Difficulty selecting reverse

[Boghopper]

Got in my van 1.8 TDCi this morning; it sits on a slight incline overnight. Put it in reverse and rolled backward out into the track, had to reverse back a bit and it wouldn't go into reverse, just like that! What could have happened overnight, as it was perfect the day before? All other gears are fine, makes no difference whether the engine is running or stopped. It will go into reverse but takes a few tries. Gearbox or clutch, never ending all this, I'm quite shocked to be quite frank.

[metalworker0]

I have no experience of this job ....

First you need to take the gator off the gearshift lever and have a look if everything looks normal under there ..no parts broken, cracked bushings worn out bushings ..displaced parts ..
You'll only see some of it

https://ford.7zap.com/en/transport/121/ ... 224/84406/

IF you Cant find anything wrong ..then look at the cables....underneath ..you are going to be looking at the ends of the cables ..there are bushings in them ..you are looking for wear, slop and ovality ..

https://ford.7zap.com/en/transport/121/ ... 224/84407/

still no luck ......search term is "MTX75 reverse gear" on google and youtube

You'll find ford focus has a lot of results with this problem,.........this i think is an identical set up.


all the best.mark

[Boghopper]

I have been collecting stuff for the van 'for any event'. Have a second-hand gearbox on the way, have a Valeo clutch and flywheel kit. I have been using the van in the meantime and I am convinced that turning the engine off helps it to go into reverse. Also, If the van can roll backward, even by the slightest amount, then it will go into reverse no problem, even with the motor running. If I roll forward then the reverse gear cannot be engaged Cannot really find any info on the internet with my exact symptoms. Except this one:

https://fordtransitconnectforum.com/topic/11525-2011-t230l-manual-5-speed-reverse-gear-not-engaging/

But, he had already changed his clutch and changed his cables; and then no-one replied and he never came back. It must have been his box if he had changed his clutch I think.

I have noticed that my clutch is pretty noisy and then if I press my pedal down the noise goes, lift it again and the noise comes back. A fair old bit off rattling going on in there it seems.

[metalworker0]

Rattling may be DMF (dual mass flywheel or release bearing
from searching here :
Connects with a build date between 05/2002 & 08/2002 were fitted with DMF. From 09/2002 to 2013 they are all fitted with SMF - conventional clutch

so after 2013 i take it they were back to DMF again ..i could be wrong ?

The searching ii did did bring up a majority of results pointing at what i said in my first answer to you

Think generally these mtx75 gearboxes don't fail until very high mileages

even later models had a six speed - don't know much about that ..only that they had electrically operated solenoids that could pack up.

there's a lot of info you did not give
model
year
mileage

That would help

[Boghopper]

Nearly all the Mk1 Connects were S.M.F., as mine is being on a '56 plate. I don't know where the obsession with D.M.F. has come from considering that during eleven years of production there was only a period of 'three months' where they supposedly had these D.M.F.

It will either be the gearbox or clutch all the other stuff is wishful thinking. It's a 90hp 1.8 TDCi, with 80,000 on the clock.

I have to decide now whether to put the second-hand box on when I change ther clutch, or put my old one back on in the hope it's the clutch. If I replace everything and it is fixed I'll never be sure if it was my actual box or not, though.

[Boghopper]

There is actually a thread here with very similar symptoms as mine:

https://fordtransit.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=26916

He seems to have the 'roll the van back a bit' symptom and it will select reverse as well. He never came back to enlighten us though. That usually means his problems were fixed.

This does coincide with the rattling noises coming from my clutch as well. My gearbox should be arriving today, still haven't decided whether to do just the clutch or put the other box on.

[Vannycraddock]

Mine sometimes plays up and what works for me is to put clutch down then release, then clutch and it usually goes straight into reverse

[Boghopper]

When I think about it I have always had to let the van roll back a bit in the morning to get it to go into reverse. But it has never refused to go into reverse at any other time. Now it won't go into reverse anywhere unless it is allowed to roll back slightly. I can sit there with the engine off and it will go into every gear then, if I start it, it will not go into reverse. If I turn the engine off again it will sometimes go back into reverse, but not always.

I have been trying to figure out how the clutch could cause this, but I cannot see how it could. I keep thinking it must be a meshing problem within the box, but apparently, and accordig to a few posts the clutch can cause this. I mean, how can the clutch come into play if the engine isn't even running and it still won't go into reverse?

