Comming out of Gear

Vicky

Senior Member
My Transmission shifts fine through all gears and there is no noise in any gear. Sometimes when crusing on the highway, it will slip out of Third Gear. It happens when crusing, not accleration or deaccleration. Also, when you deacclerate in third gear, the shift lever moves slightly back (down), as if being pulled further into gear. I know it probably could be many things, but it seems to me like a shift tower problem. Is there a way to adjust the forks on the Shift Tower? Keeping in mind that Neutral movement is okay and everything else works fine. Thanks for any help. Bob
 
check the rivets that hold the shift forks on the shafts, and the size and shape of the ball on the bottom of the shift lever. Sounds like something is not forcing the gears far enough into mesh to me. Bob
 
Have had this happen on a couple of A's before. It could be worn "bullets" that are supposed to nest in the detents in the shift rails or their spring is weak. Once it was a combination of original and repro trans gears that apparently worked against each other. Another was the flywheel housing was not "square" to the flywheel which put a bind on the trans input shaft. An easy one was one A had a decorative extension and heavy marble knob that caused the lever to cantilever. Took it off and no more problem.
 
If the bearing retainers are both out of spec (too thick on machined surface) it allows the main shaft to move back and forth and will slip out of high gear. Usually more noticable when traveling down hill under compression .

Mr. Mitchell, of Mitchell Overdrive, said he has quite a few customers who have sent their bearing retainers to him for machining. He said this condition only happens if both retainers are out of spec.

Ron
 
There is a very long shopping list that causes the trans to slide out of gear. The tower is certainly the first thing you want to address. The easiest way is if you have a club member, or friend, who has a Model A that does not pop out of gear. Try his tower on your trans. If the problem is resolved, concentrate on rebuilding your tower.

If it does not resolve the problem you will have to remove the trans and go through the shopping list. Or you can live with the problem until it is time to replace the clutch. The shopping list can be viewed by going to www.ocmafc.org. On the left menu click on "tech articles" it will bring up the tech page. Click on my name and scroll to the trans articles.

Tom Endy
 
Thanks for the helpful information. I do have access to a "good" tower, and will start from there.

Bob
 
Bob, like everyone has said. There could be a few things cause the problem. But one thing no one has mentioned is the transmission main shaft. If it is worn more than .002", it will jump out of gear. $125 item, and the ****** doesn't have to come completely apart.
 
I know a guy in the Fort Worth Club who use to run with a bungie cord wrapped around his shifter to keep it in 3rd :p
 
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