Shifter issues with reverse
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 592
Likes: 3
From: Austin Tx
Shifter issues with reverse
Okay got a question and can't find the answer after doing a "seach" and checking the shop manual. I have a 64 with a 4 spd muncie and stock shifter.
How does the reverse work? I bought this car it has been sitting (16 long years) and I am working through it. Got it running and it runs good. Little smoke, but that is to be expected. The tranny was stuck in reverse... I took the center console apart to look at the shifter and somehow, someway the the shifer would not "address" the reverse linkage. I manually moved the linkage back into place so it can be manipulated with the shifter, but here is the question. I maybe be under the incorrect assumption, but I thought the "t" handle needed to be pulled "up" when reverse is desired otherwise it would be "locked out" to prevent mis-shifts? It is very difficult to determine whether I am in 1st or reverse.
Does anyone have any experience with this? Thank you in advance.
How does the reverse work? I bought this car it has been sitting (16 long years) and I am working through it. Got it running and it runs good. Little smoke, but that is to be expected. The tranny was stuck in reverse... I took the center console apart to look at the shifter and somehow, someway the the shifer would not "address" the reverse linkage. I manually moved the linkage back into place so it can be manipulated with the shifter, but here is the question. I maybe be under the incorrect assumption, but I thought the "t" handle needed to be pulled "up" when reverse is desired otherwise it would be "locked out" to prevent mis-shifts? It is very difficult to determine whether I am in 1st or reverse.
Does anyone have any experience with this? Thank you in advance.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 5
From: Hasbrouck Heights NJ
Okay got a question and can't find the answer after doing a "seach" and checking the shop manual. I have a 64 with a 4 spd muncie and stock shifter.
How does the reverse work? I bought this car it has been sitting (16 long years) and I am working through it. Got it running and it runs good. Little smoke, but that is to be expected. The tranny was stuck in reverse... I took the center console apart to look at the shifter and somehow, someway the the shifer would not "address" the reverse linkage. I manually moved the linkage back into place so it can be manipulated with the shifter, but here is the question. I maybe be under the incorrect assumption, but I thought the "t" handle needed to be pulled "up" when reverse is desired otherwise it would be "locked out" to prevent mis-shifts? It is very difficult to determine whether I am in 1st or reverse.
Does anyone have any experience with this? Thank you in advance.
How does the reverse work? I bought this car it has been sitting (16 long years) and I am working through it. Got it running and it runs good. Little smoke, but that is to be expected. The tranny was stuck in reverse... I took the center console apart to look at the shifter and somehow, someway the the shifer would not "address" the reverse linkage. I manually moved the linkage back into place so it can be manipulated with the shifter, but here is the question. I maybe be under the incorrect assumption, but I thought the "t" handle needed to be pulled "up" when reverse is desired otherwise it would be "locked out" to prevent mis-shifts? It is very difficult to determine whether I am in 1st or reverse.
Does anyone have any experience with this? Thank you in advance.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 592
Likes: 3
From: Austin Tx
reverse
I took the rod out and looked at it and it appears to be okay. Upon further research it looks like I may need to rebuild my shifter with the kit that Zip sells. It sounds like my reverse gate may be bent or broken. Hard to tell w/o taking out of the car.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
Likes: 1,874
From: Greenville, Indiana
You're probably hung in first and reverse. It could be caused by old hard grease that has moved both levers at once. Spray some liquid lube down there and see if that will free it up. Put the transmission in neutral first.
The two forward arms on the transmission are 1-2 and 3-4. The rear one is reverse. Move the shifter until you find the neutral position and then push the reverse LEVER (not the shift handle) until it come out of reverse. Then, adjust the shift linkage per the service manual. You may be okay.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
From: Ohio
Very unlikely that anything is bent within your shifter proper. The shifter "levers" are hardened steel - a file won't even touch them. If your reverse lockout is working properly, you probably have a misadjusted shifter. That is, the neutral gate is misaligned and not allowing full selection of gears. This adjustment is accomplished through the adjustment of your shifter rods, by lengthening or shortening the adjustments until the neutral gate is perfectly aligned.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 605
Likes: 0
From: las vegas
I think once you fix the shifter you will find that when you want to shift into reverse you should shift into first first, then shift into reverse. At least that is how it works in my Stingray. Reason being is that reverse does not have a syncronizer. Vegas
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 2,460
Likes: 5
From: Wheaton IL
I agree with RestoDoc - sounds to me like your reverse lever needs to be lengthened or shortened. If your 1/2 and 3/4 gears are fine you can use the trial and error method. Adjust and check - adjust and check - until the shifter can swing into the lar left reverse position. You'll know when it is good.
