My Gear Stick Came Off!

[MK1Chris]

Was parking up last night after taking the van out locally to put a few miles on the clock and highlight any minor problems before using it 'in anger'... anyway, selected reverse and the gear stick came off

Thought it was lucky that it happened at home rather than out and about. It was dark, wet and cold last night so I just locked it up and left it abandoned at an odd angle in the yard outside!

Hopefully it's just something that has rattled loose rather than anything major.

I'll post an update when I have some news... I've just never had a gear lever come completely off before ! !

[cartooner]

It's held in place by a screw-on 2 inch(approx.) plastic cap. So, or it is unscrewed(not likely) or the plastic failed and You tore it right through. Shouldn't be too much of a problem if You can get hold of a cap.

This thing:

[pipeforce]

my 2" cap is metal

[cartooner]

Two types of gearboxes were used. The 'type F Taunusbox' and the 'type J2 Dagenham'. The plastic cap in the picture is from a 'type F'. Maybe the 'type J2' has a metal cap or perhaps there are metal and plastic caps used ( the box has been around for 20 years.) Don't know if the caps are interchangeable between both boxes.

[madmark]

i had the same problem ,but my gearstic didnt fell right after this happend !
so i changed for a mk2 gearstic and it has been working great ever since!

[MK1Chris]

Thanks all - turned out it the plastic nut had just worked loose so I tightened it all up and all is well again

[madmark]

[John Grove]

This was a common fault with Cortinas. We used to jack the back of the gearbox up so that we could drill through the side of the turret into the plastic and put a couple of short self tappers in. It was very common fault after the gearbox had been taken out for a new clutch to be put in. John G

[rottie_007]

my cf used to do this as well....

was great fun when I knew they would be moving it around at work to hide the gearstick to stop them interferring with the van,

also came in handy once when someone thought they would get clever and jumped in the passenger door to "see if i had any cash going spare one night whilst stuck at traffic lights"

they soon realised they had the wrong vehicle and got back out.....