Crunch on shift. Clutch or Tranny?

midlife · 04-02-2004, 03:50 PM

I have had my '69 Targa for 1 week now, and am having fun.
My problem is that if I shift quickly into 2nd or 3rd, sometimes I get a crunch. It seems to be related to how soon I shift after I put in the clutch, not how fast the lever is moved. Also at a stop light, unless there is a 1 second pause after putting the clutch in, the tranny will crunch.
Could the clutch be dragging, or too heavy?
The transmission is an '84 915 connected to a 3.2.
This car has been driven very little. (2500 miles in the last 10 years)
I have ordered Swepco oil, and new shift bushings, but have not recieved them yet.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

TerryH · TerryH's Garage

I have no clue on your crunching, but wanted to welcome you to the forum. Pictures of your car are mandatory, preferrably with scantly clad women perched atop.

Others with vast knowledge of your problem will be here shortly to help you.

Rondinone · 04-02-2004, 04:05 PM

Sounds like weak synchros to me. After you push in the clutch, your input shaft slows down making the tranny less likely to grind. But just to make sure, check your clutch adjustment.

qcwang · 04-02-2004, 04:07 PM

Not an expert by far, but with my experience I had some "crunching" when I first got my car. I recently switched to Swepco 201 and the shifting is smoother now (also the bushing change helped too) Only really get crunching going into second, but even that is less now. See how the Swepco and bushing change does first. I think the 84 doesn't have the rubber centered clutch (my clutch ok still, but will change in near future), and if I'm not mistaken the car's symptoms would be different with a bad clutch.

Welcome, I see this is your first post. You will learn lots here. I sure have.

midlife · 04-02-2004, 04:09 PM

I will attempt to attach a picture of the car. I will have to try and talk my wife into the scantilly clad part.

kqw · 04-02-2004, 04:10 PM

When you engage the clutch, how far do you depress the clutch pedal before you feel resistance?

Rondinone may be correct on weak syncho's but cross you fingers on just a clutch adjustment.

dan911 · 04-02-2004, 04:13 PM

Hi,

Had the same problem with 3rd gear. Definitely worn synchromeshes. Gotta change them. Hmmm might as well do a tranny rebuilt at the same time if you decide to change the synchros.

qcwang · 04-02-2004, 04:15 PM

Sweet!!

midlife · 04-02-2004, 04:16 PM

I get resistance almost immediately. (It's spring loaded down). There is some play in the cable where it attaches to the transmission, and the clutch does not apear to slip. However it does not start engaging until about half stroke.

midlife · 04-02-2004, 04:23 PM

Sounds logical about the syncros. I will try the Swepco first.

How many miles do most people get out of their syncros? I've heard they are notoriously weak.

kqw · 04-02-2004, 04:26 PM

Adjust or have your technician adjust the clutch.

Others may want to chime in but, usually 1st gear syncho is most likely to go in 915's but in 3 of 5 gears at the same time?

kach22i · kach22i's Garage

I bought a car that needed a clutch and had some crunch getting into 3rd. The shop that put the clutch in did a horrible job of adjusting the clutch, so bad I would just go from 2nd to 4th and not even bother. 5th gear was hard to get into, I would'nt force it.

I took it back, they adjusted the clutch. Presto, I could once again get it into 3rd, but slowly is advised. 5th gear is not a problem. Get your clutch adjusted!

I think I need a 3rd gear syncro or at least a sleeve. 1977 911S 2.7L

I am skipping the step of replacing shifting bushings and have ordered a new shifter from Pelican, see product link below.

http://www.seinesystems.com/GateShift-1.htm

TerryH · TerryH's Garage

Nice car, Midlife with the classic style and updated drive line... very cool!

I've had my car twice as long as you.

Good luck!

sammygon1 · 04-03-2004, 01:15 AM

Midlife, somebody put '74 bumpers on your '69.

david914 · 04-03-2004, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sammygon1
Midlife, somebody put '74 bumpers on your '69.

Yah, what's the story behind that? It looks more like a '79 from the picture.

midlife · 04-03-2004, 06:41 AM

I don't know the story on the bumpers. The whole car a monster. SC flairs, Carrera gauges, '86 Carrera suspension, SC interior, and 16" Fuchs.
I would have prefered the original bumpers and a different color, but the rest of the car is what I wanted. I was looking for a pre-'74 smog-exempt Targa with a newer motor. The quest was taking too long. I was begining to think I could have built a car in the time I spent looking. My truck is for sale, and I didn't want to be a pedestrian.

Maybe some day I will go back to the original bumpers, but I've got other projects in mind first.

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

Put the car in neutral. Push down the clutch. Wait 10 seconds. Put it in reverse. If it grinds, it's the clutch that needs adjustment. If it doesn't grind, then the problem is with the tranny...

-Wayne

Hugh R · 04-03-2004, 10:23 AM

Swe[cp. rebuilt shifter (all bushings), and a clutch adjustment made a world of difference for me. Still have to ease from 1st to 2nd. Total cost for those parts is like 60 bucks. You can always rebuild the trannie later if these three don't work, and they probably needed to be done anyway.

midlife · 04-15-2004, 06:44 PM

I am dragging up this thread again to add the results. ( I hate following a thread with lots of suggestions, and find it drops without knowing what happened.)

Well, I put in the Swepco, installed new shift bushings, adjusted the shift linkage, and clutch. (I was unable to get any play in the shift coupling when in 5th. Its hard to tell with the spring pressure.)

The shifting feels much better, but there is still a crunch going into 3rd if I shift too fast.

Next stop Syncros.
How daunting a task is this going to be?