MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Gearbox had a bad day.

Yesterday I was going to work in my midget second gear dissappeared on me. Shifter would go to where second should be but when I let off the clutch there was no gear engaged. Also, second seemed to be engaged when shifter was in neutral position. By the time I limped her home first was having problems as well. Sounds to me like a shifter fork problem. Before I pull the motor and gearbox out is there anything else I should check first? How sick am I that I'm kind of looking forward to taking the motor back out? sick.
C. J. Charvet

Sounds like a loose setscrew on a shifter fork...
David "as sick as you are" Lieb
David Lieb

A few years ago I was driving my Bugeye (1098 and smoothcase trans.)down a steep rough dirt road in first gear, with my hand on the shifter to brace myself from the rough ride, and when I got level again tryed to shift into second gear. No,I was stuck in first gear (something I believe my ex-wife used to say), 40 miles from home in a gear you don't really need anyway. I really got to see alot of scenery during a long drive home, about the speed of a fast walk. After pulling the trans. found I had pushed the fork too far past some detent balls, another lesson learned after driving British cars for 44 years. Bob
Bob Finucane

C.J.,

If need be; I will be brining my spare ribcase transmission with me out to Florida later this month along with my midget. It shifts flawlessly and I am sure we could work out a deal for you on it. I am replacing it with the 5 speed when I put the new motor I am building in hopefully in a week or two before I move out there.

Stefan
Stefan

Let me know. I'm definately interested.
C. J. Charvet

C. J.

Just send me an email and when I get to Florida later this month, early April we could see about swapping yours out. I am bringing all of my tools and my hoist, jacks, and jack stands with me and have no problem helping you do it. Might as well do some other things while you have it out like change the clutch and add in a rear main seal. While the engine is out you could do some other things to it since it is convenient.

stefan dot bruegeman at gmail dot com
Stefan

Well good news, I finally got under the car and it was just a loose 1st and 2nd shift fork. I was able to tighten it up with everything still in place. I guess I'll have to break something bigger before I take the engine out again. @#%

Stefan, let me know when you come down we can meet up. I've been all the way through this gearbox so I don't think I would trade it, but if you want to get rid of any spares I might be interested. Welcome to Florida.
C. J. Charvet

C. J.,

glad you got it fixed. I have tones of spares and would like to get to know some new people in Florida that are interested in MG's. I have two midgets, a 74 and a 78 both with a 1275cc engine and I have quite a few spares from both the 1500's I removed from the 78 (yes I went through two engines before I put in a good old 1275cc) as well as 1275cc engines I have picked up over the last 6 years since I got into MG's.

Stefan
Stefan

This thread was discussed between 07/03/2008 and 13/03/2008

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.