagnosis of 3rd and 4th gear noise was wrong. It's the diff. It's quiet on the overrun but whines horribly under load. The box of bits that came with the car includes what I take to be the original crown wheel and pinion (11/43), which look in excellent condition. So I'm not sure why they were replaced during a rebuild apparently intended (successfully) to stop it jumping out of gear.

The best course of action might be to reinstate the original CWP, or to retain the ones in there at the moment but set the mesh correctly. So any ideas as to who would be best entrusted with this task, preferably not too massively far from Hertfordshire, would be gratefully received. I could take the box to Omicron but I worry at the likely cost.

Thanks

John

[ncundy]

It does seem strange that the solution to jumping out of gear was to change the CWP, but it maybe that the pinion shaft is worn (rather than the CWP) allowing the gears to move.

I can't suggest anyone around there who could help. Peter Harding could do it but he is a bit further away. You could try contacting Robin Lacy who is (with his son) going through this on his gearbox, he may know of someone.

[johnsimister]

I have just priced a new CWP set from Cavallito in case I need one. €700. Not cheap but it could be worse. A transmission expert in Norfolk is willing to look at the gearbox - he fixed my seized Lotus Elan gearbox for a modest cost and knows about Lancia 'boxes, having done work for Omicron. I can't reveal who he is because the poor chap is trying to retire, but I'll see if I can persuade him out of anonymity.

John

[1,6 HF]

I have just priced a new CWP set from Cavallito in case I need one. €700. Not cheap but it could be worse...

Could be much worse. You could need one for a Fanalone 'piggyback' 5-speed--a 'box that doesn't share its CWP with any other. Ask me how I know...

Good luck with your mystery mechanic.

[ColinMarr]

John,

I may be able to help solve your gearbox problem. I don't seem to manage the message system here, so please email me your contact details.

Colin on: colin.marr@blueyonder.co.uk

[Dave Simons]

Could be much worse. You could need one for a Fanalone 'piggyback' 5-speed--a 'box that doesn't share its CWP with any other. Ask me how I know....

Funnily enough Ed, I have a brand new 3.7 CWP for a piggyback box!

[1,6 HF]

Funnily enough Ed, I have a brand new 3.7 CWP for a piggyback box!

Wish I'd known a few months ago; I did source one, NOS in the original packaging. It seemed absurdly expensive at the time, but I suppose the price wasn't unreasonable given the number that John quoted from Cavalitto (though I've begin to suspect that "cavalitto" is Italian for "license to print money"...).