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Tranny stuck in gear!!!

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R

RetroAuto

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Hi All~
Fixed the brake problem and then have another issue. Drove the car a few times and then my tranny is stuck in reverse! The shifter with go into 3rd 4th and reverse, no 1st or 2nd. The odd thing is that when I am in nuetral the car goes in reverse. This is the last gear I put it into. I was wondering since I recently just did the brakes; could this be relevant. Such as air in the lines. Please help me with my little red car. The sun is shining and it is sad to see her sit! Thanks again! The tranny was not having any other problems before this occurred! Angela
 
sorry girl, sounds like your ready for a tranny rebuild...im in the process myself....then again
it could be something simple, but most likely ur gonna
have to pull the motor just to find out...whats the year, etc.....? check my previous posts for some pics of mine..z
 
thanks for your response...She is a 1963 Midget MkII. 948CC smooth case. I sure hope that is not going to happen, but I wouldn't doubt it. It seems like every summer it is sitting! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif Thanks for your post! Any one else have any thoughts? Angela
 
Welcome aboard!
How's the cluch in your car?

mark
 
i just may have a tranny for that if you need one...... i would have to post a pic and then let the gods of the Spridget board tell us if it is correct.


mark
 
Shifter fork has slipped. Some people have reported being able to fix this problem with the tranny in the car. I can't imagine how. Sounds like you may need to pull the motor and transmission.
 
Shift fork locator screws are the likely culprits here... Bad news is the engine/box need to come out to really correct it. Not the "good" answer, but the real answer. Sorry to be the "bearer of bad tidings" but that sounds like the problem/solution.

..shoot me if you must.
 
and we all know what happens when u pull ur motor!
get some paint and start ur rebuild! haaha
good luck..........z
 
I think some Loctite and a bit of well applied carb cleaner are all she'll need... besides the "ton of patience" to yank the unit and reinstall.
 
Had this issue with my spitfire. pull the tranny correct the shift fork position and adjust the pins. I did that a while back...now the spitfire is in about 900 pieces and being subjected to a full rebuild.. Beware the dreaded Shipwrights Disease.
 
heh... A.K.A. "MightAsWell" syndrome?!?
 
[ QUOTE ]
heh... A.K.A. "MightAsWell" syndrome?!?

[/ QUOTE ]

Kind of like those "If You Give a Moose a Muffin" books. Any of you with small children should understand. <grin>
 
I think your shifter fork came loose.
I have fixed them with the engine/tranny in the car.
No fun, but do-able.
You will have to remove the tranny side cover, slide the fork back where it belongs and tighten the set screw and lock nut.
If your arm is double jointed, this is an easy job, but since the human arm doesn't quite bend the way it needs to, it is a PITA job. Jack it up high, support it well, use good lighting.
 
That's where that "ton o' patience" becomes three tons' worth. As a seasoned contortionist (to include a Europa water pump with engine in-situ) I'd attempt it... as a recommendation to a neophite LBC owner I'll still say: yank the unit.
 
Even the thought makes me want to open my box and check the lock nuts. Sigh.
 
While sitting in the car, remove the cover for the shift lever (probably 4 sheet metal screws).
The actual shifter is held to the trans with a little, round, dough-nut shaped plate that is attached to the trans with three 7/16" screws. Remove these screws and pull out the shift lever.
Clean out the ball-shaped reciever that the shift lever goes into. Spray it with some spray lube and "work" it back and forth if possible.
Re-attach the shifter and see if this helps.

If it doesn't here's another thought:

On the newer ribcage transmissions, there is a side plate that can be removed (with difficulty). I don't know if the smooth-case has this side plate. One of my race buddies pulled this plate off on his ribcage trans and "unjambed" the shift forks somehow. It took him a number of hours (we were at the track) and it was very tight work. It worked OK, but he pulled the trans when he got home to really look at it.
 
Yep has same plate. In fact I think the casting is the same but for the stronger case, ie the ribs.
 
Hello Sprite nut~

Thanks for your post. Well last night I put her on stands and took the side panel off. The 1st and 2nd fork and rod would not move. 3rd and 4th were a little loose. Reverse finally moved. I made sure the screws were tight. I have been able to move the shifter into all the gears now. Since I am a patient person and have been with his car...I thought that it might be fixed. Filled the tranny back up with oil,etc. Got in her and can still shift through the gears but try to release the clutch and it is as if it boggs down for lack of better description. Got any other suggestions before I yank the drivetrain? Thanks again!
Angela
 
Also wondering is there a certain position the forks should be in? I know which one is 1st, 2nd, etc. but I wasn't sure what the placement should be say if the car is in neutral? Hope that makes sense! Still learning!
Thanks again! Angela
 
I'm guessing here, but the trans is probably in two gears at once. Like first and fourth or something like that. This would cause the trans to be all locked up so the engine could not turn it.

Put the shifter in neutral and move the forks until all gears are truly in neutral (you'll know you're really in neutral if one rear wheel can be turned while other rear wheel is on the ground). Double check that the shifter is in neutral and lock the fork screws at that point.

Neutral positon for each forward gear fork should be the mid-point of it's fore-and-aft travel.

It's possible that you have a worn or bent fork, in which case this may happen again.
 
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