When you remove the transmission put it in gear!
11-13-06, 09:19 AM
#1
Lives on the Forum
Thread Starter
When you remove the transmission put it in gear!
I installed a new clutch this weekend. Everything went fine and after I got the tranny bolted up I installed the shifter to make sure everything was working before finshing up. Eeeeek! The shift linkage was completely bound up. I couldn't select any gears; the selector inside the transmission seemed jammed. The ball cup the shifter rides in appeared to be in neutral and yet the tranny seemed to be jammed in gear.
It appears I'm not the first guy to have this happen
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-gen-archives-73/transmission-between-4rth-reverse-sigh-564355/
I tried removing the backup light switch to gain access to the 5-reverse shift rod but after a few minutes fishing around in there I didn't get anywhere. At that point I pulled the extension housing off (tranny still installed) and immediately saw that the 5-reverse shift rod was about halfway engaged in reverse (pushed slightly into tranny). That jammed the selector because with the selector in neutral it rides in the 3-4 shift rod. Since reverse was partially engaged the selector couldn't rotate over to engage the 5-reverse shift rod and pull that rod back into neutral. The selector was still free to rotate to the 1-2 shift rod but couldn't actually engage any gears because with reverse partially engaged the lockout mechanism prevented any other gear from being selected. As soon as I snapped the 5-reverse rod into neutral everything was fine but then I got to clean the tranny out thoroughly so I could seal the extension housing back on.
Needless to say I was not happy as I spent an extra few hours dealing with this (since I had to reseal the tranny I didn't want to put lube in it right away; I wanted to be sure the sealant was cured). My only guess is that in wrestling the tranny around in the garage or installing it back into the car I bumped it hard enough that the 5-reverse shift rod moved and tried to go into reverse all by itself. The detent ***** and springs should hold the rods in place but I guess the stars were perfectly aligned against me that day. The only reason the tranny was able to jam was because it was in neutral when I removed the transmission. If the transmission had been in any gear when I removed it the lockout mechanism would have prevented another gear from engaging and the selector would remain positively located in one of the shift rods and so wouldn't be able to jam.
Jimmying the 5-reverse shift rod through the backup light switch hole should have worked but I just couldn't get a hold of it to make anything happen. I wasn't even sure it was 5-reverse I had a problem with but there's nothing to lose in trying that before removing the extension housing. Once the extension housing is off all three shift rods are exposed and it's immediately obvious what's going on.
I will never ever remove another transmission without putting it into gear first. My ordeal had to be a one in a million chance but putting it into gear before removal is no problem and will ensure this cannot happen.
It appears I'm not the first guy to have this happen
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-gen-archives-73/transmission-between-4rth-reverse-sigh-564355/
I tried removing the backup light switch to gain access to the 5-reverse shift rod but after a few minutes fishing around in there I didn't get anywhere. At that point I pulled the extension housing off (tranny still installed) and immediately saw that the 5-reverse shift rod was about halfway engaged in reverse (pushed slightly into tranny). That jammed the selector because with the selector in neutral it rides in the 3-4 shift rod. Since reverse was partially engaged the selector couldn't rotate over to engage the 5-reverse shift rod and pull that rod back into neutral. The selector was still free to rotate to the 1-2 shift rod but couldn't actually engage any gears because with reverse partially engaged the lockout mechanism prevented any other gear from being selected. As soon as I snapped the 5-reverse rod into neutral everything was fine but then I got to clean the tranny out thoroughly so I could seal the extension housing back on.
Needless to say I was not happy as I spent an extra few hours dealing with this (since I had to reseal the tranny I didn't want to put lube in it right away; I wanted to be sure the sealant was cured). My only guess is that in wrestling the tranny around in the garage or installing it back into the car I bumped it hard enough that the 5-reverse shift rod moved and tried to go into reverse all by itself. The detent ***** and springs should hold the rods in place but I guess the stars were perfectly aligned against me that day. The only reason the tranny was able to jam was because it was in neutral when I removed the transmission. If the transmission had been in any gear when I removed it the lockout mechanism would have prevented another gear from engaging and the selector would remain positively located in one of the shift rods and so wouldn't be able to jam.
Jimmying the 5-reverse shift rod through the backup light switch hole should have worked but I just couldn't get a hold of it to make anything happen. I wasn't even sure it was 5-reverse I had a problem with but there's nothing to lose in trying that before removing the extension housing. Once the extension housing is off all three shift rods are exposed and it's immediately obvious what's going on.
I will never ever remove another transmission without putting it into gear first. My ordeal had to be a one in a million chance but putting it into gear before removal is no problem and will ensure this cannot happen.
Last edited by DamonB; 11-13-06 at 09:22 AM.
11-13-06, 09:56 AM
#2
Just to add to Damon's post:
If you choose to detach the flywheel before removing the tranny, it will be better if the tranny is in neutral. The tranny can always be put in gear after the flywheel is unbolted. This procedure will be easier if you remove the shifter after unbolting the flywheel.
If you choose to detach the flywheel before removing the tranny, it will be better if the tranny is in neutral. The tranny can always be put in gear after the flywheel is unbolted. This procedure will be easier if you remove the shifter after unbolting the flywheel.
11-13-06, 10:15 AM
#3
Lives on the Forum
Thread Starter
^ Bud, unless you're a magician you're not going to get the flywheel off without removing the transmission first 
Perhaps you mean the pressure plate?
Perhaps you mean the pressure plate?
11-13-06, 10:32 AM
#4
This should also be done during shipping.
I had a trans shipped to me and installed it. let out the clutch on the lift and it was in reverse. the shifter seemed to be in neutral, but the linkage was ingaged. I thought some one, very reputable, shafted me with a bad trans. I ended up talking to his rebuilder, wich gave me the go ahead to open up the rear and check the linkage before shipping it back to him. Sure enough, that was the probem. Put everything back together and reinstalled the trans that weekend. It made for a long weekend but the car got fixed and I was happy.
I had a trans shipped to me and installed it. let out the clutch on the lift and it was in reverse. the shifter seemed to be in neutral, but the linkage was ingaged. I thought some one, very reputable, shafted me with a bad trans. I ended up talking to his rebuilder, wich gave me the go ahead to open up the rear and check the linkage before shipping it back to him. Sure enough, that was the probem. Put everything back together and reinstalled the trans that weekend. It made for a long weekend but the car got fixed and I was happy.
11-13-06, 05:48 PM
#6
Originally Posted by DamonB
^ Bud, unless you're a magician you're not going to get the flywheel off without removing the transmission first
Perhaps you mean the pressure plate?
Perhaps you mean the pressure plate?
Oops!!Yeah, I was rushed to get out this morning. Obviously I meant the pressure plate
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