| Author | Message | ||
     Roderick Waite Frequent User Username: rodwaite Post Number: 70 Registered: 1-2012 |
Hello! A friend of mine has a 1986 Spirit, and is in a tizz because he can't select any gear. The lever moves, but nothing happens. I told him in the first instance to check the circuit breaker on the main fuseboard ... there's probably a hundred other reasons, so if it isn't the CB what is the next most likely cause - can anyone advise, please? Stay well and thanks ... Rod Waite | ||
| Jeffrey McCarthy Grand Master Username: jefmac2003 Post Number: 326 Registered: 5-2007 |
Assuming the electrics are the same as the Shadow at the steering wheel/selector lever end; mine went with exactly the same symptoms the day before I sent the car away for bodywork. I was told by Garrath in Moss Vale that the connections under the steering wheel cowling had burned out. Removing the cowling is easy (6 screws underneath pointing upwards- only 2 hidden in recesses) - be extremely careful putting it back together or you'll snap the bakelite; start all the screws and then tighten gently making sure you don't foul any wires. The operative bit is the fan-shaped connector mounted behind the PRNDL decal holder. I wasn't present when mine was repaired but I assume you start with a continuity tester on all the contacts. Or even just make sure that the little copper lever that moves over the top of the fan with the gear lever is actually making a clean contact. If there are no gears at all it may only be one wire - power or ground which has come loose. I'm sure there might be other reasons but this is one of them. Use a white pillowcase underneath when you work in this area as the screws are all microscopic. A magnetic pick-up tool is pretty handy too. | ||
| Roderick Waite Frequent User Username: rodwaite Post Number: 72 Registered: 1-2012 |
Many thanks Jeff! He hasn't called back yet, so I don't know about the CB, but I'll e-mail him with your solution. Keep him out of mischief ... thanks for the tip about the white pillow-case! Stay well Rod | ||
| Hubert Kelly Experienced User Username: h_kelly Post Number: 24 Registered: 3-2012 |
Hi Roderick, I had a similar problem on my shadow last year. I checked the column gear lever for power etc, I took off the actuator at the gearbox checked it out all good, had lost hope when I finally discovered the socket entering the actuator had a loose wire/pin, this is covered in a section on the site(THANKS TO THIS WEB SITE). The simplest way I found in the end to check the plug is with a small pen light 12 volt . If you have power to the lead with,(THE LEAD OFF) perfect, if not it might just be the power lead down to the plug? this has to be done with ignition on. I hope this is of some help. HK | ||
| Jeffrey McCarthy Grand Master Username: jefmac2003 Post Number: 327 Registered: 5-2007 |
Roderick - get him to check Hubert's suggestion first - it's a lot less work - underneath the car near the front passenger door you can reach the actuator plug; it may just be loose or dirty. It's handy to know where this actuator is in case it happens on the road and you need to put the car into neutral manually to move the car. From memory this is done by undoing a bolt and moving a lever but you can check by doing a search on this site as Hubert suggests - it's been covered before. There may also be something in Tee One. | ||
| Peter Talbot Prolific User Username: squerryes Post Number: 145 Registered: 7-2010 |
Before removing the cowling be sure you are using the right screwdriver for the job !! The screws on my 1986 Spirit are Phillips headed screws - not to be confused with the more recent Posidrive headed screws. They might look very similar but use a Posidrive screwdiver on a Phillips headed screw and you are just looking for trouble. Peter |
