Joe Flanagan Posted July 26, 2014 Report Share Posted July 26, 2014 Big day today. I pulled the Plymouth out of the garage after more than 12 years of work. But it didn't get very far because it seems I have no reverse gear. Reverse operates just like first. I got under the car to watch the levers while my wife shifted into reverse and then into first. The levers operate as they should. Any ideas what's happening? This is an R10 overdrive I bought from Neil Riddle, so I don't know anything about its history other than the fact that he said it worked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted July 26, 2014 Report Share Posted July 26, 2014 Is reverse locked out when the overdrive is engaged? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Ed Posted July 26, 2014 Report Share Posted July 26, 2014 How do you have your OD setup? Part of the OD setup blocks reverse. It sounds like maybe you just need to adjust the linkage though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Flanagan Posted July 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2014 I don't know if reverse is locked out when OD is engaged. I do have the OD disengaged at the moment (handle pulled out, if I understand how it works). In answer to Ed's question, I connected the wiring and linkage according to the manual (found in the downloads section). There's always the possibility that I got something wrong, though. What type of adjustment would I need to make since it seems like the levers are moving exactly as they should? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Yergin Posted July 26, 2014 Report Share Posted July 26, 2014 Joe, When this happened to me it turned out to just be a shift linkage adjustment. Do you have first gear or only second and third? If so then it probably is just linkage adjustment. Jim Yergin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Flanagan Posted July 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2014 Jim, it seems like I have first. It moves forward in first. It also moves forward in 2nd and 3rd. Reverse works just like first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Yergin Posted July 26, 2014 Report Share Posted July 26, 2014 It can be deceiving. I thought I had first because I could move forward but I was actually in third. You might just want to check the adjustment just to be sure. Jim Yergin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Yergin Posted July 26, 2014 Report Share Posted July 26, 2014 As I understand the O/D, the reverse lock out does not prevent you from going into reverse when in overdrive but rather takes it out of overdrive when you shift into reverse. In other words it shouldn't matter wether or not you have the overdrive cable in or out. Jim Yergin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Flanagan Posted July 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2014 OK, thanks. I just crawled under the car and disconnected the linkage to the first/reverse lever at the transmission. I shifted the lever into reverse with my hand. I figured this would eliminate any problem with the linkage out of the equation. Even with the lever manually moved into reverse at the transmission, reverse works just like first. I don't know if this sheds any light on what's going on or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Yergin Posted July 26, 2014 Report Share Posted July 26, 2014 Is it time to call Neil? Jim Yergin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Flanagan Posted July 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2014 (edited) I really don't know. It seems that if the linkage is removed from the equation and I move the lever to reverse with my hand and it still doesn't work, then the problem must be inside the transmission, no? If I recall, I transplanted the shift levers from my original transmission and attached them to the OD I got from Neil because the ones that came with the OD were different. I'm pretty sure that's what I did but I don't know if that has any bearing on the problem. Edited July 26, 2014 by Joe Flanagan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted July 26, 2014 Report Share Posted July 26, 2014 Perhaps the cable is not disengaging the OD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgeb4ya Posted July 26, 2014 Report Share Posted July 26, 2014 (edited) Joe... With the shift rods diconnected from the side cover-transmission in nuetral, OD cable pulled out and clutch disengaged.... Rotate the rear curved lever firmly CW and firmly hold it there.... then at the same time move the other front shifting lever towards the front of the car. It should click the transmission into reverse detent position. This will be reverse. Start the car to check. First gear also requires the rear curved lever to be rotated firmly CW and then at the same time shifting the front lever fully forwards to the rear of the car. Thats first gear position. This rear curved shift lever is needed (rotated) only for reverse and first gears. The front forward shift lever has three detent positions. It can be in the forward position- the middle nuetral position or the rearward position. 2nd and 3rd gears are engaged by moving only the front lever either fully rear ward=3rd gear.... or moving the lever towards the front of the car which is 2nd gear position. The rear curved lever is not used for 2nd or 3rd gear engagement. The adjustment of the rod that goes to the rear trans lever which enables 1st or reverse gears is a very critical and sensitive adjustment. This rod has two 7/16" nuts on it and is adjusted up at the steering column. It is to be adjusted to just barely take out the excess slop (end play) in the rod. If adjusted way too loose you will only get 2nd and 3rd. If too tight possibly no 2nd or 3rd! The shop manual explains how to do it . I doubt very much anything is wrong with the transmission regarding no engagement of reverse. Bob Edited July 27, 2014 by Dodgeb4ya 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suntennis Posted July 26, 2014 Report Share Posted July 26, 2014 The reverse gear position does not care if overdrive is selected or not because it works the same. Because if this ,when overdrive is selected reverse gear position is the only position that will work to assist as a parking brake. If the reverse gear was missing or all the teeth are missing, those should be the only conditions that could cause an internal trans problem since the low gear moves in and out of position. When shifting into reverse, the sliding low reverse gear is moved to a position where it drives the reverse idler which will then drive the cluster gear