3rd gear missing

[Mike c]

Hi

 

My 3rd gear has gone on my 49 Plymouth I have recently put a new clutch in it. I still have 1st and reveres 2nd can be difficult to get sometimes. Any ideas why? Was thinking it could be a selector broken? Also I have another gear box I could put in it but it’s out of a 58 fury would it fit? 

[TodFitch]

If you were able to use 3rd gear before you put the new clutch in then I suspect that the issue is in the alignment or adjustment of the shift linkage rather than in the transmission.

[kencombs]

22 minutes ago, TodFitch said:

If you were able to use 3rd gear before you put the new clutch in then I suspect that the issue is in the alignment or adjustment of the shift linkage rather than in the transmission.

 

22 minutes ago, TodFitch said:

If you were able to use 3rd gear before you put the new clutch in then I suspect that the issue is in the alignment or adjustment of the shift linkage rather than in the transmission.

Agree, especially since 2nd is also difficult.   Maybe lever isn't being moved far enough due to loose connections or bushings?

[busycoupe]

There is an adjustment procedure in the manual. It is not difficult, I just can't remember the details off hand. 

[Los_Control]

I had something similar happen to me after I messed with my linkage. I need to get under it and put both arms on the transmission into neutral position.

Then the linkage would work properly from the shift lever again.

Same thing happened in a friends 68 Camaro 4 spd, pushed into a ditch on a blind corner. Had to crawl under it and line the shift arms back up so it would shift again.

Thats the first thing I would check.

 

Mine was because I was messing with removing the shift lever. My buddy was because got high centered in a ditch. What is your reason?

 

You will have to start off by going underneath and move the arms on transmission to neutral & same with the shift lever .... Now if you have 2nd & 3rd back, you probably just need to tighten things up so they do not get out of alignment again.

 

As I remember the adjustment, the linkage from the trans to the shift arms on the steering column ....almost like threaded rod with a top & bottom nut.

Since there is only 1 nut top & 1  bottom, there is nothing to stop them from moving .... they should have 4 nuts so we can lock them down. ... I would think.

 

By moving those nuts you move the shift rods up or down which makes your throw shorter or longer. You just need to figure out which way you need to go to get a nice tight shift pattern.

[Sniper]

That reminds me of when I was at a friend's wedding reception, came time to leave and I no longer had 1st or reverse, 64 300 stick car.  Ended up I lost the hairpin clip that held the shift rod into the shift lever.  Went back in, borrow a bobby pin from one of the ladies and viola, I had 1st and reverse, lol.  My friends were laughing at me sliding under the car in my suit to fix it.

 

As others have mentioned, look at your linkage setup, do the adjustment and see if that fixes it for you.

[mlozier76]

Stupid reason, but could be dirt on the housing....ask me how I know, lol.  When i first got my car running it would pop out of gear when I was going downhill.  The shifter would seem to go into gear fine, but under load it was shifting just enough to pop it out.  I found a healthy amount of 70 year old dirt, oil and grease caked (even some cat hair) entombing the transmission. After some scraping, degreaser and heavy power washing, wonder of wonders...it shifted properly.  Not saying yours is feeling neglected like mine, but maybe somebody else is dealing with a nice barn find like mine.