Squeaky Sunbeam rapier gearlever.

[Tony Fearn]

THIS A HELP QUESTION. There are many members who know much, much more about cars than I do, and not only Jowetts. I have been a member of the Jowett car Club since 1962, so I'm not a "One-day-wonder"!! I have recently bought a 1962 Series IIIA Sunbeam Rapier, of the same 'vintage' as the one I used to run concurrently with my 1934 Jowett in the late 60's, which you all know I still have - 'Mary-Ellen'. I am finding that after a few miles in the Rapier, and when everything is warmed up, the gear lever starts to squeak and stiffen up when I want to change gear. I've posted a message on the Sunbeam Rapier Owners' Club website about the problem, but their members don't seem to natter and discuss as quickly as we do in the JowettTalk. I am going to the SROC National Rally at Belvoir Castle near Grantham in a couple of weeks, so I don't want the gear-change to seize up on the way down or back. Can anyone suggest what I should do to alleviate this problem? I'm sure that there are members within the Club that have worked on makes other than Jowetts.l don't want any facile comments or spurious answers. I really need some help. If this is anathema to the JowettTalk site, or members in general, please use my private email address to advise. Thanks in anticipation, Tony.

[Keith Clements]

I used molybdenum disulphide (Molyslip) in boxes for years. They even run on that under rally conditions when dry, but I would not recommend to try! STP and other additives probably would do the same.
That is not the Rapier with the overdrive is it?

[pat lockyer]

Tony this is going back many years with my workings on the Rootes cars so i may be off course with some points.

first if you have lubricated the remote and found no difference then i will point some faults that can occur.

Check the gearstick for any excess movement when in first gear if not ok proceed to remove the four screws holding the gearstick and remove as other faults can develop when hot.

Check the locating pins for wear as they can do strange things on gear changing.

The front remote selector arm can get loose.

Now i am not sure if you have the nylon type of bushes but if fitted and the recomended practice of oiling the top swivel is carried out it can have the adverse lubrication effect due to the dust dirt build up and cause a stiff gearchange when hot!
Hope this helps.

[pat lockyer]

Kieth that is snake oil talk.
Tell me more!

[Tony Fearn]

Thanks for the suggestions Keith and Pat. No-one has yet replied to a similar query on the SROC message board posted quite a few days previously!! Tony.

[Forumadmin]

Not sure what Pat wants. I just recall the story of a Monte Carlo when, after days of hard driving, the gearbox ran dry, became very hot, as we continued for a few more miles till we made it to the next service halt. The Molyslip had saved the box and the rally! We had carried some oil but this had been used overnight. At the next town pidgeon French and lots of hand signals at a pencil (graphite) produced some more Molyslip.