Five Speed Gearbox - Update

[stuartgb100]

Leaving aside the question as to whether a 5 speed upgrade is desirable or not, there nevertheless remains the fact that parts are in very short supply .... this has to be a consideration for someone contemplating this route, and it is obviously a problem for an owner already running with such a box.

In the original thread, I asked about the early Elite 5 speed box.

Well, I took a bit of a punt on ebay, and yesterday I collected it. Whilst the bellhousing and tail are completely different, the central section is exactly the same.

So I rang Chris Brown at Lotus and asked the question. When he came back to me, he confirmed they are the same, even down to the ratios. In fact the central casing seems to be stamped with a date, so presumably the earlier the date, the better, even if the ratios were changed later.

Regards,
Stuart.

[ppnelan]

Stuart,

Yes, the main part of the gearbox is 'identical', but there were a few 'running changes' that were carried over from improvements to the Maxi gearset. This means that it may be beneficial to go for a late 'box.

There's an in-depth article on how to rebuild & improve the Lotus 5-speed 'box for fitting to an Elan - it appeared in both the Lotus Drivers' Club and Club Lotus magazines not so long ago. This described the changes and change points

Matthew

[stuartgb100]

Thanks Mathew,

Am aware of that, and also have the Service Update info.
The same applies if buying a 2nd hand Elan 5 speed (ie what's been/not been done etc).

I posted a question re the early Elite 5 speed box --- without any reply as to its' use for Elan users. I thought it would be useful to share my findings.

I paid in excess of ?700 for a recon Elan 5 speed box - less than 1000 miles since (verified).

Sadly, had to cough up ?45 for the Elite box on ebay ... what a ........... !!

Regards,
Stuart

[tower of strength]

I enquired of a well known Lotus gearbox specialist as to whether an Elite five speed could donate/be used to replace/repair an elan five speed. His answer was a definate no, According to him, the major problem is that the main casting is not rigid enough.

I'm going to try and fit an MT75 to my twincam, I'm told it wont go into a standard chassis (mines a Spyder rebuilt Lotus one from 15 yrs ago), but I have a malicious awkward streak, so I'll try any way!!
Mark

P.S. Rohans tip of fitting packing washers on between the ball joint and circlip on the Lotus 5 speed does work, Its a well documented mod for Capri 3 litres , the same stick and same sloppy rubber bushing!!

Mark

[thor]

can you elaborate on this remedial for the 5-speed? possible without the box out, and from inside the car?

[rgh0]

Thor

Yes possible to do with box in the car

If you pull the boot off around the gear lever you will see at the base of the lever a rubber bellows. This bellows holds the lever into its ball socket and is held in compression by a circlip located in a groove on the lever at its top. The rubber bellows tend to loose its compression over the years so the lever becomes sloppy in its ball socket. A quick fix is put some washers as spacers under the circlip to increase the compression on the bellows, this firms up the change feel substantially.

You can rebuild the entire lever assembly to make it more rigid if this quick fix does not satisfy by replacing the bellows with a more rigid spacer and to do this the lever assembly can be removed with the gear box in the car but undoing the large nut that holds it in the top of the box

regards
Rohan

[thor]

GREAT TIP! Compress/space the bellows by how much do you reckon?

[tower of strength]

Thor

Yes possible to do with box in the car

If you pull the boot off around the gear lever you will see at the base of the lever a rubber bellows. This bellows holds the lever into its ball socket and is held in compression by a circlip located in a groove on the lever at its top. The rubber bellows tend to loose its compression over the years so the lever becomes sloppy in its ball socket. A quick fix is put some washers as spacers under the circlip to increase the compression on the bellows, this firms up the change feel substantially.

You can rebuild the entire lever assembly to make it more rigid if this quick fix does not satisfy by replacing the bellows with a more rigid spacer and to do this the lever assembly can be removed with the gear box in the car but undoing the large nut that holds it in the top of the box

regards
Rohan

WORD OF WARNING!!!!

select 4th gear before removing the gear stick, it tells you to do this in the five speed suplement to the workshop manual, if you don't the selector will drop out of place and you will have no gears. it is possible to realign the selector without removing the gearbox, but it takes the patience of a saint(took me many hours over two days) and the dexterity of a keyhole surgeon!!

regards
Mark

[stuartgb100]

Thor,

Your question prompted me to look at my gearboxes.

Here's a picture, where the Elan 5 speed is at the back (with the gearlever mod) and the Elite box is at the front (un-modded).

You might have to zoom in a bit to see.

Regards,
Stuart.

[rgh0]

Thor

I spaced my bellows down about 8mm. How much you need depends on how much your bellows have lost their compression so keep increasing the spacer until you get the feel you want on the gear lever. To much compression and the lever becomes heavy to move in its socket, to little and it still feels sloppy.

Rohan

[thor]

Can't wait to try it out, and change the sloppy rubbery change, finally!

But won't be until after putting it away for the season I'm afraid. Right now i have to DRIVE, as it's the warmest autumn in Norway for about 90 years, it's October, and it's 17 degrees outside, which is unheard of.

Going down to the garage later, pulling off the cover and going for an invigorating drive, not giving a toss about non-functioning brake lights or sloppy gear changes, just putting on my sunglasses, the black Dent's driving gloves and my foot firmly down.