Selecting gears with transaxle out of car

[69merc]

Is it possible?  I have a 365 and have just mated it to the engine.  I’d like to put it in some of the gears to see if everything is meshed correctly with the clutch.  I know where the shift linkage attaches to, but not sure how to put it in gears or neutral.
Thanks
Jim

[jbcollier]

It's easier if you can spin the input shaft by hand but, yes, you can shift through the gears.  Use a pair of vise-grips to lock one output shaft.  Use another pair of visegrips so you can turn the other output shaft.  Use an ice pick/punch/screwdriver in the shift rod pin hole.  Rotating selects the different gates, in and out selects the actual gears.  Turn the output shaft to ease selection.

[SilverBeast]

If you put a screwdriver through the hole the roll pin fits through you can just push, pull and twist it using that, sort of using it like a T handle.  That minimises the risk of chewing the shaft with vice grips.

Roughly mid in/out should be neutral and all in or out should select a gear, which one depends on where it was on the "twist". You can tell if your in reverse or 5th by observing the external detent mechanism (with the plastic cover off)

[69merc]

Thanks for the quick tips!  You guys are great for a Lotus/Europa newbie!  It works like it should.

[jbcollier]

Excellent.  To keep it that way, regularly check the oil level until you get a handle on how often it needs checking.  #1 killer of 365s is a low oil level.