and main drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Flanagan Posted July 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2014 (edited) Rotate the curved forward lever firmly CCW and hold it there.... then move the other rear lever towards the rear of the car. First gear also requires the front curved lever to be rotated firmly CCW and then shifting the rear lever fully forwards to the front of the car. Bob Bob, Are the "curved forward lever" and the "other rear lever" two different levers? Is one 1st/reverse and the other 2nd/3rd? Are you rotating the curved forward lever (which I understand to be 1st/reverse) CCW and then moving the other lever (2nd/3rd) to the rear of the car? Doesn't one lever have to be in neutral in order for you to be able to move the other? Can you clarify? My shop manual does not include these instructions Thanks very much. Edited July 26, 2014 by Joe Flanagan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Yergin Posted July 26, 2014 Report Share Posted July 26, 2014 Joe, The curved level re-positions the other lever to engage the reverse/first gear lever. They work together. The "normal" position is just second/third. Jim Yergin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William Davey Posted July 26, 2014 Report Share Posted July 26, 2014 I think Bob is explaining the function of the levers correctly as that is the way my 55 truck 3 speed also works. In Bob's explanation, the curved lever moves a "flipper" inside the transmission to engage in a slot in the shifting rails for 1st and reverse. In this position, the other lever will move the "flipper" back and forth to engage 1st and reverse. When the curved lever is released, the "flipper" is spring loaded to engage the 2-3 shift rail. In the released position, the other lever moves the same "flipper" back and forth to engage 2nd and 3rd. I only figured this out when I got a newly rebuilt trans back from NW Transmission and could not get it to engage reverse. Finally figured out how it works by removing the side cover and discovering the "flipper". Hope this helps . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgeb4ya Posted July 27, 2014 Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 I think Bob is explaining the function of the levers correctly as that is the way my 55 truck 3 speed also works. In Bob's explanation, the curved lever moves a "flipper" inside the transmission to engage in a slot in the shifting rails for 1st and reverse. In this position, the other lever will move the "flipper" back and forth to engage 1st and reverse. When the curved lever is released, the "flipper" is spring loaded to engage the 2-3 shift rail. In the released position, the other lever moves the same "flipper" back and forth to engage 2nd and 3rd. I only figured this out when I got a newly rebuilt trans back from NW Transmission and could not get it to engage reverse. Finally figured out how it works by removing the side cover and discovering the "flipper". Hope this helps . Thanks!! Exactly what I was trying-in a feeble way to explain! I did re- edit the above post to correct some issues my confused mind seemed to forget. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Flanagan Posted July 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 Perfect, Bob. Very clear. I think I see the light. I thought the rear lever was 2nd and 3rd. I will try the procedure you describe and report back on how it works. Thanks, William, for your input as well. Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Ed Posted July 27, 2014 Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 Perfect, Bob. Very clear. I think I see the light. I thought the rear lever was 2nd and 3rd. I will try the procedure you describe and report back on how it works. Thanks, William, for your input as well. Joe Joe what you are discovering at the transmission end is what makes second and third straight up and down on the column rather than having to push away and then go up/down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niel Hoback Posted July 27, 2014 Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 That's why these are called "selector" type transmissions. One lever selects which shift rail you move. The other lever actually moves gears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Flanagan Posted July 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 You know, I always wondered about that. On my 56 Chevy truck, I have to push the lever away to get to 2nd and 3rd and I noticed the Plymouth shift behaves differently. Supposed to be rainy here today but I'm going to go out there and mess with it anyway and see where it gets me. Thanks, everyone, for your help. Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Flanagan Posted July 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 I just went out, disconnected the linkages at the transmission and followed Bob's instructions. What I discovered is that the rear curved lever (the selector, I think), has no spring pressure to it. It sounds from the directions like it should. The directions were to rotate the rear curved lever CW and hold it there while moving the front lever forward into the reverse position. The rear curved lever just moves very easily CW and CCW and sits at either extreme by itself. There is no pressure behind it at all. It seems from what's been said so far that this isn't normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William Davey Posted July 27, 2014 Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 (edited) Joe, You may be OK. The curved selector lever is moved forward by the rod when you pull the shift lever toward the wheel. When you let the shift lever move back to it's natural 2-3 position it moves the curved lever toward the rear. I think you'll see a spring on the lower end of the steering column that accomplishes this motion. I don't recall on mine whether the selector lever would move on it's own or had to be pushed by the linkage. I do remember that the "flipper" inside the trans has it's own spring. Maybe someone with more experience adjusting the linkages can help us out here. Edited July 27, 2014 by William Davey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgeb4ya Posted July 27, 2014 Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 The rear lever is normally kinda loose and floppy feeling. At the last 1/2" of rotation travel you feel some resistance/springyiness-thats normal.The last 1/2" of travel is where the lever is actually moving the internal shift lever sideways so 1st and reverse shift rail can move. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.