won't go in gear

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duster360

duster360

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I just rebuilt my 4 speed and got the car running today. I put it on jack stands to run through the gears and try it out. At first it was going through all the gears fine. Shifted smoothly. I put it on the ground to try all the gears with pressure on the drivetrain. Tried all the gears a couple times and they all worked. Then all of a sudden I can't get it to go into any gear. If by chance I can get it into reverse or 4th gear I can ease out on the clutch and it catches, push the pedal back in and it releases fine. Could the shifter be binding somehow? I put an allen wrench in the adjustment slot and it went through all the holes. :banghead:
 
new clutch? are you sure.its fully releasing . perhaps the pilot is sticking . also does.it.try to go.in low or grind or not at all. how are the non-synchro gears low and reverse? do they grind when.you try to.engage or.are you locked.out?
 
It does seem like it is not fully releasing. A couple times when I tried reverse it would grind. Then it goes in reverse no problem and the clutch will engage and disengage. It is a brand new centerforce dual friction clutch/pressure plate assembly. I can't even get it in first gear now. It was shifting smooth as butter at first.
 
Is this just a removal, rebuild and replace. Or is it a new installation? I'd first look at anything that was changed if it was a existing combo. It does sound like a shifter problem at first glance. I hope it's not a internal issue.

Sorry, slow typing. You got in ahead of me with more info........i'll think on it some more.
 
New installation. I just rebuilt it and got everything together. Auto to 4 speed swap.
 
are you running pilot bearing or bushing? Did you use a good grease? If she was grinding, odds are the clutch aint fully releasing. So the next question , are you "locked out" of synchronized gears? If you are , I would look for something in the clutch. do you have a bit of free travel on the pedal or did it suddenly increase when this problem occurred.?
 
I saw on the net that some Ferd guys had issues with the throwout bearing needing to be different then stock. Did you get yours with the clutch kit or is it from another source? I know it's a wild guess, but I thought is was worth posting.
 
OldmanRick said:
I saw on the net that some Ferd guys had issues with the throwout bearing needing to be different then stock. Did you get yours with the clutch kit or is it from another source? I know it's a wild guess, but I thought is was worth posting.
Click to expand...

I got the centerforce throwout that goes with this clutch set.
 
funwithfuel said:
are you running pilot bearing or bushing? Did you use a good grease? If she was grinding, odds are the clutch aint fully releasing. So the next question , are you "locked out" of synchronized gears? If you are , I would look for something in the clutch. do you have a bit of free travel on the pedal or did it suddenly increase when this problem occurred.?
Click to expand...

I am using a pilot bearing. I was thinking it is the clutch but was hoping more for a shifter issue. I would never have thought that a centerforce pressure plate would die after being pushed only 15 or 20 times. I can not get in the synchronized gears. I left justa little slack so the throwout bearing would not have pressure on it when not in use.
 
I`d get it up in the air again and have someone try going through the gears and see if your linkage is binding.
I hope your allen wrench was snug in the hole, I use a 1/4" bolt.
 
mopar head said:
I`d get it up in the air again and have someone try going through the gears and see if your linkage is binding.
I hope your allen wrench was snug in the hole, I use a 1/4" bolt.
Click to expand...

Well, you got me there. The allen wrench is not very snug in the hole. Would that cause the shifter levers to bind if they are just a little bit out of adjustment?
 
mopar head said:
I`d get it up in the air again and have someone try going through the gears and see if your linkage is binding.
I hope your allen wrench was snug in the hole, I use a 1/4" bolt.
Click to expand...

Well, you got me there. The allen wrench is not very snug in the hole. Would that cause the shifter levers to bind if they are just a little bit out of adjustment? It acted just like this when I had it on the work bench before I thought to put the allen wrench in and adjust it.
 
Or possibly tonight. I am feeling kinds restless worrying about what might have happened.
 
duster360 said:
Well, you got me there. The allen wrench is not very snug in the hole. Would that cause the shifter levers to bind if they are just a little bit out of adjustment?
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ABSOLUTELY it would.
The shift lever rods that go through to the inside of the case have lockouts built into them so that there is no possible way for the trans to end up in two gears at once.
If one is being held a little off it's center, the others will not move.

I'd be willing to bet something on your linkage moved and it just needs readjusted.
 
pntastar69 said:
My 1st question is, did you measure to see if the crank is drilled deep enough for the input shaft?
Click to expand...

Yes, it definitly is deep enough. It is a '70 340 with it's original steel crank. The clutch lineup tool I use is a shaft from a 4 speed and it slid all the way in to the end of the splines.

100_3576_zps5099e9d2.jpg
 
Have someone step on the clutch, and see if a .030 feeler gauge will fit between fly and disc.
 
funwithfuel said:
So, how'd things shake out? Enquiring minds wanna know.
Click to expand...

I checked the shifter adjustment, it was fine. It will go in all forward gears ( most of the time ) but not easily. As for reverse, nothing but grinding. It was shifting so smoothly then it seemed like the clutch just went away.
 
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