Posted By: dirt
4 speed, hard to get into 3rd gear - 08/09/13 01:49 PM
I just finished installing a rebuilt A833 4 speed in an E body and it seems like it only goes part way into 3rd until you let the clutch out then it jumps the rest of the way in. It was an auto car before so I cant compare it to the old transmission but I have never had a 4 speed do this to me before. The other gears all seem fine. Even if you put extra pressure on the shifter it will not go all the way into 3rd gear until you let the clutch out.
any ideas?
thanks
Posted By: Cuda340
Re: 4 speed, hard to get into 3rd gear - 08/09/13 02:40 PM
Just out of curiosity what type of oil did you use in the trans? When you say rebuilt what was done?
Posted By: DAYCLONA
Re: 4 speed, hard to get into 3rd gear - 08/09/13 02:46 PM
Did you adjust/set-up the shifter?, I'll assume it's factory equipment?...or is the shifter box an updated Hurst unit?, does it have shifter stops on the box?
Posted By: Wedge7070
Re: 4 speed, hard to get into 3rd gear - 08/09/13 02:47 PM
Check shift linkage for adjustment: put shifter and trans in neutral disconnect rods from trans and line up all 3 shift gates on shifter, there should be a hole in the gates. I use an allen wrench to line them up or anything to line them up. attach rods to trans or adjust swivels to line up to shift levers on trans. That should help if not possibly internal, maybe a bad synchro. I had the same problem with my Cuda but it was a bad shifter.
Posted By: loco340cuda
Re: 4 speed, hard to get into 3rd gear - 08/09/13 02:52 PM
Did you align/adjust the shifter rods when you installed it? Years ago I had problems with not always being able to shift into a certain gear when I was driving the car (can't remember which one). Someone told me that I had to align and adjust the shifter rods. Once I did that the trans shifted much better.
Not sure if this is your problem or not but if you have not adjusted the rods I would suggest doing that to see if it clears things up.
Posted By: dirt
Re: 4 speed, hard to get into 3rd gear - 08/09/13 03:09 PM
The transmission was purchased from a well known mopar transmission business as a complete kit to convert to a 4 speed, I don't want to mention there name yet in case its my error that the trans does not shift right but they are well known .
I used the gear oil they sent, it was hypoid sae 85w90
I only drove the car about 5 miles total since the install.
I did adjust the shifter with the pin in the levers and the shifter its self does not jamb up. I was able to speed shift it at 4000 rpm with no jambing but it did not go in to 3rd very well I felt it go part way in then sort of clunk as I left the clutch out and went the rest of the way.
Its a new hurst competition plus shifter. I didn't set the shifter stops on the shifter housing yet, I thought I would wait until it all was working.
It dosent matter if I am shifting up or down shifting, 3rd still is hard to shift.
I have been running a 4 speed in my dart for over 20 years now and always set it all up myself , I have had the shifter jamb in it before from the rods being out of alignment but this car dosent jamb between gears, it just does not want to go in.
Is it possible that it just needs warmed up and broke in?
Posted By: IMGTX
Re: 4 speed, hard to get into 3rd gear - 08/09/13 06:38 PM
I had similar 3rd gear engagement problems in my Challenger.
I had two problems.
1. The square hole in the lever and the square slot on the shaft had rounded. This is a common problem because people bang shift into third. If the stop bolts are not there or out of adjustment they will wear.
2. My transmission mount was not holding the transmission tail up high enough and the 3/4 rod was hitting the frame. A shim under the mount got me another 150K out of it.
This is assuming the 3rd gear syncro isn't bad.
Posted By: dirt
Re: 4 speed, hard to get into 3rd gear - 08/09/13 08:40 PM
Reverse does not grind, all of the other gearz work fine. Actually none of the gears grind . 3rd just will not always go in all of the way.
The linkage is all new, and the clutch is adjusted right.
It jams in the 4 to 3 and the 2 to 3 shift. It goes in part way but will not fully engage until I let the clutch out , then it pops in
Posted By: BulletBob
Re: 4 speed, hard to get into 3rd gear - 08/10/13 02:43 AM
I would say that one or more of the aligning dogs are over centered in the syncro assy
This happens sometimes when a trans that's sat dry & was shifted dry They're the keystock looking pieces that align with the blocking rings to syncronize the shift
Posted By: BulletBob
Re: 4 speed, hard to get into 3rd gear - 08/10/13 07:29 AM
When the clutch is being released it goes most if not the rest of he way into gear & will powershift most if not all the way into gear
Sometimes the sidecover gets worn on the 3-4 shift lever(one that's been beat on a lot) & can sometimes act like that
Posted By: dirt
Re: 4 speed, hard to get into 3rd gear - 03/26/14 05:56 PM
thought I would let you know how this worked out.
I drove the car for probably 45 miles and it started working fine. I guess it just needed broke in.
never had that happen
Posted By: Sxrxrnr
Re: 4 speed, hard to get into 3rd gear - 03/26/14 11:10 PM
Appears all is well. Some 30 years ago I replaced the 4 speed in my 71 Vette with a Doug Nash 5 speed,,,still have the car, owned since 72.
Upon driving however, it was extremely hard to shift, particularly when not warmed up. Did not improve much with break in. Replaced 90 weight with Red line synthetic. Was now like a hot knife thru warm butter Dragged race for a few years when our local Fremont strip was still in business. Had uncounted full throttle shifts at 6,500 rpm, transmission still performs flawlessly. Amzoil and Mobil 1 among others offer excellent synthetic gear oils that could make your shifting even more pleasant.
Did replace L-88 clutch and flywheel a couple years ago as it was becoming too much of a leg buster for me,,,,,,kinda like my 70 challenger is now,,,likely another future project.
Posted By: Sxrxrnr
Re: 4 speed, hard to get into 3rd gear - 03/27/14 06:40 AM
Good to know, I'm a rookie in the Mopar world,,,except for 300 Letter cars.
Did you set the air gap on the clutch?, what type of clutch?, do you have any reverse gear clash/grind during engagement?...is this condition present in the: 2nd to 3rd or 4th to 3rd shift or both?
