How far to drop gearbox to reach reversing switch?

[Tim Proctor]

Does anyone know how far the gearbox needs dropping to reach to connect the reversing switch?

And will the gear lever permit the drop before catching on the bodywork or does it need withdrawing first?

Louise

[Robmsharp]

Before you consider droppiung the gearbox can I suggest you check whether theres an access panel on the passengers side of the transmission tunnel? During my restoration I found my Mk2 had this panel which made getting at the switch a piece of cake.

[mike@thenook]

I actually did mine with the box in place - it's fiddly but possible and saves a lot of aggravation.

[Tim Proctor]

Before you consider droppiung the gearbox can I suggest you check whether theres an access panel on the passengers side of the transmission tunnel? During my restoration I found my Mk2 had this panel which made getting at the switch a piece of cake.

I actually did mine with the box in place - it's fiddly but possible and saves a lot of aggravation.

Rob, there is an access panel but it doesn't seem to access anything! It's quite a way forward of the switch.

Mike, do you have very slim and long fingers? I can just, just touch the switch from underneath, but can't see it and can't see getting a tool to it, in order to put the detached wires on it and possibly adjust it. That said, I was peering at it with the car just jacked up and it was tricky to get into position. We're going to have the use of a pit for a day next week, and we're trying to prepare as much as we can in advance.

Louise

[mike@thenook]

Hi Louise,

i do have quite nimble (but ageing rapidly!) fingers so when I did mine I managed by feel to both detach and re-attach the wires BUT I couldn't adjust it without dropping the box a little and probably making a tool to reach up over the gearbox extension to loosen/tighten the switch.

Cheers

M

[Tim Proctor]

Hi Louise,

i do have quite nimble (but ageing rapidly!) fingers so when I did mine I managed by feel to both detach and re-attach the wires BUT I couldn't adjust it without dropping the box a little and probably making a tool to reach up over the gearbox extension to loosen/tighten the switch.

Cheers

M

Thanks for this, Mike, I'll begin some finger yoga while keeping them crossed!

Louise

[Guest]

I bought a ratchet head, it doesn't have a handle then used some pipe grips as the handle.

[Tim Proctor]

We had a pit day, lots of other things to do but I had a go at finding the reverse light switch. I got nowhere. There's a thick sheet of sound insulation under the transmission tunnel just where I think the switch is, leaving a bare half inch of clearance. We didn't have time to drop the box on this occasion, I'm thinking fondly of a manual reverse light switch!! But we still have to chase down a non-functional overdrive, so another oit day is needed.

Louise

[richardthestag]

non functioning overdrive, reverse light switch issues !

are you sure the fault is not in the loom connector that sits near the starter motor?

[Tim Proctor]

non functioning overdrive, reverse light switch issues !

are you sure the fault is not in the loom connector that sits near the starter motor?

At some pont in the dim and distant, a person unknown (and best not known!) had 'repaired' faulty wiring by wiring out the overdrive switch (gear lever switch straight to solenoid) and connecting the reverse light feed across the OD inhibit switch instead of the reverse light switch. It took me a while to work out what had been done.