Brian
Brian
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Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 592
Likes: 3
From: Austin Tx
reverse
I'll try adjusting the reverse. In looking closer, it is obvious that someone has been in there at some point. I saw a cotter pin that appears to be fairly new and I think it is on the reverse linkage. Good point. Hopefully I can get to it at some point this week. Aren't there supposed to be special clips instead of cotter pins for the linkages?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,163
Likes: 1
From: Indiana
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 2,460
Likes: 5
From: Wheaton IL
I beleive there should be "spring clips" that more or less look like a lower case "e". Mine had cotter mins everywhere and worked just fine but I did replace all pins for clips when I rebuilt the transmission and cleaned up the shifter.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,060
Likes: 19
From: Ocean Springs, MS
St. Jude Donor '07
Very unlikely that anything is bent within your shifter proper. The shifter "levers" are hardened steel - a file won't even touch them. If your reverse lockout is working properly, you probably have a misadjusted shifter. That is, the neutral gate is misaligned and not allowing full selection of gears. This adjustment is accomplished through the adjustment of your shifter rods, by lengthening or shortening the adjustments until the neutral gate is perfectly aligned.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 990
Likes: 4
From: DAVIE/FORT LAUDERDALE FL
"e" clips GM part number 15553615 cost about 74 cents each from Chevrolet. Or buy them on Ebay for $5.oo each!!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,102
Likes: 171
From: Colorado Springs, CO
I had a similar problem with my 63 muncie - it would occasionally lock up in reverse and 1st gear. Found that the roll pin on the outside of the casing (which keeps the reverse lever from traveling outward) was gone! Check this for excessive play - might be an easy fix.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 779
Likes: 0
From: San Bruno California
Reverse Broken??
Hi everyone, I glad a member is asking question about reverse because I'm not sure if I broke mine. I have a 69 conv with a 4 sp. and was going to change the lower shifter boot. Unscrewed the **** and then slid out the reverse T, which came out easily. A long small spring came out too. Checked the book and it was ok but go to put everything back, there's no spring loaded tension. The small spring is in the shifter shaft but the T just slides out and down. Is the small rod suppose to be hooked up to something?? Did the rod break under the car. Can anyone explain how the reverse works in relation to the T. I think I screwed up. First vette and learning. Thanks for all your help ahead of time.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 779
Likes: 0
From: San Bruno California
Just realized that the thread on the reverse is with members with the earlier vettes. My BAD, but if the reverse T works the same for the C2 and C3 I really could use the help. Thanks
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 8,913
Likes: 283
The reverse lock out rod, which runs up the center of the shift handle has an allen head set screw. The rod can move up and out of it's location. Loosed the set screw, push the rod down and tighten the set screw. To do this, unscrew the shifter ball, remove it and the spring, then pull the T handle up and out of the shifter lever. You will see right away what to do.
Without this rod in place the shifter will fall right into reverse, and make 1st tricky to find.
Mark
Without this rod in place the shifter will fall right into reverse, and make 1st tricky to find.
Mark
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 779
Likes: 0
From: San Bruno California
Mark, What does the T with the thin rod do when it's pulled up?? It seems to have to pull on something, but don't know what it pulls up and how. That thin rod has no hook to latch on to anything on the end of that rod.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 779
Likes: 0
From: San Bruno California
I think I solved my problem with the reverse. I could'nt find the set screw you were talking about but that long spring I put in the shift handle, I pulled it out and for the heck of it put it on the top of the T. I got my spring loaded T back. I think that might be it. Won't know till tomorrow. If that's it, I dodge another bullet. It sucks having BAD memory. Thanks for your advice Ghostrider20. Crossing my fingers.
Tony
Tony