Keeps slipping out of 3rd gear

[Miguel Verde]

Hello to all...

I have a 91 Lider with a 1300 CC motor... the car slips out of 3rd gear when the car is under a load (climbing), so I need to hold my hand on the shift lever when going up hills in 3rd. It has gotten progressively worse over the past year. I am supposing this will require removing the motor and tranny but wanted to check for ideas here before I go to any extremes. I do have a weak spring to hold the shifter in the forward position but it doesn't do the job any more, could put a stronger spring but then it slips out of 2nd/4th. Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks guys...

 

[angel]

You can check the detent springs that hold the shift forks in position by taking out the gearbox cover with the gearbox on the car.
I had the same problem with 4th gear many years ago, turned to be excessively worn 3rd-4th selector fork.

 

[edwin]

Amazing that. Sitting in damp cold old lockdown blighty and here is a conversation going on between exotic Columbia and Greece.! What a forum.

 

[Miguel Verde]

Amazing that. Sitting in damp cold old lockdown blighty and here is a conversation going on between exotic Columbia and Greece.! What a forum.

Yes I love this forum for that reason and many more.. we are a unique bunch even here in Colombia us Cuatro owners are considered a bit out of our minds but there are R4 clubs just about in every major city here... even though they have very little monetary value here in Latin America. We love our R4's!

 

[Miguel Verde]

You can check the detent springs that hold the shift forks in position by taking out the gearbox cover with the gearbox on the car.
I had the same problem with 4th gear many years ago, turned to be excessively worn 3rd-4th selector fork.

So it is possible that it is not fully engaging the gear? That does make sense because all I need to do is move the shift lever a bit towards the rear when in 3rd and it pops out of gear.. i mean just a tiny bit and it seems the gear should be more engaged than that. So that makes sense. I needed a starting point for my mechanic they are not very good troubleshooters here in Colombia not sure why, it always helps if I give them a bit of direction prior to dropping it off. Parts here are plentiful but mostly aftermarket, but it's something of a direction. Thank you for the reply!

 

[angel]

The spring pushing the ball in to lock the selector shaft may have been weakened, not being able to hold the selected gear. If the problem lies there, you are lucky, it can be fixed without taking the gearbox out.
The external spring pulling the gearshift lever towards 3rd-4th should not be fitted at such an angle that it pulls the lever out of a gear, only sideways. Try disconnecting this and see what happens.

 

[Miguel Verde]

You can check the detent springs that hold the shift forks in position by taking out the gearbox cover with the gearbox on the car.
I had the same problem with 4th gear many years ago, turned to be excessively worn 3rd-4th selector fork.

i just wanted to follow up and thank you for the comment.. when we dissassembled the tranny those pins and s´prings were so gunked up they couldnt move. i found another tranny with low miles and replaced it but i think it would have made a huge difference in the old tranny just removing the top and cleaning out the holes and springs. thank you!