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Thread: Hard to get into gear

  1. #1
    Garrett booster
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    Hard to get into gear

    So after my minivan has been sitting around for a few years I finally got around to installing a rebuilt A555 so I could drive it again. It took most of my weekend and a few busted knuckles but we got it installed. I am now having trouble putting it into first gear. When I first fire it up I can shift in and out of first normally but it soon becomes difficult to push into gear. After driving around the block I almost have to force it into gear. Then as soon as I shut the engine off it pops right into gear easily.

    As much fun as pulling the transmission was, I really don't want to have to do it again anytime soon to replace a clutch or pp. Anybody have any ideas on what else could be causing this?

  2. #2
    boostaholic Turbo Mopar Contributor
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    Re: Hard to get into gear

    Sounds like a clutch hanging up to me...

    Hate to be the bearer of bad news....

  3. #3
    Supporting Member Turbo Mopar Contributor 2.216VTurbo's Avatar
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    Re: Hard to get into gear

    How far from the floor is the clutch engagement/release? Im with Scamp, you have clutch problem but it could very well be solved by dealing with the cable length/shimming to give higher/sooner engagement.

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  4. #4
    Garrett booster
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    Re: Hard to get into gear

    The clutch does seem to engage close to the floor. It it possible to adjust the cable?

    I didn't have any issues with the clutch before I pulled the transmission so I am hoping it's something I may have put back together wrong.

  5. #5
    turbo addict
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    Re: Hard to get into gear

    Try a new clutch cable, it's $20 vs pulling the transmission.

  6. #6
    Supporting Member Turbo Mopar Contributor 2.216VTurbo's Avatar
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    Re: Hard to get into gear

    Couple ways to adjust the cable length, first there is a self adjuster/ratchet/spring loaded thingy on the back side of the clutch pedal. It's a couple sets of opposing plastic teeth on two sliders that are supposed to tighten up as the cable stretches. *If* it still works, pulling up (twards steering wheel) on the pedal with a hand or a foot should take the slack out. Most are not functioning after all these years sooo, I've had reasonable luck making an aluminum shim 1/4"-3/4" to place between the clutch arm on the trans and the cable. You''' have to cut a slot into it for the cable to pass thru and drill an appropriate sized hole on the end of the slot for the cable swedge to rest inside.

    AJ (no More Alan) 84 Rampage RT TIII/568 Quaife 87 GLHS dealer optioned Red 16V Masi/568/Quaife
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  7. #7

    Re: Hard to get into gear

    Quote Originally Posted by 2.216VTurbo View Post
    Couple ways to adjust the cable length, first there is a self adjuster/ratchet/spring loaded thingy on the back side of the clutch pedal. It's a couple sets of opposing plastic teeth on two sliders that are supposed to tighten up as the cable stretches. *If* it still works, pulling up (twards steering wheel) on the pedal with a hand or a foot should take the slack out. Most are not functioning after all these years sooo, I've had reasonable luck making an aluminum shim 1/4"-3/4" to place between the clutch arm on the trans and the cable. You''' have to cut a slot into it for the cable to pass thru and drill an appropriate sized hole on the end of the slot for the cable swedge to rest inside.
    Yeah counterintuitive but pulling the pedal towards the seat took the slack out of mine. Didn't make sense, but I'm sure it has something to do with the self adjusting part of the pedal.
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  8. #8
    Supporting Member II Turbo Mopar Contributor ajakeski's Avatar
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    Re: Hard to get into gear

    The pedal side of the self adjusted is still available
    from your local dodge dealer last I checked.

  9. #9
    Garrett booster
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    Re: Hard to get into gear

    So I forgot to specify that it only gives me trouble going into first gear, no grinding I just need to really force it into first. I was able to shift into 2nd-5th without trouble, although shifting out of 5th did require a little more force than usual. Wouldn't a clutch disengagement issue give me the same problem for every gear?

    Thanks for the other advice, I tried the self-adjustment mechanism and it didn't seem to do anything. It's hard to tell but I can't notice anything broken on it.

