306 T16 Gear Linkage Clearance

[Stevo309 0]

The gear change on my 306 has always been awkward especially in 5th and 6th. In particular when you're thrashing it and the engine is tilted back it actually won't go into 6th due to the linkage hitting the turbo downpipe.

 

I realise this is a long shot but wondering if anyone has any suggestions to improve this?

 

I have really seriously considered putting in a 5 speed box with might help but which would be best? Currently it's a standard 306 GTI-6 box with plate diff. Would the BE3 box tolerate the power/torque?

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

I'm sure there would be a way of modifying it to make it work, however without seeing it and having a poke about to see what the problem is and what could be re engineered to alter it, it is hard to say.

 

I know that whenever I've driven a 306 GTI 6 I've never been that keen on the gearchange.

 

Maybe a way would be to make a rosejointed linkage more along the lines of the 205 arrangement rather than that big ball thing the 306 uses?

Edited December 15, 2010 by Tom Fenton

[Henry Yorke 269 3 Cars]

Get in touch with Stew205 (Stew Baker) on here and see what he is running on his as he also sells gear rods although I think they may be the same as Miles'

[Stevo309 0]

Tom i've not driven a standard one to know what the difference is, when i had a good nosey it seems like the ball joint pivot thing at the bottom had some play in it, it didn't really account for the whole problem though to me. I was wondering about a nice rose jointed linkage arrangement too.

 

Henry thanks, hadn't thought about Stu Baker even though i discussed his 306 T16 with him on the phone! I'm not sure he had the engine installed at that point though so he might not yet have come across this issue.

 

Don't get me wrong it's not horrendous but the gear stick does move slightly diagonally front to rear say from 1st to 2nd and you have to nurse it into 6th by lifting off (which isn't ideal). It would be a nightmare on a track thrash and it makes accidental 5th to 4th changes when you wanted 6th a common occurance.

[welshpug 1,657]

I was just about to suggest cable shifting maybe?

 

But not sure offhand what arrangement would fit in the space you have available.

[Stevo309 0]

It's a idea i have considered amongst others but the idea of stretching cables and the feel it might give would worry me. Would also presumably need to setup springs/pulleys etc as the cables will only pull and not push. Not so hard with a clutch as it's spring loaded anyway.

 

Going back to the gearbox question, i have a spare BE1 box in the garage, would the plate diff i have in the 6 speed box swap over and would the BE1 tolerate the power/torque? What are they generally regarded as good for?

Edited December 16, 2010 by Stevo309

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

Steve, you can actually get control cables that can push, however as per our correspondance I think the standard linkage can be modified to work.