Grinding Gears

[OUTFXD]

1946 Plymouth P-15 Flathead 6 with a three speed transmition. 

 

When I put the car in second gear,  then let out the clutch,  the gears grind.  When I try to go to first while the car is moving it wont go into gear until the vehicle comes to a stop.

 

 

Am I supposed to be double clutching?  It is very odd that this happens, specifically, when I let the clutch out NOT while trying to put it in gear.

 

Any and all help/advice is apritiated!

[Sniper]

First gear is not synchronized, so yes you should be at a stop.  I guess you could try double clutching it though.

 

As for second gear, not sure why that is happening.

[kencombs]

What Sniper said!  About the second gear noise, maybe the linkage isn't moving the gear all the way to mesh and it is 'clicking' against the cluster?

[OUTFXD]

I tracked the car back to a dealer in Michigan and they said the linkage needed work (As I recall they said "The Ball" was worn and "The spring" was weak)  I took this with a grain of salt.

 

When the weather clears up here I will take a closer look at the linkage.  Thank you Both!

 

Edited October 27, 2021 by OUTFXD
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[Andydodge]

Sniper is correct, synchromesh was only between 2nd & top(3rd).......if you were lucky you might have been able to get the car into 1st just before it stops, ie 1-2mph but it won't do the gearbox any good in the long run.........a fully synchro'd gearbox didn't arrive till the late 50's or 1960's as far as I know.........andyd

[sidevalvepete]

Yes, no synchro in 1st. But lots of cars and trucks were like that or no synchro at all in the early days. Most of the farm tractors used no synchro boxes too. You generally became  skilled at how to move through the gears of your particular vehicle - or you changed the vehicle. Can't remember my grandfather graunching through the gears....doubling the clutch, 'feeling' the gear stick into gear was the way. Engaging reverse needed a standstill position though - with my old Leyland and Massey Ferguson tractors anyway.

[greg g]

Do first and reverse grind a bit going into gear from neutral while stopped, or does second grind a little when downshifting?  Try this, before shifting into first or reverse, momentarily  select second with the clutch pedal at the floor.  If grinding is less or goes away this indicates the clutch is not completely stopping in neutral at idle.  When you try to select second, the synchro pack stops the clutch from turning the input shaft which decreases the likely hood of gringing.  Your clutch rod that pushes the throw out fork needs to be adjusted so it's longer and pushes the throw out farther so the friction disc stops spinning completely.  This will lessen the grinding selecting first and reverse at rest, will allow the synchro to stop the input shaft on the upshift from low to second and second to third and will also help on the high to second down shift.

 

The clutch rod is easily adjusted with a couple wrenches.

 

On a further note, I have discovered with that when the overdrive is  engaged,  and is in freewheeling  mode under 30 mph, low gear can be engaged under 15 mph or so with very little grinding.  Another perq of running the overdrive unit.