was ooot at the yorkshire big breakfast this morning when i suddenly noticed the gear lever shift felt funny - it had stopped returning to the center position - so if you were going forward into gear the lever then returns to center - or backwards it then returns to center - well it stopped returning.
having a look thro the busa service manual it seems the gear selector shaft has an internal return spring fitted. - can this job be done with the engine in? looks like it could be - think the water pump might have to come off - then take the selector cover off - then check see if the spring is goosed.. might of come off - but i doubt it..



[Edited on 12/4/09 by :{THC}:YosamiteSam]

Unlucky mate, hope you can fix it with minimal fuss!

yea - hope so - i just had a quick look - pushed the car in the garage and walked away.. bolloxs to that today.. cant be stressed.. lol - feet up TV on..

lol nice one!

posted in the Dax site

gonna have a butchers at it now - heads in the right mode.. lol - dont you just love cars you can do that to.. now if it was the work car... lol..

I think you can remove the gear shift shaft cover without removing the water pump. From memory, one bolt is semi covered by the pump, you can remove the cover with the bolt still in the cover. All the others will pass the pump and remove easily. before you go to extent of removing all this though, check the gear change bushes aand make sure that one hasn't seized.

the water pump had to come off - but it doesnt drain coolant - had to take prop off - clutch slave cylinder off - to get at it all - once the cover was off i noticed this




the spring is worn to the extent it doesnt stay on the tab which goes back n forth when the shaft moves with each gear movement.. the service manual shows the pic of the spring with virtually no gap between the spring and the tab - mine has about 4-5mm each side

conclusion - spring sha**ed
rectification - gonna talk to carl at extreme as illyama suggested - get a stiffer spring so it should feel bit more positive..

may also as its off drill the gear shaft arm with a hole closer in making the radius smaller - quicker movement..

all the bearings / bushes feel fine - really free - if this doesnt cure it it maybe summink inside the box.. one step at a time

glad i took it apart tho - the prop bolts were not that tight!!

job sorted now - the spring unfortunately had snapped and was about to drop off.. phew!

old and new..