Flying steel balls!

[impaw]

Another chapter in the story of me doing things I should not be doing.

I decided to open up the transmission of my 4th series B20.
Just to check how things looked.
Everything looked clean enough, my untrained eye did not detect any problems.
I then decided to switch gears a few times, and just move things around a little bit, when bam, flying steel balls ( and springs ) !

Are there any trick to getting these little buggers back in place?
Do I need a spare set of hands?

[chriswgawne]

I have never had your problem in quite the way you have. Did you move the selector from beyond the position used by gear lever connection?
I find the easiest way to get those balls and springs back together is with the makeshift assembly out of the transaxle..........but you might find a way with plastics or similar.
Chris

[impaw]

thank you for replying Chris!

I am really not sure, but I guess I must have moved something beyond its intended limits.
Steel balls over the place.
I had to order some new balls, so from the time the incident happened to I got the balls memory has become a little hazy concerning just what happened.
It first happened on the foremost gear ( the one with the masking tape surrounding it ) , then the gear in the picture

I think I will heed your advice and take the assembly ut of the transaxle.

In deep waters

Thank you!

[chriswgawne]

Its all perfectly straightforward Torstein but make sure you don't get the various washers and spacers mixed up. There is a good diagram in the Parts Book - I cant remember which TAV it is and I don't have that info with me in the UK. If you find you need any parts, I am sure I have them as I have various rebuilt transaxles and a couple in pieces and also some NOS parts.
Chris

[chriswgawne]

Here is TAV31 showing the internal arrangement of the gears in an early transaxle. There is a spate TAV showing the gearchange fork arrangement.
Chris

[impaw]

Thats very helpful and encouraging Chris!
So I take it the axle is coming out at the front of the transaxle.
This will be interesting

[impaw]

Encouraged by Chris, I think I will do more or less a complete tear down.
To learn more about transmissions in general and this one in particular.
Step by step 

Seems to have been quite some heat at the front gear.
Normal?

The sleeve around the shaft had a dry and broken o-ring inside, in a groove.
I could not find this o-ring in the diagram, so perhaps Its a user modification🤔

[chriswgawne]

Oooh! That doesn't look right. What on earth has gone on there. I have never seen anything like that in an Aurelia transaxle.
Its a shame I cant send you a photo of that component in my stock. Further investigation needed Torstein I think.
Chris

[impaw]

Yes, there has been some serious friction here.
A blue/black colour on many of the components.
I have a theory of what has happened, but I need to investigate further.
Deep waters 😂

[DavidLaver]

From the first post "I decided to open up the transmission of my 4th series B20.
Just to check how things looked.  Everything looked clean enough, my untrained eye did not detect any problems."

Having got this far I bet you're NOW pleased you did take that first step to open it up...

[chriswgawne]

What is your theory Torstein?
And how many replacement components will you need?
Chris

[impaw]

From the first post "I decided to open up the transmission of my 4th series B20.
Just to check how things looked.  Everything looked clean enough, my untrained eye did not detect any problems."

Having got this far I bet you're NOW pleased you did take that first step to open it up...

David, indeed

[impaw]

What is your theory Torstein?
And how many replacement components will you need?
Chris

My theory is not a very strong one, and perhaps you can debunk it right away:)

Could it be that the end nut, #20 in the tavola you posted has been tightened too much?
I would think there is supposed to be some freeplay here?

As for parts is need, these are the ones that I am sure of at this stage:
#24. I am not sure what this spacer is supposed to babe made of, but it fell apart. Very brittle, I guess it has been destroyed by the heat and the friction.
The part that was badly heat damaged also has some damage on the gears.
I attach a photo.

[Niels Jonassen]

When I saw your first photos I thought that had just been a bit careless, but now I really feel with you. But at least now you have a chance do it right. Imagine what would have happened it you had taken the car out onto the road believing that you had a perfectly restored B20. Held og lykke med arbejdet. Forgive me this little inter Scandinavian lapse.

[impaw]

When I saw your first photos I thought that had just been a bit careless, but now I really feel with you. But at least now you have a chance do it right. Imagine what would have happened it you had taken the car out onto the road believing that you had a perfectly restored B20. Held og lykke med arbejdet. Forgive me this little inter Scandinavian lapse.

I was indeed careless!
I have never quite gotten into how transmissions works, so I was wiggling and moving things that clearly should not be moved

But as you and David say, something good came out of it: I discovered a quite severe problem.

Tusen takk Niels!