MG Car Repair: 74 MG midget with shifting issues, mg midget, long spring

Question
QUESTION: Howard,
Sorry about that I didn't realize i didn't tell you what I had.  Anyway it is a 74 midget with a 1275 engine and ribbed transmission.  I was unable to get the car into reverse after reinstalling the engine and trans after having them out for about a month. I removed the shift lever and found the 1" long spring and brass retaining cap in the bottom of the tower.  Is this what is causing the problem and can I fix it w/o removing the trans? and how?

ANSWER: You can access the shift tower by removing the cover from the transmission tunnel. As per the picture I have attached, remove the shift lever and look down inside at the socket #43 that the shift lever fits into and confirm that the socket plunger(usually plastic)#46 %26 47 is down inside the metal socket and that it is spring loaded.

Then confirm that #31 %26 #32 are in place as per the picture. Then remove #35 %26 #36 and insert #34 spring and brass plunger #33 into #35 with grease. Do not install that unit into the shift tower yet.

Now install the shift lever into the tower being sure the end goes into #43. and install #22 and secure with #60 top plate and screws (#23 %26 24)

Now install the unit #35 into the tower and try to shift the gears (without the engine running)

If that fixes it, then you are done but if it still don't shift correctly, the only thing you can do is remove the engine and transmission and open up the transmission to see what is wrong. There is nothing else you can do outside of the box.

Do not attempt to go into the gearbox without a service manual. If you have to go into the gearbox and run into a problem not covered by the manual I will try to help but I can not walk you through a gearbox overhaul by E-mail, it is just too complex and long.
Hmm! No link to install picture so go to my web site in a few minutes and I will post it to,
http://mg-tri-jag.net/74Midgetbox.jpg
Howard

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: So after trying that and having no success I realized that the reverse selector plunger #40 and spring #41 which should rise up when the car is put into reverse isn't moving at all.  if the trans got wet while i had it out of the car the spring and plunger may have rusted?  if so how can i go about freeing this and what about the selector detent plug  #37 spring #39 and ball #38 (does a 74 midget have this?)Thanks again howard
Ryan

Answer
This only affects reverse and not any other gear. But if that is all you are having trouble with now it can just be a stuck detent. However you do know that the reverse detent is normally hard anyway and even when new you had to put the shift lever into neutral and set the shift lever all the way to the left and with an open hand about 8 inches further to the left of the lever then sharply slam the lever all the way to the right to depress the detent and go into the reverse pattern. That was a normal procedure even when the car was new.

You might spray some WD-40 in that area and try that several time to see if you can break it loose.
Howard