Shifting Problem

CountrySquire55

CountrySquire55

Member
Just recently, I have begun to have a shifting problem with my 31 Town Sedan when previously everything was fine. No matter what I seem to do (I have driven Model A's for a while), upshifts now grind and downshifts are almost impossible except when the car is almost at a complete stop. I adjusted the freeplay on the clutch to the recommended one inch and even changed the 600W transmission oil to Lucas Hub Oil as some here have recommended. No improvement in the shifting problem. It almost feels like the clutch is not completely disengaging when I press the pedal but, with the clutch pedal freeplay adjusted to the one inch recommendation, I am not sure what to do next. I would greatly welcome suggestions from the experts here. Thanks!
 
Look at the clutch arms for a crack. I've seen it happen a couple times. Have someone press the clutch pedal in and out while you check the arm for a crack. If you are alone, then remove the inspection cover on top and look for the amount of movement while you press the pedal all the way down. Check the arm on the end of the shaft and the arm inside that pushes on the throwout bearing. They both can crack.
 
Almost sounds like the clutch disc is 'sticking' on the input shaft
(like the center hub is not sliding freely on the input shaft)

I'm sure someone has an easy fix for this - you may have to pull the inspection cover and spray the input shaft with brake cleaner to get it "ungummed"
Good Luck
 
It won't take much to check the arm like Tom mentioned,, but,, I have a suspicion that there is nothing wrong except the oil you switched to.. I too tried the Lucas hub oil and the vehicle became un-shiftable.. No matter what I did I couldn't shift the monster.. Put 250 wgt back in and all is as it was.. I also posted what I experienced and what I thought of that oil.. Oh, when I drained that Lucas crap,, it was nothing but foam..
 
Thanks for the replies. I tried the Hub Oil only after I started experiencing the shifting problems and it made no difference either way. I will now inspect the clutch arm and pilot bearing. Thanks for the suggestions.
 
We didn't know you were experiencing problems before the oil change,, that would have been good info to have..
 
Patrick L. said:
We didn't know you were experiencing problems before the oil change,, that would have been good info to have..
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Just recently, I have begun to have a shifting problem with my 31 Town Sedan when previously everything was fine. No matter what I seem to do (I have driven Model A's for a while), upshifts now grind and downshifts are almost impossible except when the car is almost at a complete stop. I adjusted the freeplay on the clutch to the recommended one inch and even changed the 600W transmission oil to Lucas Hub Oil as some here have recommended. No improvement in the shifting problem. It almost feels like the clutch is not completely disengaging when I press the pedal but, with the clutch pedal freeplay adjusted to the one inch recommendation, I am not sure what to do next. I would greatly welcome suggestions from the experts here. Thanks!
 
I experience those problems too, when I drive my Model A, but it's mostly the driver.

Next weekend, I'm going to change ****** oil and put in some fresh 600W that I got from Snyder's or Bratton's and a little of the Lucas oil (not hub oil) that was recommended a few weeks ago.

When I was having clutch issues with my '28 Roadster, w/the multi-clutch, I adjusted it, I changed oil, then used two cans of brake cleaner and let it sit over night, did the trick.

Being a Model A novice, one thing that I learned from the Model A books I bought, is that the transmission oil plays a big part in shifting a Model A.
 
Thanks again for the replies. I removed the inspection plate and can see that the clutch mechanism seems to be working OK with the engine running, throwout bearing engaging/disengaging as is should with no noise, and no cracks that I could see or feel in the clutch arm and pedal linkage. Just sitting in the garage, with the engine off, it was hard to move the gearshift into third gear (moving the gearshift into all other gears with the clutch depressed was OK) but don't know if this matters or not. I removed the transmission cover to check the forks and it seems like one of the forks is binding a bit but can't see anything obvious as to why. Our Model A club technical advisor is going to inspect this mechanism tomorrow (as he has rebuilt several) and see what he thinks. BTW, I also found that the Hub Oil was all foamy inside the transmission as others have reported so I will go back to 600w oil I obtained from Brattons. I'll figure this out yet!
 
Did you ever resolve this issue? I'm having trouble shifting my 31 coupe. After sitting several years, I got it running but as I started driving it, it was harder to get into and out of gear- like the clutch wasn't working. Even as I slowed down and put the clutch in, it was still in gear and I had to pull the gear shift lever into neutral so that I wouldn't drive through the end of my garage-
I put new 600W oil in (from Birdhaven), took the inspection plate off and sprayed just a little WD40 trying to get the to shaft in case it was gummy.
Now it won't go into gear at all when the car is running (just grinds the gears). With inspection plate off, the bearing seems to move back and forth fine with the clutch pedal engaged and off. Tried adjusting the clutch in both directions (clevis) but not better any direction.
Did the WD40 screw it up? Any ideas???
Thanks!
 
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