Westfield with Ford Rocket Box

I have Westfield fitted with a Qaiffe Rocket box, mated to a 1600 Kent engine.

With the clutch engaged and the gearbox in neutral, the gearbox makes a very loud screetching noise.

The noise goes completely if the clutch is disengaged or a gear is selected.

The gearbox works normally otherwise.

Any ideas as to the cause of the noise?

Thanks,

Richard

The clutch plate out of aligment or worn, throwout bearing worn, the fork is bad, etc. Or there could be possible tranny problems, but less likely. So your gear box should come out id you completely sure the noises are coming from the tranny and the most clutch components will have to be replaced for sure. The clutch or the tranny is done. I recomend doing it soon cause it could damage some other clutch components.

Richard I hope you don't mind me hi-jacking your thread somewhat, I tried E-mailing you direct but you have blocked that option? I am wondering whether you are the same Richard Harris that has entered a Westfield into the HSA speed championship this year? My name is Richard Machin and I have also registered. I found your name on the HSA website.

I am a little confused about the classes we are both entered in. You are in A2 (road-going production cars up to 2000cc) and I am in B1 (road-going "specialist" production cars up to 1700cc), we both have Ford X-flow cars with similar capacity (<1700cc), so I wondered why we weren't in the same class. I have contacted Ben Boult, the championship coordinator and he told me over the phone that "A" was for modified Production cars on 1B tyres, whereas "B" is for cars with 1A tyres (I have Toy T1-S tyres, 1A, so this seems like I am in the correct class). But this has confused me since they also have classes C and D which are for modified production cars. Following the blue book I would assume that all classes with "road-going" in the title would have 1A tyres (i.e classes A and B of the HSA championship). Then there is the question of whether a Westfield should be in the "specialist production car" class or the normal "production car" class. In the blue book it says that "specialist" cars are any that are produced in the number of 20 to 1000 per year (I think), whereas normal production cars are anything above 1000. I assumed that Westfields would fit into the former, so entered class B1, but I must admit that I didn't get any confirmation from the organisers about this. I was wondering whether you were given any guidance on which class to enter??? Do you think it would be possible to E-mail me the spec of your car so that I can compare it to mine? I want to make sure I am in the right class and not up against some real quick machinery! For reference the spec of my car is as follows:-

Westfield SE (1989)
Live Axle
Windscreen
Original Bodywork (no spoilers, diffusers etc)
Toyo T1-S tyres (list 1A of the blue book)
Ford Xflow, approx 120bhp
Full interior, incl carpets, although with bare GRP seats (for space more than anything else)
No Spare Wheel

Best Regards

Richard Machin