No 1st or 5th gear - need help!

Laneco · 07-17-2006, 06:19 AM

Steve and I just re-installed a drive train into his 1982 SC. The engine runs great YIPPEE but we are having some problems with the transmisison/shifting. The transmission was rebuilt prior to install (we bought the trans this way). It is a 915.

We followed the correct adjustment procedure. We are unable to get the transmission to shift into 1st, and 5th. Goes into all other gears easily including reverse, shifts very nicely. No odd noises etc. Will not go into 1st or 5th even when the engine is off.

Ideas? Thanks -
angela

Laneco · 07-17-2006, 02:23 PM

Okay guys - really need advice here. Just got in from driving the car and I highly suspect that the "overhauled" transmission may have an issue... Shift linkage bushings are good and we've adjusted probably 6 or 8 of these to very satisfactory results.

THEREFORE: For the first couple of people who offer good advice, I will bake home made cookies and send them to you as a THANKS. I make VERY good cookies.

angela

brett25 · brett25's Garage

that doesnt sound hopeful. adjusting the coupler would be first (but you said you did that). my car wouldnt go into 1st or 5th either and it had to be rebuilt. it could also be locked up. a few good mechanics have some tricks to free up a locked up tranny

Jim Sims · 07-17-2006, 04:50 PM

Did the transmission shift correctly before being installed? By not going into gear I assume you mean the shifter won't move into the correct position not that there is nothing there when you get into position. Have you tried disconnecting and pulling free the horizontal shift rod going forward from the coupler and then shifting by grasping and turning the shift coupler itself (recall that everything will be reversed as far as fore-aft movement)? The next easy thing to check is to drain the transmission and see if the shift guide fork mounted on the bottom cover plate is in place. After that one could be facing an improperly installed detent which requires taking the transmission partially apart to address. Did the transmission shift correctly before being installed?

Laneco · 07-17-2006, 07:37 PM

Jim,
This transmission was an outright purchase, so I do not know how it shifted prior to this. The gear selector will NOT move all the way into the 1st or 5th position. It feels as if the gear is starting to engage but then stops and immediately pops back out of gear when foot is lifted from the clutch. 2nd, 3rd, 5th and reverse however work quite normally.

We've de-coupled the shifter and tried it moving it on the shaft to get more throw (in the 1st, 3rd, 5th direction) with no change evident.

Bad news isn't it...

Mostly what upsets me is the time/effort to do a drivetrain pull especially when the engine runs SO DARN SWEEEETTTT!!!

angela

randywebb · 07-17-2006, 08:46 PM

You'll have to open up those ports then. They are the oblong diamond shaped things held on w/ 2 nuts. Rune the gear oil thru a strainer and see if any thing interesting is in it.

mackskibum · 07-18-2006, 05:02 AM

FWIW, I think if the trans has been rebuilt, and the shift forks are not in their correct position on the shaft, that can cause this problem.

84toy · 07-18-2006, 06:46 AM

The big question is did the tranny shift while it was on the bench? Did you try? If it shifted on the bench OK, it's probably a linkage issue. If you didn't try (shame on you) then skip proper adjusting technique and just rotate the coupler so you are positive that the shift shaft is heading for 1'st and 5th. Now try to get it to shift in. If it won't yank her back out......Look for a shift shaft misalignment or a ball detent issue.

If you can get it to shift in to those gears by adjusting only for them, look at your shifter bushings and see if there is too much slop preventing proper adjustment.

Laneco · 07-18-2006, 09:02 AM

I'm going to blame my husband for this part - he did NOT bench shift the transmission. You should have seen the look I gave him when he admitted that. Most of you guys are married - you know the "look"...

We're going to try a little peak as described and drain the fluid which is of course new, but we have to drain it anyway... And then we all know what steve and I are doing next. Pull it out and take it apart. We have the significantly whipped 915 that we pulled out of the car to use as reference (whipped but it did shift all gears). See what's wrong for sure then.

All you all who offered the good advice, please email me your address and I'll make cookies this weekend, ship on Monday.

Thanks again!
angela

randywebb · 07-18-2006, 09:19 AM

You can save the fluid in a clean container - might not hurt to filter it -- coffee filters work.