No first gear
Turbo Mini Forums

Hi all, I have a non turbo mg metro engine in my mini, and on the way home from work yesterday it just stopped going into first. It gets all the other gears fine just not first, there was no noise, crunching, grinding it just wont go in. Any ideas before I start taking the engine out? If I hold the gear lever with the engine off over to first and push the car you can here it trying to mesh but its just as though it isnt going far enough to mesh.

Thanks Jack

First thing to check is that the gear selector shaft roll pins haven't become dislodged and are fouling on the gearbox casing.

If this doesnt diagnose the problem then check the nylon ball on the end of the gear lever for excessive wear.

If that's in good condition it's a gearbox out job, potentially worn selector forks /bell crank levers or a wandering bush in the reverse gear idler.