Help! Muncie 1st gear problems

[mystyphy]

1965 convertible
383 Stroker
Muncie 4 speed

Problem: I am having trouble shifting into the first gear, the tranny seems to engage, but the engine seems to stress (and sometimes almost stall) when letting the clutch out. It first happened the day after a long drive through mountain roads with alot of shifting. I pulled the car out in reverse, then couldn't get first gear to work (engine would stall when I let off the clutch) and had to shift it into second gear to get it back into the garage. After that, I searched through the forums for someone with a similar problem. The closest thing I found were suggestions to change the tranny fluid. I did so, finding it hard to get any fluid out of the tranny, but was able to add about 1/2 to 2/3 a quart back into it. The fluid I did get out was almost black with some particulates suspended in it. The situation improved for a couple trips, but now it seems the symptoms are coming back. Sometimes I have to really rev the engine to get into first gear without the engine stalling, causing the car to jump a bit when I get fully off the clutch. Once in first, the car operates normally.

I've owned my vette for about 3 years, driving it once a week for about 12k miles total. When I purchased the car, I was told the 383 edlebrock and tranny were fairly new, the tranny probably having been rebuilt. I feel the gears pop pretty hard sometimes when I put it into reverse, but 2nd through 4th seem smooth. Any suggestions of what to try next?

 

[RestoCreations]

Contact Wally at muncie4speed.com

Great guy and he will be able to tell you exactly what is going on.

Best of luck!

 

[mystyphy]

Contact Wally at muncie4speed.com

Great guy and he will be able to tell you exactly what is going on.

Best of luck!

Thanks, just shot him an email. I'll post any info I find to help out others.

 

[jimbo64]

betting you have a linkage adjustment prob. need to check that all is in alignment as the shop manuals say. just a bit off can cause probs between sync gears[ 1-4] and non sync reverse. let us know how you make our and what you find.detailed alj proc in assembly book if you have it.

 

[Hib Halverson]

Diagnosis via Internet (DvI) is often difficult but from the descripion, I think there might be a combination of problems, here.

First, it sound like the clutch is dragging, so you need to adjust the clutch or replace it.

Sedondly, if the trans is hard shifting into first, you drained the oil and saw it was black and contained solid particles, it's likely the trans has never had its lubricant changed and, as a result, may have failed and needs to be overhauled.

I'm going to guess that this is not an adjustment issue, however, it never hurts to adjust the linkage. The instructions are in the Service Manual and you'll need to make or borrow a special tool to do it. As I recall, the measurements for this tool are in the manual.

 

[gmjunkie]

Diagnosis via Internet (DvI) is often difficult but from the descripion, I think there might be a combination of problems, here.

First, it sound like the clutch is dragging, so you need to adjust the clutch or replace it.

Sedondly, if the trans is hard shifting into first, you drained the oil and saw it was black and contained solid particles, it's likely the trans has never had its lubricant changed and, as a result, may have failed and needs to be overhauled.

I'm going to guess that this is not an adjustment issue, however, it never hurts to adjust the linkage. The instructions are in the Service Manual and you'll need to make or borrow a special tool to do it. As I recall, the measurements for this tool are in the manual.

 

[jimbo64]

1965 convertible
383 Stroker
Muncie 4 speed

Problem: I am having trouble shifting into the first gear, the tranny seems to engage, but the engine seems to stress (and sometimes almost stall) when letting the clutch out. It first happened the day after a long drive through mountain roads with alot of shifting. I pulled the car out in reverse, then couldn't get first gear to work (engine would stall when I let off the clutch) and had to shift it into second gear to get it back into the garage. After that, I searched through the forums for someone with a similar problem. The closest thing I found were suggestions to change the tranny fluid. I did so, finding it hard to get any fluid out of the tranny, but was able to add about 1/2 to 2/3 a quart back into it. The fluid I did get out was almost black with some particulates suspended in it. The situation improved for a couple trips, but now it seems the symptoms are coming back. Sometimes I have to really rev the engine to get into first gear without the engine stalling, causing the car to jump a bit when I get fully off the clutch. Once in first, the car operates normally.

I've owned my vette for about 3 years, driving it once a week for about 12k miles total. When I purchased the car, I was told the 383 edlebrock and tranny were fairly new, the tranny probably having been rebuilt. I feel the gears pop pretty hard sometimes when I put it into reverse, but 2nd through 4th seem smooth. Any suggestions of what to try next?

Has this been resolved

 

[mystyphy]

Not yet, I was out of town last weekend. So this weekend will be the first time I get a chance to look at it.