Problem with 1972 Rover 2000 automatic

B

Bolton_Paul

New Member
Hi.

We have a 1972 Rover P6 2000 automatic (BW35 gearbox).

The gearbox gave up and we had a fully reconditioned gearbox installed by a local garage (£1,400 incl. them fitting all new rear brakes supplied by us at the same time).

The garage have said it's ready to collect but that it won't select 1st gear in Drive, only if you move the selector manually to position 1.

In Drive it sets off in 2nd gear, changes to top, will kickdown to 2nd but doesn't ever engage 1st.

They said that the 'rods' have been bent out of shape (not by them), that they've "done their best with them" but that only a new set of 'rods' will sort this out.

They are adamant about this and will not budge.

It doesn't feel right to me taking a car away that won't engage 1st gear except manually....

Asking them to re-consider / taking action is not an option, I've tried!

I'd like to know the thoughts of people who know about these things?

If the 'new rods' being needed explanation is right does anyone have a set or know where we can get some?

The garage said that they will fit these at no charge if we can provide them and are convinced this will solve the problem, the garage do seem genuine.

Thanks,

Paul

(Oh, and it selected 1st in Drive no problem before the gearbox melted itself internally hence the reconditioned one being required!)
 
Ok think about this logically.
The transmission will not engage position 1 whilst in DRIVE, but WILL select position 1 by using the selector.

So, the problem is not the rods as you can select 1 using the selector.
The problem is the transmission.
May we ask who / where the work was carried out?
There should be a warranty with the transmission
 
AGC Gearboxes in Bolton (Andy is the mechanic). Yes, there is a warranty but he won't accept there is anything wrong other than I need to supply new rods. Obviously some may say I can go to the small claims court but that's not what I want to do, I really don't have the time and can't be bothered with all the aggravation that would come with that, I just need it working again....

I'm a builder by trade, not a mechanic - so the rods operate between the selector and the different positions? If the rods are set from the Drive position at the selector the gearbox should select 1st by itself because the rods are only about the selector position and something else (hydraulics / bands internally) should move the gears around and the gearbox selecting 1st by itself whilst in Drive is 100% definitely nothing to do with the rods?
 
Hi.

Thank you very much to everyone for their help with this!

I am due to collect the car shortly, does anyone have an idea what might be wrong / need adjusting within the gearbox to solve the not using 1st gear in Drive, so I can tell the garage?

Thanks,

Paul
 
PS If anyone can recommend someone within an hour or two's drive of Bolton who has experience and could probably sort this out please let me know. Thanks!
 
It sounds like it could be a PRND21 selector plate, but a PRND2D1L valve block, as what you are experiencing is what happens with that mismatch.

At rest put it in "2" and drive off and see if you get full 1-2-3 drive then to prove the point.
 
Hi. It's the same valve block / body, the existing gearbox was reconditioned (and it worked properly before). In position 2 it stays in 2nd gear. At a bit of a loss what to do with it now.
 
To be fair (and even though it makes no sense...) the garage did say a new set of rods would fix it and if I returned the car with a set they'd do this for free to make it right... so I guess I'm asking if anyone has a set to try this first?
 
Ther is a single lever on the side of the box to which one rod attaches. That lever moves through an arc selecting the gears as you move the stick. If the car gets first when first is selected then your issue has to be elsewhere as the rods are doing everything being asked of them.

Transmission reconditioners seldom return the same transmission you sent them. At best they select refurbished parts to assemble the box to the same spec as the one you gave them. The Box in the rover came with two possible shift patterns per Harvey's comments. One of those patterns only selects 1st manually, otherwise starting in second. To repeat Harvey, it appears they reassembled your box with the wrong valve body

Also, it isn't hard to straighten the rods, they are just that, straight rods with thread on the ends.
 
As far as your reconditioners are concerned, the rods seem to be a bit of a chimera.
You could supply another set to prove the point but what will their reaction be if/when this makes no difference? That will be the acid test.
It may also help matters to try to obtain the other type of selector plate & see how the gearchange matches that (even a correctly sized paper cut-out photograph of it would do for a test).
If it aligns properly with the gear selector position then you could point the fact out that they've put a different valve block in, get a new indicator plate & learn to live with the alternative factory shift pattern or carry on 'negotiations' with the workshop.
 
Last edited:
Thank you again for your comments.

The garage reconditioned the existing gearbox in their own unit using a BW refurb kit - they only do gearboxes and are (supposed to be) a rebuild specialist. It wasn't sent away / swapped out so is definitely the same valve body as before (and before the work it worked fine). As a builder I'm pretty good at grasping how mechanical things work and I too couldn't understand how the rods would cause this - mikecoombs I also said 'why can't you just straighten them if they're bent, it's just a metal rod?'...! 'Oh no, it's not that simple'...was the reply...couldn't explain why!

I think going through the motions of providing a replacement set of rods (and then this not solving the issue) is the only way forward with trying to resolve this with the existing repairer as they point blank refuse to reconsider looking at it again until this is done - unless anyone knows a garage that would look at it first? If it's something simple that an 'old hand' can tweak at relatively low cost I'd rather just get it done...!
 
Why don't you ask them to remove the entire rod and linkage set up from the car and then clean, straighten and return to them with the lengths set to the measurements in the workshop manual.
Say here you go, these are right now.......... and wait N see
 
Bolton_Paul said:
The garage reconditioned the existing gearbox in their own unit using a BW refurb kit - they only do gearboxes and are (supposed to be) a rebuild specialist. It wasn't sent away / swapped out so is definitely the same valve body as before (and before the work it worked fine). As a builder I'm pretty good at grasping how mechanical things work and I too couldn't understand how the rods would cause this - mikecoombs I also said 'why can't you just straighten them if they're bent, it's just a metal rod?'...! 'Oh no, it's not that simple'...was the reply...couldn't explain why!
Click to expand...

They're a gearbox rebuild specialist, yet they can't straighten the selector rods (if that is actually required) and adjust the linkage so that it works correctly. Obviously not, because it's just not that simple......
 
harveyp6 said:
They're a gearbox rebuild specialist, yet they can't straighten the selector rods (if that is actually required) and adjust the linkage so that it works correctly. Obviously not, because it's just not that simple......
Click to expand...

Hi Harvey, I don't suppose you know anyone in the North that would look at this for us? We're very close to just dumping the car on ebay 'as is' and taking the (likely) huge loss as we're sick and fed up of it, I'm sure you appreciate the feeling :), which seems a shame when I'm sure we're quite close to it being right but we need to have a plan, it can't just sit here. No problem if not, thank you for all your help!
 
Clive Annable in Derby has a very good reputation for looking after these cars. Give him a call. Or speak to Mark Gray (MGB D Parts) in Wolverhampton. Another gentleman with a wealth of experience in all things P6. Good luck. Don't get disheartened, get help from the right people.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top