MG TF gear stick gets stuck

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mgtf160p4lcw
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2015 8:03 pm
MGF Register Region: Cotswolds

MG TF gear stick gets stuck

Post by mgtf160p4lcw » Thu Jun 01, 2023 6:18 pm

MG TF 160, gear stick gets stuck after 10 to 20 miles, on 3rd 4th 5th checked gear box levels, clutch levels, this happens when car runs at normal temperature, very smooth through all the gears before that, including reverse, no managements lights come on, advice welcome, cheers,

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mgtfnut
Posts: 792
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:22 pm
MGF Register Region: South Wales
Model of Car: TF 135
Location: Dinas Powys

Re: MG TF gear stick gets stuck

Post by mgtfnut » Thu Jun 01, 2023 9:00 pm

When you say stuck, do you means the gear lever locks up and won't move about at all, or possibly you find it difficult/impossible to engage a gear and the gear lever moves between selection positions?
The car is of an age that engine management lights are not on the menu - except for oil pressure, coolant temperature etc!!
Does it start off ok first thing and then develop, or is it totally at random? You say it is ok to start with, but is the clutch action smooth and quiet, or stiff and sticky? Is gear selection possible with engine off without any sensation of stiffness or reluctance to engage gear?
First thought is clutch operation, possibly the old sticking clutch operating lever in the bell housing problem. It could be limited clutch action is preventing gear engagement by the syncro cones blocking the gear change.
Jerry
MG TF 135 - 101k
Suzuki SJ 413 - 309k
Skoda Yeti SE 110 4x4 - 138k

mgtf160p4lcw
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2015 8:03 pm
MGF Register Region: Cotswolds

Re: MG TF gear stick gets stuck

Post by mgtf160p4lcw » Sat Jun 03, 2023 5:15 pm

mgtfnut wrote:
Thu Jun 01, 2023 9:00 pm
When you say stuck, do you means the gear lever locks up and won't move about at all, or possibly you find it difficult/impossible to engage a gear and the gear lever moves between selection positions?
The car is of an age that engine management lights are not on the menu - except for oil pressure, coolant temperature etc!!
Does it start off ok first thing and then develop, or is it totally at random? You say it is ok to start with, but is the clutch action smooth and quiet, or stiff and sticky? Is gear selection possible with engine off without any sensation of stiffness or reluctance to engage gear?
First thought is clutch operation, possibly the old sticking clutch operating lever in the bell housing problem. It could be limited clutch action is preventing gear engagement by the syncro cones blocking the gear change.
Starts no problem, up through the gears and down, also reverse ok, very smoothly then after 10 to 20 miles it can lock in the gear I might be in say 3rd trying to go up or down the same happens on 4th and 5th, pressing the clutch all the way down and up a few times, makes no difference, so I depress the clutch down and coast for a time, say sometimes 5 seconds to 10, and the gearstick frees up for me to choose the next gear I need, say up or down, All gears are free when engine is turned off, I will be looking at various things in the next couple of day's, Hopefully all will be sorted for Silverstone,

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mgtfnut
Posts: 792
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MGF Register Region: South Wales
Model of Car: TF 135
Location: Dinas Powys

Re: MG TF gear stick gets stuck

Post by mgtfnut » Sat Jun 03, 2023 8:52 pm

If it were me, I'd take the engine hatch off and get someone to press the clutch pedal and you watch the slave cylinder pushrod movement.
Might be some seal wear and leakage in either or both the master cylinder and slave cylinder.
The temperature effect could be differential expansion of the ali bell housing and the steel shaft as it warms up. Lack of lubrication is normally the problem, hence the profusion of greaseable replacement steel shafts. In some cases they have totally seized up.
My money would be in this area :? But I could be completely wrong :roll:
You could check the run and location of the two gear change cables and possibly get under the car while another person shifts gears to see if there is any obvious malfunction.
Jerry
MG TF 135 - 101k
Suzuki SJ 413 - 309k
Skoda Yeti SE 110 4x4 - 138k

EllsoJo
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Model of Car: MGTF135 (2002)
Location: Rawridge EX14 9PT

Re: MG TF gear stick gets stuck

Post by EllsoJo » Mon Jun 05, 2023 9:03 am

mgtf160p4lcw
You mentioned:
"so I depress the clutch down and coast for a time, say sometimes 5 seconds to 10, and the gearstick frees up for me to choose the next gear I need, say up or down, All gears are free when engine is turned off"

That seems to indicate that either the gear selector shaft, OR some linkage inside the gearbox is jamming once the engine has been running AND GEARBOX have been rotating for a while and warmed-up.

Have you tried changing gearbox oil.

It would be interesting to know how much oil is in your gearbox. Drain into a container and measure?

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