I have not yet started doing anything with it as I have done my back in and haven't been able to stand up straight for nearly two weeks. I am not looking forward to doing this and am carrying a lot of injuries which seem to flare up everytime I have to do something major on this van, which seems to be getting increasingly frequent. No, every year it seems to be getting harder and harder grovelling around under these vans. I have two of these vans and at the end of last year I spent , on and off, nearly two months under them doing tons of stuff, I still haven't recovered.

[Boghopper]

I started on my van today, here is is the oil from the box:






Best way to describe it is like a copper coloured, metallic paint. I have never seen oil like this from either a car or bike. I think I can say that I'm in bother.

As usual the nearside driveshaft is locked solid in the box so am having to get a 6mm piece of bar sorted out tomorrow so I can knock it out, cannot find the piece I used last time.

Have also found that a battery tray bolt head was corroded and totally round, took a while to remove. Air-box intake hose a big split in it. The small clip that holds the fluid feed to the slave cylinder was rotted out, and what was left disintegrated. And finally, there are two large blow holes in my centre exhaust. Another day of good tidings all in all. see what other delights I find when I carry on.

[Boghopper]

It took 4 1/2 hours to remove the N/S driveshaft, have had to purchase a new one as drifting it out has damaged the circlip end. Was taking the starter motor off, which you can't unless you remove the alternator as well; the Ford boffins of practicallity and efficency at work again. Anyway, was messing with the starter motor and gettying ready to crack off all the bell housing bolts when I noticed a water droplet on my alternator, just tasted it and it was coolant water. Traced it back up to the cylinder head, at the front of the vehicle, just to the right of the front glow plug there are water droplets, on the gasket seam, between the cylinder head and engine block. So, it now looks like my head gasket has gone as well. How long to you try and keep these torturous contraptions going as they disintigrate and rot right in front of you? I'm getting tired of it all now and cannot keep up with the constant decay.

[metalworker0]

bang some K-seal in it .

sad thing is - the way things are going - we will all be on bicycles in less than 5 years

all the best..mark

[Boghopper]

bang some K-seal in it .

Crikey Moses, I can't be doing that, no way. I have started to collect the parts to replace the head gasket. The Ford prices are scandalous, an absolute, bloody disgrace! I cannot live with the mental torture of using pattern parts for such critical items though.

sad thing is - the way things are going - we will all be on bicycles in less than 5 years

Yep! The "Electric car" clap-trap is just the lure to get everyone to give up their vehicles and the freedom that comes with them. I bought a Honda step-through, C90, a year back. A pint of petrol will keep her going for a week.

[metalworker0]

yeah have two c70s and a c90e ..

will have to crack on at them

all the best.mark

[Boghopper]

My old slave on the clutch has a totally different connection to the new one I am about to install. Does anyone know if my actual feed is going to fit the new type? I am not ready to try it yet, but have recently noticed it and want to find out if I am going to need a new feed pipe?



This is the old connector type.





This is the new connector type

EDIT: I have just found out that a updated feed pipe might be needed so, I will now have to try and find out all about that. Anyone know the finis number for it, please?


EDIT TWO: It looks like LUK part number: 418 0395 10 is what I am after.This cross references with my newer Tourneo finis of: 4970676. The finis number for my older Connect is not recognised anywhere, totally obsolete.

EDIT THREE: There seems to be a few different types around, not so sure now.

[Boghopper]

Can anyone tell me what oil they are using to fill their Connect 1.8 MTX75 gearboxes?

I reckon the last oil I used is what destroyed my gearbox and there are so many that it is totally confusing. The oil that Comma recommends does not meet the Ford WSD-M2C200-C criteria.

Comma FE75W1L

Performance Profile: BMW MTF LT-3; Ford WSS-M2C200-D2; GM 19259104 (BOT 303); VW G 052 178; VW G 060 726; VW G 052 171; VW G 052 726; VW G 052 512; VW G 070 726 A2; VW G 052 527 A2; Special transmission oil, BOT 350 M3; Fiat 9.55550-MZ6; PSA 9730 A8


Some say stay away from GL-4, others stay away from GL-5, total confusion.

Castrol do an oil called "Castrol Transmax Manual Multivehicle 75W-90" that fits the Ford WSD-M2C200-C criteria.

Anyone know?

Cheers.