5 speed

[Copterpilot]

So, after spending all winter and spring replacing the transmission and cleaning up the engine, I have my car on the road. Had a nice drive today. However, I have a few questions. I don't remember having to come to a stop before downshifting into first gear. Is this normal? I don't think my other tranny was like this. Also, I can't downshift from 5th to 4th. It just grinds. So, I go from 5th to 3rd.

[notoptoy]

Did you rebuild the transmission? Sounds like synchronizers for 1st and 4th may be wearing/worn out?

[JT68]

Did you rebuild the transmission? Sounds like synchronizers for 1st and 4th may be wearing/worn out?

Doesn't sound rebuilt. 5speed is fully syncronized - should not have to stop for 1st. 5th-to-4th should not grind. Def sounds tired.

Suggest you try Redline MTL, 75W90, or Swepco. May help considerably, may not/ not much to lose at this point since if two gear are grinding it needs rebuilding.

[jhayden]

I would make absolutely certain that all parts of the clutch operating system (master, slave, pushrods, spring) are fully functioning and properly adjusted before condemning the trans.

Good luck.

[Copterpilot]

I bought the transmission with an email that it had been rebuilt. I am currently running swepco 201 in it. Replaced the old transmission as it was having difficulty going into 2nd and I found lots of metal on the magnetic drain plug. I have bled and adjusted the clutch slave twice, but I suppose that could still be a part of the issue.

It took me all winter and spring to get the engine rebuilt, cleaned up and get it all back together. I absolutely hate the idea that I might have to pull everything again! UGH!

[Linda]

I agree with jhayden.
Clutch slave is 20 at AutoZone. Be sure hole in clutch pedal lever is not ovaled out, or use a new pin. See 311 posts. I seem to recall one guy who removed his trans only to discover it was that clutch pedal hole after all. Hoses may be bad, stainless is an improvement. 510 clutch master works.
Given the time you have taken with the car these last few items can be critical. I would change them all before considering the tranny pull.
Good luck,
Linda

[JT68]

You don’t have to buy a slave cylinder to test the clutch hydraulics. Just jack up the rear wheels or put it on a lift.
Have someone in the car depress the clutch pedal with the transmission in any gear/not neutral.

You should be able to turn the drive shaft. If you can’t, make sure there is only about 1/16” of free play at the clutch slave rod.

If the clutch is releasing properly, you will be able to turn the driveshaft by hand in any gear. This doesn’t sound like clutch since he can go from 5th to 3rd.

[jhayden]

And something else to keep in mind before pulling the tranny:

"Rebuilding a unit properly unfortunately creates damnably tight shifting for awhile...There has to be two separate movements from one gear to neutral and from neutral to the next gear. Failure to do this, using one hard shove or pull, can cause a failure." Rallye Roadster Parts Catalog, pp. 170-171.

Here's hoping your trans is typical.

Jon

[Copterpilot]

And something else to keep in mind before pulling the tranny:

"Rebuilding a unit properly unfortunately creates damnably tight shifting for awhile...There has to be two separate movements from one gear to neutral and from neutral to the next gear. Failure to do this, using one hard shove or pull, can cause a failure." Rallye Roadster Parts Catalog, pp. 170-171.

Here's hoping your trans is typical.

Jon

I hope that's the case. This is the description of the work the rebuilder did.

"It was really messed up and had gotten pretty hot inside. Here is a list of the things replaced. All seals, all bearings, syncronizers. If you look in your parts book figure F32b-1 #35, 95, 40&41, 92-94, gasket set and overdrive. It looked like one of the bearings gave up the ghost and that allowed everything to shift and drop and alot of the gears were damaged."

[tjp]

And something else to keep in mind before pulling the tranny:

"Rebuilding a unit properly unfortunately creates damnably tight shifting for awhile...There has to be two separate movements from one gear to neutral and from neutral to the next gear. Failure to do this, using one hard shove or pull, can cause a failure." Rallye Roadster Parts Catalog, pp. 170-171.

Here's hoping your trans is typical.

Jon

I hope that's the case. This is the description of the work the rebuilder did.

"It was really messed up and had gotten pretty hot inside. Here is a list of the things replaced. All seals, all bearings, syncronizers. If you look in your parts book figure F32b-1 #35, 95, 40&41, 92-94, gasket set and overdrive. It looked like one of the bearings gave up the ghost and that allowed everything to shift and drop and alot of the gears were damaged."

left field comment here....if I read this correctly I read it as (all) the synchros were replaced. (If so, your bill for parts alone should have been quite high.) So if all synchros were replaced then either they weren't actually replaced or they were and maybe you just have the tight shifting on your fresh rebuild.

my .00002

[JT68]

Here’s an even simpler test.....does it go into reverse from neutral with the car stationary, engine running, clutch depressed?

Reverse is non synchronized, so if it goes into reverse with the engune running, the clutch hydraulics are working and the clutch is releasing.
(after the gears come to a stop)- You can also usually hear all the trans gears stop turning an instant after the clutch is depressed.

If so the clutch is releasing and you can rule out hydraulics. J

[jrusso07]

I rebuilt my 5 speed last fall. New berings, seals and synchros. New idler gear too. Everything shifts well going up in gears but going down from 5th to 4th is a little fussy. I have to pause in neutral on the down shifts. Hoping that it settles in. Only a few hundred miles on it so far...

Did the rebuilder replace gears..."a lot of the gears were damaged"?

[JT68]

Guys, if the clutch releases, you should be able to downshift without clashing of gears. Try 50%MTL, 50% any 90wt. If it still won’t downshift the rebuild was bad/they reused a couple synchros etc.- I can assure you when new you could go from 5th to 4th.

[Linda]

On my car, years ago, I distinctly remember some grinding on going into reverse, with engine running, which was fixed by clutch slave, hoses, bleeding well. Echoing what JT just said. Of course at the time I thought it was the tranny.
Linda

[JT68]

Right, reverse has no synchro, so if the clutch doesn’t fully release and you don’t wait for the gears and the car to all stop moving,completely, it will crunch every time. 1-5 has synchros to allow “clash free” gear changes while rolling and while the main shaft and input shaft are in motion- that is the point.

I do agree that you should pull the shifter to neutral, then to the next gear, like Dann suggested many years ago- much easier on the trans.-totally good advice for everyone.