Gearboxes

[wardy18 33 1 Cars]

A couple of very quick questions:

 

Which is the better all round box BE1 (Lift Reverse nxt to 1st) or the later BE3 box (reverse below 5th)???

 

 

also

 

 

Does a BE3 box fit with no modifications etc to a Pre 1990 205 which was originally fitted with a BE1 box, so would the gear change rods fit the same or not?!?

 

many thanx

 

simon

[jackherer 543]

The BE3 box is a little bit better in some ways.

 

It will fit your car but you will need a clutch pedal and cable from a BE3 205 and a BE3 clutch release bearing. You can keep the BE1 gearstick and just ignore/remove the lift up reverse cable. If swapping the other way (BE3 to BE1) you need to change gearsticks so you have a lift up reverse cable.

[welshpug 1,657]

no need to swap the clutch pedal IMO, you should be able to simply swap the clutch release mechanisms and use the BE1 type cable etc.

[wardy18 33 1 Cars]

thanx for the quick reply

 

so the BE3 later box with reverse below 5th has a different clutch pedal and cable and release bearing, not just a simple swap then...

 

sounds too much work for what i have time for at the moment

[petert 586]

You don't have to swap anything. All you need is a longer nut which will accept the BE1 cable to the BE3 arm. Anyone handy with a lathe could make you one.

[steve@cornwall 100]

Not a swap I'd consider doing just as an upgrade, but if you needed to change the gearbox, or have it off for a clutch change anyway, it may make sense. I would def. retain all the BE3 arms etc. as this is the main bit thats an improvement IMO but a pedal and cable change is only about 1/2 hour tops, and the release bearing a matter of seconds once the box is off.

[jackherer 543]

Welshpug and PeterT are both technically correct but when the correct parts are available easily and cheaply I would just use them. PeterTs approach is valid in Australia where parts availability is a different thing entirely from what I understand, in the UK it would (sadly) almost certainly cost more to pay someone for a few minutes machining than it would to buy a second hand clutch pedal from a breakers.

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

No difference in strength between the boxes only the post late 93 boxes got a stronger Diff, I do what jackherer said is replace the lot with a new cable as this makes the clutch allot lighter than with the BE1

[CaptainK 11]

I was told by a Accident Repair centre that if the lift up BE1 gearbox 205 got hit (by another car) on the passenger side wheel (i.e. a 90 hit) that the BE1 gearbox isn't strong enough to hold its internals and the driveshaft will push through and smash up the gearbox.

They said that this wasn't a problem with the later BE3 gearbox. Which is what I have and a good thing too - as mine was hit 90 degrees on the passenger wheel about 6 years ago.

 

Dunno if its true or not though.

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

LOL, Captin K that is a load of rubbish, all the basic casing's are the same to the extent you can mod the late BE1's into BE3's, only the TD, Mi16 have stronger cases and that's only extra rib's on the outside

[CaptainK 11]

LOL, Captin K that is a load of rubbish, all the basic casing's are the same to the extent you can mod the late BE1's into BE3's, only the TD, Mi16 have stronger cases and that's only extra rib's on the outside

I thought as much. I think his exact words were something like "the shaft can push through the gearbox causing all the discs to smash into each other. Peugeot resolved this problem on the later gearboxes without the lift-up reverse". He's not saying anything about the inner casing, just that the shaft was apparently able to move slightly into the gearbox causing damage to the internals.

 

Still, good to hear its a myth. Thought it sounded a bit odd.

[Guest PaulTheWall]

is it me or is the BE1 a more direct change than the BE3? the BE3 i had on my ZX D. was well sloppy where as the BE1 i have on my 87 1.6 gti is quite precise.

[Rob_the_Sparky 9]

Sloppy change is normally down the the rods, particularly the joint to the sub-frame. This is commonly loose and can get a big improvement in feel just by tightening this up.

 

TBH I'd used both and prefer the BE1 but there seems so little in it to be not be worth fiddling. Just use whatever box you have, it isn't like Pug boxes are a problem...