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I recently installed a new engine and Muncie in my 63 (it had been a project car that came with an T400 )
Thankfully everything is working pretty great, but I am having issues adjusting the 3/4 shift with the Hurst shifter.
Reverse, 1st and 2nd work great, but for some reason I am only able to adjust it to two possibilities:
get 3rd and it wont go fully into 4th, or
get 4th and it wont fully go into 3rd.
As for the shifter, I got it used but it seems to be in great shape. it has nylon bushings but they are brand new. 4 speed is freshly rebuilt and 3rd and 4th work fine once they are properly in gear. The 'stop' bolts on the shifter itself are backed out all the way to give it all the adjustment room possible.
I'm interested in hearing any suggestions, I've included a picture of the linkage because I'm worried that the 'shift levers' may be incorrect, too long, etc?
Since you bought the shifter used, it's probably a good guess that you didn't get the shifter adjustment rod that used to come with the Hurst Competition Plus shifters when new. Way back in the late 60's, early 70's, a 1/4-inch diameter steel rod used to come with the kits, later on it was a plastic version but same thickness. Here's a pic showing the steel and plastic rods, the bottom adjusting tool is used for certain year Muncies.
You can get by with a 1/4-inch pin or even the back/smooth end of a 1/4-inch drill bit. Look at your Hurst shifter body and at the bottom/outer edge you'll see a half moon hole that will allow you to line up the shifter body arms (with rods disconnected for now from the trans). That's what Redvetracer is talking about when he asked if you adjusted for neutral. Slide that pin into place and the sets the shifter at neutral. Move all the shift fork plates to neutral too (1-2, 3-4 and R) and then adjust as necessary the rods into place.
Mike T - Prescott AZ
I'm pretty sure I adjusted for neutral correctly, I'm heading down to the garage to start the procedure all over again to make sure.
it's just strange that when adjusting the 3/4 linkage, it goes from getting 3rd and barely 4th, to getting 4th and barely 3rd. Was making me think the 3/4 shift lever might be too tall? Just thinking a shorter lever would require less length for rod to travel?
From: Putnam Valley, New York. Amateur Radio Operator K2NS
Hurst Shifter
If I remember correctly, Hurst shifters have a bolt sticking up diagonally at the forward and rearward upper end of the shifter mechanism. Those are to keep you from over engaging when speed or power shifting. Loosen the 2 locknuts and rotate the bolts 1 turn counter clockwise. Retighten the locknuts. This will give the shifter a little more travel to engage the synchros onto the gears. This might solve your problem.
The 1/2 and 3/4 arms are different sizes. Can't tell which is longer from the picture. 1/2 arm is taller than the 3/4. Is this the way you have them installed??
Last edited by vetrod62; Jul 27, 2015 at 08:29 PM.
The 1/2 and 3/4 arms are different sizes. Can't tell which is longer from the picture. 1/2 arm is taller than the 3/4. Is this the ay you have them installed??
NO!!! I just checked and i have the taller one on the 3/4!!!
I will switch and report back, keeping my fingers crossed!!
PS I just re-aligned the neutral position to as perfect as possible and test drove it and it still has issues with 3rd.
I would disconnect the shifter 3-4 rod at the tranny end and engage the gears by hand (operating the tranny cover lever manually) separately engage 3rd and then 4th and measure the angles in each position (you could use blue painter's tape on the side cover to indicate the lever angle for both gears).....re-engage the shifter rod and separately engage 3rd then 4th and confirm the measurement.
If they are the same then the shifter is not the problem....its doing its job...
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; Jul 27, 2015 at 05:40 PM.
I would disconnect the shifter 3-4 rod at the tranny end and engage the gears by hand (operating the tranny cover lever manually) separately engage 3rd and then 4th and measure the angles in each position (you could use blue painter's tape on the side cover to indicate the lever angle for both gears).....re-engage the shifter rod and separately engage 3rd then 4th and confirm the measurement.
If they are the same then the shifter is not the problem....its doing its job...
Well i switched the shift levers (one was about 1/2 inch smaller than the other) and i have the neutral aligned perfectly and it still doesnt want to go into 3rd like it should.
I'm gonna get back at it in the morning and go through it like Frankie described, I just have the feeling the lever is too long for some reason, we'll see.
Sometimes the trans will not shift into gear when the car is not running because the teeth on the syncros are not aliened with the teeth on the gear. Turning the drive shaft will help.
Sometimes the trans will not shift into gear when the car is not running because the teeth on the syncros are not aliened with the teeth on the gear. Turning the drive shaft will help.
Possibly. Not a problem when I worked on my Muncie though. IMO - this simple test is worth it to exonerate the shifter/linkage as the issue...
This guy should also examine HIS CLUTCH ADJUSTMENT CLOSELY....
Possibly. Not a problem when I worked on my Muncie though. IMO - this simple test is worth it to exonerate the shifter/linkage as the issue...
This guy should also examine HIS CLUTCH ADJUSTMENT CLOSELY....
Well I believe we have fixed the problem!! Thank you everyone for your suggestions!
I got under there and disconnected the shift rod at the transmission, worked the levers and saw it was still off about 1/2 inch but the shifter was aligned for neutral perfectly.
Then I noticed the 3/4 lever was not perfectly vertical when in neutral. I know there is a slot in the lever bolt hole that corrects the angle, so I flipped the lever over and sure enough, it is perfectly vertical now and 3/4 shifts great. This is opposite from what the Hurst diagram calls for, so I must have somehow got the wrong lever? There's just enough room for linkage to function this way so this will have to do untill I find the right levers.
Well I believe we have fixed the problem!! Thank you everyone for your suggestions!
I got under there and disconnected the shift rod at the transmission, worked the levers and saw it was still off about 1/2 inch but the shifter was aligned for neutral perfectly.
Then I noticed the 3/4 lever was not perfectly vertical when in neutral. I know there is a slot in the lever bolt hole that corrects the angle, so I flipped the lever over and sure enough, it is perfectly vertical now and 3/4 shifts great. This is opposite from what the Hurst diagram calls for, so I must have somehow got the wrong lever? There's just enough room for linkage to function this way so this will have to do untill I find the right levers.
Thanks again
have you ruled out that the levers are on the wrong studs?
I had a feeling it was something funky like that......glad you found the issue and didn't cost you a dime either to fix it either...
Muncie levers are never at that angle. The slots in the arms should be almost straight up and down with a slight angle towards the back in neutral. If you have T10 levers on a muncie with 45 degree slots, you will have this issue. Levers have numbers stamped on them and you can purchase correct levers. Watch this video
Hurst Shifter Adjustment Issues
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Possibly. Not a problem when I worked on my Muncie though. IMO - this simple test is worth it to exonerate the shifter/linkage as the issue...
