Illusive reverse gear 4200GT

Giblets

New Member
Messages
14
Hi,

I have a 4200 GT which has always been difficult to get into one or another gear. I understand it's a set of pulleys and weights that need to be fine tuned to get the GT gear change working.

Well reverse has been a problem for some time but knowing the car I can usually get it to engage, today it just stopped working going in for one or two seconds at best then popping out and crunching. Had to get a push back out of the car parking space to drive off. All other gears are fine.

Any advice is it an adjustment or is this is a bigger problem. I've read a few other posts on google about problems in getting into reverse but can't really see the answer for a 4200GT.

Cheers
Stephen
 

safrane

Member
Messages
16,746
Apparently the cables stretch over time hence the issues. The gear box was designed for CC not manual.

New cables are no longer available from Maserati so you may need to have them copied.
 

Giblets

New Member
Messages
14
Thanks Safrane, Off to the garage then to see if they can tweak it, get 2nd hand ones or how to get them copied
 

FIFTY

Member
Messages
3,100
As Peter said the cables might need some fine tuning. I've heard misaligned gear linkages are quite common on manuals... happily one common fault mine doesn't have!
 

Giblets

New Member
Messages
14
Turns out the cables are all fine and good so it' something in the gearbox. The Garage is saying 10 hours to take the gearbox out and replace and 8 hours to deconstruct the gearbox and work out if the issue can be solved.

As a side note 1-6 all work like a dream just reverse that has got worse over time and now won't stay in.

So that's 18 hours work, does that sound about right with no guarantee of being able to fix it. I've also heard that another gearbox is circa £3.5k but would still have the 10 hours labour to replace.

Any thoughts on next moves gents ?

Thanks
Stephen
 

Giblets

New Member
Messages
14
thanks allandwf, to be sure what your saying just bite the bullet and get a new gearbox
 

jasst

Member
Messages
2,313
Does your garage have any experience working on Masers? worth asking a specialist in MHO.
 

voicey

Member
Messages
660
You really want someone who has experience rebuilding these boxes - there are a number of special tools required.

10 hours to R&R the gearbox is very generous.
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,539
You really want someone who has experience rebuilding these boxes - there are a number of special tools required.

10 hours to R&R the gearbox is very generous.

As in giving themselves a lot of extra time?

C
 

hladun

Member
Messages
149
I'd sure check the cables before I spent a ton of money and had someone fool around with the gearbox. Just a simple check. Pull up the leather cover on the shift lever. Push the lever over, not forwards or backwards, towards the reverse notch and the tooth and notch should line up. If they don't line up then the cable needs adjustment. Put the transmission into second gear the lever knob should move to the left about 1/2" before the tooth hits the stop. If there is more or less movement then the link on the transmission shift mechanism needs adjustment. You have to remove the link to adjust it because it looks like a turnbuckle but it's threaded wrong.
 

Giblets

New Member
Messages
14
Thanks voicey I see you are from London/kent can you, or anyone else, suggest anyone in the London area who's experienced in rebuilding these boxes ?

Cheers
 

Giblets

New Member
Messages
14
You really want someone who has experience rebuilding these boxes - there are a number of special tools required.

10 hours to R&R the gearbox is very generous.

Thanks voicey I see you are from London/kent can you, or anyone else, suggest anyone in the London area who's experienced in rebuilding these boxes ?

Cheers
 

voicey

Member
Messages
660
I can only recommend Christian Lewis in Northampton - it's where I send my rebuilds. Ed has done so many of these and is very fairly priced that it isn't worth me investing in the tooling or risking a warranty claim by doing it myself.
 

jimmymoss

Junior Member
Messages
58
I have this very issue. Reverse is difficult, 1st to 2nd is notchy and the rest of the box is fine. Giallo in Tonbridge, Kent, have been great recently and identified all the problems. Off the top of my head it's the Gearbox Selector which on the side of the gearbox that's causing my issue. This I am told is effectively a rose joint and worn.

The movement of the lever at the front end of the mechanism, is a much smaller movement at the end of process at the rear where it attaches to the gearbox. The wear in the joint effectively 'absorbs' alot of, too much of, the movement of the cable. I have more detail including a video at work, drop me a PM with your address and I will send it on.

Giallo were going to try and get the part remade locally as it's something like £900 off the top of my head. I haven't yet done anything about it as was deciding the best course of action - didn't want to waste anyone's time or money dropping the gearbox only to be told the part cannot be produced.

As an aside, you may find it selects reverse slightly more easily by snicking it almost into 1st gear before going for reverse.

Cheers, James.
 

Contigo

Sponsor
Messages
18,376
Probably the worst manual gearbox I've ever driven. Makes the 3200 feel very good in comparison.