transmission/clutch problem

[Bill D.]

My '65 sprite doesn't like to stay in gear. It is worst in 1st and reverse but also happens in 2nd gear. When I accelerate it slips out of gear and into neutral. If I hold the shifter in place it will stay in gear.

I know that's not much info but does this sound more like a transmission problem or a clutch problem? The car has a new clutch but may need some adjustment. I haven't opened up the gearbox at all so I don't know what the condition is like.

Any help or advice is appreciated. Great forum. Thanks

 

[Dave Russell]

Hi Bill,

Welcome to the forum. Lot of great folks here.

Your problem is almost certainly with the transmission. It could be a relatively simple under the cover problem with the selector parts or more seriously down deep. There are some very knowledgeable Sprite people here (not me) who can help.
D

 

[littlecars]

I was just putting my transmission back together when I noticed a series of faults in the book, one of which was

"Jumping out of gear" the possibilities are
1 Broken changespeed fork rod spring
2 Excessivly worn fork rod groove
3 Worn coupling dogs
4 Fork rod securing screw loose

of these possibilities only #4 does not require total transmission dissassembly. I do not know if you can get the side cover off without taking out the trans. (on bugeyes you can not) but if you can, watch for a couple of springs and look it over

 

[DougR]

Hey Bill,
Is that a "ribcase" trans? Anyway, I was able to get a few extra years out of mine (similar symptoms) with some very minute (mynoot) adjustments of the shift mechanism on top.


key words---a few.

 

[Bill D.]

Thanks for the suggestions. Hopefully I can at least figure out what the problem is without removing the transmission. If I have to remove it I have an extra so hopefully I can fix it without much expense. Thanks again.

 

[regularman]

I would guess for the bad spring in one of the detents(ball bearing sping loaded into a notch) that hold the syncro hub into position or either there is play in the linkage in what they call the "remote control" area and its just not going all the way in for the detent to hold it. never tore apart a smooth one, but as I recall, I had to get pretty pretty deep into the ribcage to get to the forks that move the sncro hubs back and forth. You might try taking the cover off the side and have some body try and shift it into gear and if it doesn't sound like it clicks in, see if you can push some more on the syncro hub with a screwdriver and see if it goes on in then. Problem is there is just no bloody room under there to work and see. Look at the fork and see if it is bent as well. Some people are heck on shifters and bend things. If you pull the transmission out and tear it apart, you will probably see a lot of expensive pieces that you would like to replace. Its almost as cheap to buy a rebuilt one, or upgrade to a 5 speed