Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Gearbox oil change on R380

I have a 1998 +4 4 Seater with Rover 2lt T16 engine and I believe R380 gearbox. The reverse gear is below 5th gear.

Second gear is becoming difficult to engage when cold and still a bit notchy when warm, the rest of the gears seem fine.

I read that the first thing is to swap out the gearbox oil and have also read that this can be done on the ground as there are hatches in the gearbox tunnel.

There is only one hatch on my gearbox tunnel which is on the passengers side and there appears to be no drain or filler plug available. The only thing visable is is a square box with a couple of wires come out of it which I assume is the speedo. (would put a photo here but can find a link to do that)

Is there any way of changing the oil in the gearbox with the car on the ground?

Thanks

Laurie

https://www.gomog.com/allmorgan/seals.htm#DRAINING
Have a look on this Gomog page.

Another cause of difficult gear selection (mentioned many times on here and GoMog ) is the infamous deterioration of the rubber bushes supporting the gearshift remote. worth a check, you might want to see if you can detect any movement by lifting the gear stick.

UPG. My 1999 Plus8 also came with no access ports to the tunnel not a problem at all . Just drain the oil and buy yourself a Gedore Cranked socket key TORX T55 for the topping up/fill feed. I bought a Draper Oil Syringe to fill the box and it is a simple operation if a trifle messy.

Just a point to note: always remove the fill plug first before draining the oil, the worst thing is to drain and then find you can't remove the fill plug.

Kids today - no sense of adventure that is when things start to get interesting about a mundane routine like this. when you discover some numpty has lost the filler and bunged it with Plastic Padding instead as I discovered on my first car.

Bruce sound adult advise to a novice, when did you grow up, I'm not looking forward to it at 75 I see them looking miserable walking down to the shop for the Paily Dail..

P.S. UPG if you choose about a 13 mm ring spanner you'll find you can play the angles to get enough leverage to work the TORX.

Doubtless the experts will be along telling tales of expensive "correct" solutions which I have viewed and rejected....

Richard: I'm still an adolescent and hopefully will be for some time yet

Close Brownbaker! However, it is only just a bit below your link. So yours will work. Here is what Laurie is looking for https://www.gomog.com/allmorgan/seals.htm#R380 Laurie is in luck as I am currently coaching a new owner with an earlier Rover Plus 4, a 1994, in exactly these tasks. In that effort, I refreshed the old page, adding the draining and filling point and instructions for the R380s. I swapped R380s into all my Plus 8s many years ago. They have a higher bhp/ torque capacity than the LT77s.

The best game plan., IMHO.. Btw, I have never encountered an issue with any Morgan R380, except once. When dear departed and deeply missed JHS2 took my CDN Plus 8 for a drive. But I guess R380s are now "old" gearboxes albeit much stronger than later fare often turned to now.

1. Could be someone put in the wrong fluid (less serious than doing so with a LT77 but ...... ) So Laurie's game plan is correct at this stage. Changing the fluid IS the first thing. And that article gives better fluid suggestions than AI or google which is often only giving US substitutes for products not made in that country. It is making a mess of GoMoG advice 1000s of times daily as well. Can't figure out how to stop it. Ideas?

2. Laurie's.remote bushings are going..or gone as suggested. You see the famous polyurethane versions, (UKC854POLY) are aftermarket and not original to Sd1 remotes, even after we all realized that the original rubber ones fell apart. It is the second thing I'd check using, jbk's wisdom.

3. OR if it was a LT77 I would say the syncros into 2nd have seen better days. That was the fist gear to go.

4. The pre-February 1999 R380 have issues cured after that date and/or resolved with a rebuild kit. Dave Ashcroft, the world's undisputed repairer/parts-supplier of LT77s and R380s, speaks of such things here.https://ashcroft-transmissions.co.uk/technical-library/?technical_library_product=1261

Lorne

Bruce, heartwarming news - stay revolting as long as you can

Lorne,

The first issue I have is that the inspection panel is on the passenger side of the gearbox tunnel where the speedo connection is.

I've seen on gomog that you can make your own inspection panel, but I am not sure if am upto doing that and I have heard that removing the gearbox tunnel is quite a difficult job.

I might be able to get the car on some ramps but it will still be a struggle to get under the car?

I have tried the suggestion to lift the gear leaver to see if there is any movment in the bushes and they feel solid, which I am not sure if that is a good or bad thing.

Laurie