need transmission help

L

larry harding

Senior Member
hello guy .... i'm usually on the model a forum, but now find i need a little help on this one. i and a friend want to put the 39 + transmission in our a's to get the 2nd/3rd syncronizer. i have begged , bartered and dug thru junk piles and come up with several trans missions, some side loaders and hopefully enough top loaders to build 2 or three usable trannys. i'm using max van pelt's ****** book. i've got two mostly together and bench working. the third is giving me fits! i ordered the rebuild kits from early ford v8 in s.c. and am picking the best parts from all the doners i've accumulated. my problem is the brass sinc. ring wants to grab 2nd gear and not let go for neutral. it just seems to stick on the taper. i've got several brass sinc. rings that seem to have good ribs on the inside. i put new sinc. rings on one of the other trannys and used the doner rings on the other one, both have a free neutral, but not this one. any ideas? i am in need of one more of the later shift towers, i see some on ebay but they are priced at $399.00. you can usually find whole trannys for less.
 
I assume you are still on the bench, not in the car....do you have things lubricated? I like actual trans assembly lube, a light grease that melts at low temp, but even oil or engine assembly lube is a must.

years ago there were some bad repro rings that had the notches not cut deep enough to allow full engagement, but thats the opposite of your issue.

Guessing here, shift fork bent and slamming it home too far? Did the ring feel fine on the gear cone before assembly ?

Double detent shift towers are not impossible to find, usually about 150 at swap meets
 
It sounds like the ring is bent or otherwise out of true . try a diferent one and see if it changes the out come. Tim
 
with the top off the ****** and manually shifting the sincro hub the sinc . sticks on the 2nd gear taper. i have tried different sinc, rings from the doners. the other trannys are fine... very free in neutral. i tried using my general lube (#30 oil stp mix) but it still wants to stick and lock up input and out put shafts. i don want to put this in a car with enclosed drive shaft then find i have no neutral.
 
pistonbroke said:
It sounds like the ring is bent or otherwise out of true . try a diferent one and see if it changes the out come. Tim
Click to expand...

This and what CAS3 said. It's not uncommon from the new, repo brass rings to do this and for the blocker notches not to be cut deep enough. To true them up, try to find a metal cone with the same diameter and slip it over and tap it down to true it up or, as pistonbroke suggests, get another set and hope they work.

Also, compare the depth of the notches to one that came out of the transmissions. If the new one is too shallow, carefully use a small file to reduce it to the correct depth.

To test roundness, place it on the smooth "cone" on the back of a second gear. The synchro ring should sit flush and spin easily. If either of these conditions don't exist, it will create the issue you are having now.

If the synchro rings are good and the notches are correct, it's possible you have too tight of backlash. The only way to check it is to have the trans together and the rear bearing retainer bolted to the back of the case.

I was pulling my hair out as well when I did my trans until I learned this issue exists.

These synchros were used up into the '60's and finding NOS isn't that difficult.
 
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no but i have the rear and front bearing retainers bolted up. the high (front) sinc ring is working right, just the one for 2nd.i've got about 6 sinc rings from my junk yard doners. i tried different ones and get the same result. the other trannys i assembled are working right early ford is about 50 miles away and can usually get delivery in a day or two, i may order new sinc. rings if i don't figure it out.
 
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