Help with my VAL

[ozbus]

I live in a Bedford VAL (in Australia) and it is in my opinion a very nice old bus. Having said that it is the first bus I have owned and driven, so I'm somewhat biased.

Recently I lost third gear climbing a mountain range, which kind of sucks because that was my climbing gear. All was going fine until I slowed down to let a car pass, and in releasing the tension on the drive train (foot of accelerator) something went clunk and felt like it jumped out of gear. Originally I thought a selector problem so I removed the top inspection plate to investigate. Judging by all the wear marks on the selectors (3rd on the same as 2nd) it is going all the way in but nothing engages.

Any ideas? How do I identify the gear box? It's a 6 speed (pretty sure 6th is an overdrive gear) but everyone I've spoken to here says that Val14's were fitted with the Turner 300 5 speed. A fellow VAL owner looked at it sometime ago before the breakage and remarked "Jeez, that gearbox is bigger than my Turner 5 speed", so was it common the re-gear these buses? Should I repair or replace?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

[G-CPTN]

The original box would either be a Turner 5 speed (with or without overdrive top) T5-400 or an ENV 6 speed 542 SMOT.

IIRC, the 'OT' part of SMOT stood for overdrive top gear (though it's a long time ago . . . ).

If you have 6 (forward) gears then it sounds like you have an ENV box.

ENV became part of Eaton.

Manual available here:- http://www.mark.clubaustin.co.uk/commercials.htm

and here:- http://www.ploughbooksales.com.au/54.htm

010843 Bedford E.N.V. Transmission Type 542 SMOT Service Training Manual (photocopy), 12 pages, $15.00

http://wakefield-files.freehostia.com/bedfordval.htm

Parts here:- http://www.midlands.com.au/Gearbox.htm

(If you contact them they should be able to tell you where the identification plate is (or was) that will tell you what model of gearbox you have. Seems they also do reconditioned parts for Bedfords, so should know what you are talking about.)
.

[G-CPTN]

The ENV box was a production option - not an aftermarket fix, so if you have one you should (IMO) replace it with like-for-like.
If you have lost drive in third gear (rather than it simply jumping out - but you should feel that through the gearlever (the one you hold with your hand)), you might have damaged the synchromesh cone which could prevent engagement - but to replace that you will have to remove the box and strip it.

I suggest you invest $15 in a copy of the manual (it will always be useful to whoever you get to repair your gearbox if you feel unable to tackle it yourself.

You should decide whether a secondhand or reconditioned box is the way to go.

Where are you? I see that Midlands are in Bendigo WA (and I know that Australia is a big place) but no doubt there are workshops that would remove and replace (if not rebuild) your gearbox for you.

[G-CPTN]

http://www.sydneybusmuseum.com/exhibs/5562.htm

http://portmacquarie.gumtree.com.au/...serIdZ64278428

http://www.busaustralia.com/forum/vi...8941&view=next