University Motors Limited, Ada, Michigan

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Goldstar Products

6490 East Fulton
Ada, Michigan 49301
616.682.0800

Popping out of Gear

Recently finished a restoration of a 79 MGB in which I had the transmission out of the car. When driving to diagnose a blown head gasket before the restoration, I don't remember it ever popping out of gear but now it has a definite tendency to do so in third gear especially when downshifting into a stop light and occassionaly when accelerating in 3rd. This appears to be more prominent when first starting to drive it, becoming less frequent as the car is driven. Holding pressure to keep it in gear works but is not how I like to have my car operate. I don't have this problem in any of the other gears.
I'm not positive but suspect it had gear oil in the transmission when I got the car, I'm thinking I refilled with 30W oil (I see that you recommend 20/50W Castrol). Can you help with a diagnosis and recommendation?
Bruce

The most common cause of this problem is an overly tightly fitted gear lever boot. No kidding! To see if this is the cause, remove the four screws that hold the gear lever gaiter ring in place, remove the screw at the back of the console, then lift the console and pull out the gear lever gaiter. Now go drive around and see if the problem is still there. If it is (and it could be - but rarely) there are some fixes you can do from under the bonnet.

Let me know!

BTW, the proper stacking of all those pieces is: Gear lever boot, console, trim ring.