New Gearbox

Don't worry, the gearbox was a greasy mess when I got it -- it needed a trip through the water blaster at wash world before looking this good. This box is out of a 1987 Mitsubishi Cordia. This newer version is only a 5 speed, unlike the 8 speed I managed to break. It's very similar to the earlier one but instead of allowing the driver to select the high or low multiplier, a sensor (the round, silver & red thing with the wire sticking out, at the bottom middle of the picture) detects when the driver requests 5th gear and controls a valve which directs vacuum to the other side of the diaphragm on the end of the gearbox (the round thing with two metal pipes and a rubber concertina at the left of the picture). The diaphragm pulls & pushes the shift linkage to select high or low gear.

I guess you wouldn't feel very much through the gearstick as it went into 5th, and flat shifting wouldn't do anything on account of there being little vacuum.

Also of note, the new gearbox has a failed bearing on the mainshaft. The rollers & cage remained in the casing when I lifted out the shaft. I was planning to use the bearings from the (broken) reconditioned gearbox anyway.