  10. #10
    The moderately moderate moderator Turbo Mopar Staff
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    Re: Hard to get into gear

    Either something with the linkage is slightly out and only enough for first to be the issue or something internal to the trans is bent or broken. That is what I take away from this so far.
    Bryan
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  11. #11
    turbo addict
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    Re: Hard to get into gear

    where the cable attach to the bracket on the top of the diff .. check the cable ends are correctly pushed all the way into the bracket and check the clips are on the cables and that both ears or tabs of the clips are in the groves on the cable ends

    check if the cable ends move a lot in their positions in the bracket

    next is shifter cable adjustment
    there should be a small REVERSE THREAD bolt in a plastic holder strapped to the frame of the shifter mount - that's the lock bolt for the shifter and goes in a hole facing the passenger seat

    there is a pin on top of the trans you flip over and reinstall to lock the trans in position

    once both the shifter and trans are locked you can try loosening the shift cable bolts at the shifter and retightening them
    if there's an adjustment to be made it will be there
    as far as the shifting

    if that still doesn't work you might have a missing pad off the 1-2 fork , the 1-2 fork may be bent or broken or something internally might be wrong with 1-2

  12. #12
    Garrett booster
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    Re: Hard to get into gear

    Thanks for the advice everybody. Only about a month later and I was finally able to try to adjust the linkage only for it not to solve the problem... The clutch adjustment is working correctly and I don't think that is the problem anymore.

    What would cause problems with me shifting in and out of both first and fifth gear? I have only driven it back and forth to the shop a couple of times but I have noticed that if I come to a stop and put it into reverse before first gear and move back a few feet that I can sometimes go into first gear with having to force it.

  13. #13
    turbo addict
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    Re: Hard to get into gear

    a bad cable could do that

    first and fifth are at the far ends of cable travel so if there's a glitch in the cable it has to go past it

    I had a worn through rusty cable in my daytona once , everytime the fubar section of the cable tryed to pass the fubar sheathing section it got jamed up

    you would have to do the allignment on the cables over if you try but you could disconnect a cable to try moving it without the shifter and trans attached to it

    move the shifter into / out of first and note which cable moves - then check that cable
    (I think it's the one that side to side , not front to back looking at the bracket on the trans)

    also if it's not seated in the bracket and clipped in place correctly it will make shifting hard

  14. #14
    turbo addict
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    Re: Hard to get into gear

    edit seems not to work..

    shifting from reverse to first may not move the bad cable sections past each other

  15. #15
    Garrett booster
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    Re: Hard to get into gear

    The shift cables seem to be okay. I have no issues going through all the gears when the engine is off, or idling upon initial startup. It only becomes an issue after driving.

    Could it be as simple as a fluid problem? The A555 I removed had ATF in it, when i replaced it I filled it with 5W30. Could filling too high/low or the wrong fluid cause something like this?

  16. #16
    Supporting Member Turbo Mopar Contributor
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    Re: Hard to get into gear

    Quote Originally Posted by Old Man Jones View Post
    The shift cables seem to be okay. I have no issues going through all the gears when the engine is off, or idling upon initial startup. It only becomes an issue after driving.

    Could it be as simple as a fluid problem? The A555 I removed had ATF in it, when i replaced it I filled it with 5W30. Could filling too high/low or the wrong fluid cause something like this?
    Yes it could be OIL aka fluid problem... I have seen this way too much. There is a discussion of this very topic.
    http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/sh...-Oil-for-my-DD
    http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/sh...ssion-Oil-A543
    Bottom line Mobil 5000 5W30 seems to work
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  17. #17
    turbo addict
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    Re: Hard to get into gear

    I had a hard time getting into this in this transmission too.



    How it suppose to look.


  18. #18
    Hybrid booster
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    Re: Hard to get into gear

    sounds like a shifter cable or adjustment issue still.
    If you said hard to get in every gear i would blame the clutch side for not disengaging..

    but only 1-5 sounds like cable.. or maybee shift fork pad.

  19. #19
    Garrett booster
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    Re: Hard to get into gear

    If it were cable related wouldn't I still have the same problem with the engine off?

    I don't know much (anything really) about how the internals of a transmission work so I wouldn't know where to begin trying to diagnose a problem. But to me it seems like it is most likely something wrong with my rebuilt trans. If it work clutch related I would think it would be a problem for all gears, not just first, and if were shift/cable related I would think I would have the problem regardless of the engine running or not.

  20. #20
    The moderately moderate moderator Turbo Mopar Staff
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    Re: Hard to get into gear

    Quote Originally Posted by Old Man Jones View Post
    If it were cable related wouldn't I still have the same problem with the engine off?

    I don't know much (anything really) about how the internals of a transmission work so I wouldn't know where to begin trying to diagnose a problem. But to me it seems like it is most likely something wrong with my rebuilt trans. If it work clutch related I would think it would be a problem for all gears, not just first, and if were shift/cable related I would think I would have the problem regardless of the engine running or not.
    Not necessarily. It might work fine with the engine off. Most manuals I have worked on have been like that. You need to look at the internals IMO.
    Bryan
    86 GLHS #161, 2016 Impala
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    A man has got to know his limitations.....

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