gear lever fizz

As the revs rise in the indirects there is fizzing vibration in the gear stick. Is this common? I have no plan to have it dismantled and no other malfunctions. (Attaching a weight just under the knob helps a little)  Vic Round Posted by Vic Round 14/01/2014 09:52:06

Well that's a novel solution Vic! Doesn't it leave an imprint in the driver's seat though? Posted by Angus D'Arcy-Drake 14/01/2014 10:40:12

The gearlever has has a ball and socket sort of arrangement at the bottom and begins to wear over time, it is not too difficult to remove the lever but it is fiddly as there is an external circlip holding all the bits together. Once removed you can clean everything up and smear some thick grease around the socket, reassemble and unless the lever is really loose the fizzing should stop - for a while! There could be scope for some judicious filing of the assembly to take up the slack but overdoing it might seize the lever.  Andrew Posted by tf1695 14/01/2014 10:49:06

Andrew and Angus The weight is lead sheet in tape form rolled round the top of the stick and too small to imprint the seat...until I add more. I am interested in the add grease solution.It sounds a bit like the steering stator tube rattle cure..  Thanks both  Vic Round Posted by Vic Round 20/01/2014 23:19:30

Vic if you don't want to strip the assembly, just running some oil in from the top might do the trick. Posted by Angus D'Arcy-Drake 22/01/2014 10:25:03

Jaguar used to provide an alternative gear knob made of cast iron for their Mk 2's in the 60's as a 'service fix' for this problem. We found they also improved the feel of the gear change on many lesser cars of the period and certainly helped the 'fizz'.  An alternative remedy we sometimes found that worked in the Rootes experimental dept.was to slip a length of thick rubber vacuum hose over the gear stick. Posted by owen swinerd 31/01/2014 20:54:45

Vic, Having experienced the same issue I substituted mine with a TA14 gear knob and the problem went away. What's more the thread is identical. Posted by RichardWallach 02/02/2014 09:50:31

Following Owen's comment I made a tubular lead sleeve which slips onto the stick as a whole.It works!. I was  sitting back proudly but now must try Richard's simple elegant period TA14 knob...and will report. Vic Posted by Vic Round 22/02/2014 07:33:59

Following Richard W's comment and shoulder problem i had restorers fit a TB 14 stick provided by  Chris Prince ,which is conveniently kinked backward .The fizz has altered frequency conveniently. Restorers advised against adding weight to this. They reckoned the kink back on this stick would if weighted add a loading on the selectors which would cause wear. Hum..I may still add a bit in the vertical bit inside the gaiter!  Vic Round Posted by Vic Round 01/04/2014 20:42:38

Vic. did you try it with just the TA14 knob first?  Richard Posted by RichardWallach 02/04/2014 08:57:38