Here's a good one for Friday.
Why might i not be able to select Neutral? Red light doesn't come on either. It's as if there is no spoon. I mean there is no neutral. And for obvious reasons, i can't get it into low range.
It'll go in any gear
The corresponding red light comes on,
sportmode works
Drives spot on. No weird noises.
Do you mean you physically can't get the lever to stop in the Neutral position? You must be able to go through Neutral to get from R to D, what happens then? If all the other lights are working, what about the display on the message centre? Does that read correct? If they are both reading correctly, then it isn't a problem with the XYZ switch.
Gilbertd wrote:
Do you mean you physically can't get the lever to stop in the Neutral position? You must be able to go through Neutral to get from R to D, what happens then? If all the other lights are working, what about the display on the message centre? Does that read correct? If they are both reading correctly, then it isn't a problem with the XYZ switch.
You can go up and down the gear box no bother. 1,2,3,D,R,P Red light next to selected gear lights up and Dash says what gear you're in. But there is no neutral. It don't stop there.lol. doesn't light up, doesnt say N on dash. If you try putting it into low range, all hell breaks loose with beeps telling you to select neutral.
I think i recall reading somewhere that something can get stuck if Neutral isnt used much or at all and it involves taking something to bits to fix it. lol.
Ooerr, weird. If one of the 3 switches in the XYZ switch dies then the lights next to the lever and the dash display don't correspond with the lever position but as all other positions are reading fine, then it isn't that. There's 3 wires come from the XYZ switch and they go to the lights next to the lever and the BeCM which gives the dash display. Neutral should have a ground on the Y switch with the other two open. If that ground is missing, so all three are open, then you get no display at all and Gearbox Fault on the dash. If the X switch was shorted to ground then when in Neutral it would show you as being in Reverse, 1 would show as 2 and D would show as 3. If the Z switch was shorted to ground, N would show as D, P would show as 2 and R would show as 3. So no combinations of a disconnected or shorted line will give no display when in neutral. Not a scoopy on that one mate.......
is the gear selection mechanical or electronic? i.e does it need to be told by a computer that its in neutral before it selects it, or does it work like a bog standard manual gearbox?
Gear selection is mechanical by cable but the XYZ switch (which is attached to the side of the gearbox and driven by the same cable) tells the electronics what position the mechanical lever is in. The outputs from the switch are used by the gearbox ECU as well as the displays. If the mechanical lever and switch position don't correspond, that flags up as an error and you go into limp mode and gearbox fault comes up on the dash. In limp mode the sport button doesn't work either. The change from High to Low is done by a switch under the centre console (which instructs the transfer box ECU to operate the motor to change ratio) but with no signal to show you are in Neutral, it won't allow the motor to do anything.
Gilbertd wrote:
Gear selection is mechanical by cable but the XYZ switch (which is attached to the side of the gearbox and driven by the same cable) tells the electronics what position the mechanical lever is in. The outputs from the switch are used by the gearbox ECU as well as the displays. If the mechanical lever and switch position don't correspond, that flags up as an error and you go into limp mode and gearbox fault comes up on the dash. In limp mode the sport button doesn't work either. The change from High to Low is done by a switch under the centre console (which instructs the transfer box ECU to operate the motor to change ratio) but with no signal to show you are in Neutral, it won't allow the motor to do anything.
Google chucks up the possibility of a Neutral Sensing Switch. About £7. Looked in Rave but can't find where it lives.
blueplasticsoulman wrote:
Google chucks up the possibility of a Neutral Sensing Switch. About £7. Looked in Rave but can't find where it lives.
There's one on the manual gearbox
Edit. When I was changing the selector cable on mine a while ago, I do recall seeing a microswitch in the "gate" on the selector end.
Found this thread which might relate to your issue
Might be worth disconnecting the gearchange cable at the box end. It's just a clevis pin. Don't rotate the pin on the thread and you won't have to readjust anything.
You can then move the gearbox input lever through its notches and see if they correspond with selection display on dash/ selector
Orangebean wrote:
Found this thread which might relate to your issue
It doesn't. That's a '95 Classic which only has the one switch rather than the XYZ switch we have.
the microswitch in the H gate is the high/low switch to tell the transfer case ECU to shift range.
If you were getting Neutral on the dash etc but it not shifting from high to low, then it could be the neutral output from the BECM to the transfer case ECU - but if you don't have it on the dash, then who knows. As Gilbertd says - if you were missing a feed on that gear, then chances are it would show a different gear on the dash.
Definitely a strange one.
More info as i've just been out in it to pick the kids up. When you select neutral, the neutral light doesn't light up. However, the drive light does and it also says "D" on the dash. But the car doesn't move so it's not in drive. It's as though the gearbox is in neutral, but nothing is telling the computer wot nots that it is.
Ahh, that's more like it. The XYZ switch needs adjusting. Ideally you need someone to sit in the car and tell you what it is doing. The switch is on the side of the gearbox on the passenger side of the car held in place with a couple of 10mm nuts (or one nut and one bolt to be strictly accurate). Slacken them off and you can rotate the switch. With the lever in Neutral and the ignition on (but engine not running), turn the switch one way or the other until your assistant tells you that the N light has lit up. Nip the fixings up and then go through the gears to make sure that the lever position and the lights match. Once happy that it's right, tighten them up properly. Job done.
sounds like a simple mend. I'll have the Mrs sit in it tomorrow. Or perhaps i'll sit in it and send her under!
I've had a look underneath. Now im no mechanic so it does take a bit of time for me to figure stuff out and make sure i don't bugger anything up.
I undid the 12mm centre nut, and i undid the 10mm bolt but nothing was moving. i couldn't "rotate" anything.
I moved on to removing the split pin and seeing how i got on manually shifting gears. I did manage to get "N" to light up once, but thats all. I couldn't replicate it.
No need to undo the centre nut, there's the 10mm bolt and another 10mm nut right at the top, diagonally opposite the 10mm bolt. The holes in the switch are slotted so it can rotate around the spindle in the centre.
After looking at a couple of pictures, i understand now. I didn;t realise that there were 2 bolts at opposite corners to each other as it'sa bit hard to see under there anyway. Bit of an awkward position. I also didn't know that the holes are oval to allow for the "rotation". I was sat thinking, "well if i rotate it, then the holes won't line up". I shall have another attempt now.
I best get some swarfega tomorrow. There's that much oil under there, I reckon the USA will invade me any minute!
Washing up liquid mixed with ground coffee, works just as well as Swarfega and smells nicer too. Or you could be a wimp and get some latex gloves.....
Gilbertd wrote:
Washing up liquid mixed with ground coffee, works just as well as Swarfega and smells nicer too. Or you could be a wimp and get some latex gloves.....
Is that fresh coffee of instant?
Latex gloves for the win! (until they split and you end up with one black finger)