Transmission problem

[Jim Yergin]

I need someone to tell me that my problem is probably a shift linkage adjustment and not an internal transmission problem. Not crazy about dropping the transmission that I overhauled last winter.

Car was driving and shifting great. This evening on the way home from town I started to have trouble shifting into second and third. Stopped in a parking lot to check the shift linkage. Looked OK but now the transmission would not shift into any gears. It finally went into third and I was able to get the car moving. At that point it easily shifted down into second but that was it. Would not go into third. Made it home staying in second gear and parked it in the garage. My next step is to check the linkage. Do my symptoms sound like linkage? Would it just go out of adjustment like that?

Jim Yergin

[Rodney Bullock]

Hey Jim, when I first built my car it did that a couple of times, my problem was the throw out bearing and fork. The clutch petal was not making the fork push the throw out bearing in enough to allow the car to change gears. The pivot bearings that are connected to the large spring had come loose. All of this is on your clutch assembly petal control. I know I am not naming this correctly however one of the forum members greased this pivot bushing to much and they popped out on him. If there is to much play in this assembly you will not be able to get the car in gear. Your brake petal, clutch petal and these bushings are all on this assembly. Check that first because the plymouth shift arm is a one arm control unlike the chevy with two arms, I don't know if it is the arms. I hope you get back on the road soon as we are coming up there during the thankgiving week:)

[Jim Yergin]

Thanks Rodney, I will take a look at that. However, my problem does not appear to be the clutch not releasing. There is no clashing of gears. When I had it in third gear I was able to feather the clutch enough to start the car in that gear. My problem is the shift lever will not move to the position to put the transmission into gear even with the engine off.

Hope you can come by when you are in the area. Look forward to seeing you.

Jim Yergin

[Jim Yergin]

Looking for suggestions on what to do next. I adjusted the shift linkage per the manual and checked the connections and bushings. I ended up tightening the gear selector rod setting. Can now shift into reverse, first and second. Will not go into third. No grinding or clashing with the clutch depressed, just won't go into third gear. Do I need to keep playing with the linkage? Should I remove the side cover and check the shift forks? Drop the transmission and open it up? Does the fact that third gear is direct drive as opposed to the other gears mean anything as to the cause of the problem?

Any and all suggestions will be much appreciated?

Jim Yergin

[Normspeed]

Jim, I'm browsing thru the 1946-54 manual and in the hard shifting to second or high section, after the linkage adjustment they mention binding action due to a loose shifter fork.

You might be able to check without removing the trans but you'd need to take off the side cover and make sure the two set screws that secure the forks to the shift rails are tight and in their respective grooves. It goes on to list 2 or 3 more possibilities. If you don't have that info in your book I can upload those pages.

[Jim Yergin]

Norm,

Thanks. I thought about a lose shifter fork and figured taking off the side cover would be the next step. My '41 manual does not have a troubleshooting section like yours so I would appreciate any info you may have.

Thanks again.

Jim Yergin

[Normspeed]

Here ya go Jim. Seems like if it was shifting ok and then got bad, might just be something simple like a loose shift fork. I hope that's it.

[Jim Yergin]

Thanks Norm. I too hope it isn't anything major. Now can you just send me some warm weather so that the garage floor is not so cold?

Jim Yergin

[Normspeed]

Wish I had some but NM is getting pretty chilly too. Down around freezing overnight, 60's in the day.

[Jim Yergin]

Looks like it is the stop ring problem described in item b of Norm's list. I removed the side cover and the shift forks are tight. The fact that it will shift into second but not third tells me that it fits the description in that item b, that is the stop ring is hung up on the second gear. Fortunately I have a spare regular transmisson to use while I have the O/D one out to fix it. Just have to pull and replace from underneath the car. Guess I will look into a transmission jack. Sadly, one of the reasons I overhauled the O/D transmission before installing the engine, transmission, and front clip was to avoid having to do this now. Oh well, the best laid plans of mice and men. . .

Jim Yergin

[Normspeed]

I picked up a pretty good scissors type trans jack at harbor freight. It's the right height for working with the car up on jackstands. Takes a lot of ratchet work to raise and lower it so I use an air ratchet to speed things up.

[Jim Yergin]

Normspeed,

Thank you very much for the tip about the HF transmission jack. After spending a cold frustrating evening with my son trying to manhandle the transmission into place both lifting it by hand while lying on our backs (a/la Don C) and then with just a floor jack, I made a trip to Harbor Freight and purchased the transmission jack. Tonight I got the transmission up in 15 minutes. That was $80 well spent. Nothing like having the correct tools. Without that jack there would be no way I could get the even heavier O/D transmission back in once it is repaired.

Jim Yergin

[Normspeed]

Glad to hear it helped, Jim. I changed the tie down strap to something that I found easier to work with, and kept a few small pieces of wood handy for chocking the trans into place. Sure helps to be able to get it all lined up before you roll it forward. Good luck with the OD repair.

[James_Douglas]

Jim,

Before you tear down the trans, check the 2nd gear end play. You can do this from the side cover. Should be .003 to .008.

There should be no faint lines on the beveled part of the 2nd gear and the lines shouls be pronounced in the brass stop rings.

The lines on the brass "cut through" the oil film on the 2nd gear. However, since it is tapered, if the brass over time cuts grooves onto the machined part of the beveled part of the gear, then it can hang up.

Let me know what you find. Best, James

[Jim Yergin]

James,

Thank you very much. I will check it out. If lines have been cut into the 2nd gear can I dress the gear up and remove the lines or do I need to replace the gear entirely?

Jim Yergin