Stuck in Gear!
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 26,545
Likes: 46
From: Huntersville NC
Stuck in Gear!
I guess I am lucky I made it home. Car ran fine into the city (Cars and Coffee) and back, but on my own street, 1/2 mile from home I tried to shift gears - clutch in and pull shifter out of 1st (or was it 2nd) and the shifter seemed to be stuck in the neutral position, ie I could not get it into any gear, but when I let out the clutch the car felt like it was in 4th gear. So in front of my driveway I tried reverse -- I could move the shifter into reverse but the car wasnt into reverse. Then I tried to get into my driveway but this is as far as I got. I tried reverse again, and this time with the car stopped I can't move the shifter out of reverse position, even using the clutch. I will try again later after the car cools off, but if I cant even get the car to coast using the clutch it is going to be hard to move it at all. Any ideas? Going to be hard to crawl under it right here too.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,114
From: Crossville TN
Put your e-brake ON and put wedge-chocks under BOTH back tires. Then, jack up the left-front end and slide under the car to remove the cotter pins on the linkage arms so you can de-tangle them.
My 'guess' is that the bushings and washers on those links are so worn that the links can flop around some and get tangled.
You may have to get a big Channel-Loc plier set to grab the spindles to release the [wrongly] engaged gears. Just grab onto each shaft, grip it tight, and try to jostle the shaft free. If it is already loose, just do another.
If you can get it working again, just reinstall the links and be gentle with it till you get it in the garage. THEN, give it a swift kick!
That's about all you can do for it. If that doesn't work, call the flatbed. (Or Hagerty, if you have their insurance.)
My 'guess' is that the bushings and washers on those links are so worn that the links can flop around some and get tangled.
You may have to get a big Channel-Loc plier set to grab the spindles to release the [wrongly] engaged gears. Just grab onto each shaft, grip it tight, and try to jostle the shaft free. If it is already loose, just do another.
If you can get it working again, just reinstall the links and be gentle with it till you get it in the garage. THEN, give it a swift kick!
That's about all you can do for it. If that doesn't work, call the flatbed. (Or Hagerty, if you have their insurance.)
Pro
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 591
Likes: 3
From: Monroe Washington
I've got a Suzuki samurai dedicated wheeler ... And I had some issues that came down to the nylon piece at the top of the shifter being worn out... Replace the part, and all shifting is back to normal... Could see if yours is similar?
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 26,545
Likes: 46
From: Huntersville NC
Just checked - The shifter is really stuck in the reverse position. I can't budge it, although I am tempted to hit it with a hammer. I am also thinking about bumping the starter to see if/what gear it is in.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 591
Likes: 3
From: Monroe Washington
My wheeler definitely has seen a lot of abuse on that shifter ... But after a cheap part, the little yellow plastic collar, it felt like new again and positively went into all gears again, and removed a lot of slop. The pic there shows where the retaining bolt used to ride... The previous owner bubba 'd it and made it wear like that... Ground down a new bolt, widened the slot, and it's been working great since.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,655
Likes: 19
Your car is stuck in one of the forward gears. There's a lockout to prevent engagement of more than 1 forward gear, but not one that prevents a forward and reverse gear engagement. My guess you're in both forward and reverse. Car wont move that way.
Jack up the drivers side, disconnect the shift rods for the 2 forward gear levers. Use a pliers to force them strait up. That will put you in neutral.
In order for the reverse to be out of gear, the reverse lever must be turned clockwise.
Jack up the drivers side, disconnect the shift rods for the 2 forward gear levers. Use a pliers to force them strait up. That will put you in neutral.
In order for the reverse to be out of gear, the reverse lever must be turned clockwise.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 26,545
Likes: 46
From: Huntersville NC
Your car is stuck in one of the forward gears. There's a lockout to prevent engagement of more than 1 forward gear, but not one that prevents a forward and reverse gear engagement. My guess you're in both forward and reverse. Car wont move that way.
Jack up the drivers side, disconnect the shift rods for the 2 forward gear levers. Use a pliers to force them strait up. That will put you in neutral.
In order for the reverse to be out of gear, the reverse lever must be turned clockwise.
Jack up the drivers side, disconnect the shift rods for the 2 forward gear levers. Use a pliers to force them strait up. That will put you in neutral.
In order for the reverse to be out of gear, the reverse lever must be turned clockwise.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,655
Likes: 19
If it's on a slope, likely the forward and reverse could be binding against each other. You might try rocking the car while pulling it out of reverse.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 26,545
Likes: 46
From: Huntersville NC
But why doesn't the clutch do anything? The rear wheels are totally locked - clutch does nothing, so I can't move the car. It's going to be really difficult to move it from that position, even with a tow truck.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,655
Likes: 19
The clutch wont do anything if it's in both forward and reverse. All you'll do if you start the motor and let out the clutch is kill the engine.
The way the Muncie/T10 is designed, the reverse gear on the output shaft is engaged wanting to turn one way while the forward gear is trying to turn the other way. The reverse and forward gear are connected by the countershaft. As a matter of fact, the way to lock a trans for disassembly is to put it in forward and reverse at the same time.
If there's any torque going into the output shaft of the gear box, ie sitting on a slope, will cause the the force pushing the forward and reverse gear against each other. Rocking the car might take that force off of the gears.
The way the Muncie/T10 is designed, the reverse gear on the output shaft is engaged wanting to turn one way while the forward gear is trying to turn the other way. The reverse and forward gear are connected by the countershaft. As a matter of fact, the way to lock a trans for disassembly is to put it in forward and reverse at the same time.
If there's any torque going into the output shaft of the gear box, ie sitting on a slope, will cause the the force pushing the forward and reverse gear against each other. Rocking the car might take that force off of the gears.
Last edited by Garys 68; May 3, 2014 at 01:35 PM.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
I agree with Garys68 and 7T1.
My Dad had the 4 speed lock between 1st and reverse and he ended up having to pull the trans and pull the plate between 2 and 3 and move it to 1st/reverse. This way if the trans got stuck the car could at least move forward.
I learned how to drive stick in the car and stuck it in between gears several times, also learning how to crawl under the car and fix the linkage. I am keeping it that way as a tribute to how he fixed it. It definitely makes you learn how to shift the trans correctly or suffer the consequences.
My Dad had the 4 speed lock between 1st and reverse and he ended up having to pull the trans and pull the plate between 2 and 3 and move it to 1st/reverse. This way if the trans got stuck the car could at least move forward.
I learned how to drive stick in the car and stuck it in between gears several times, also learning how to crawl under the car and fix the linkage. I am keeping it that way as a tribute to how he fixed it. It definitely makes you learn how to shift the trans correctly or suffer the consequences.
Last edited by SBcoupeC3; May 3, 2014 at 01:35 PM.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 26,545
Likes: 46
From: Huntersville NC
Rocking the car might take that force off of the gears.
Car is in the garage.
When my wife came home with her friend, we put friend in the drivers seat and my wife and I rocked the car.... fairly violently. I had already tried hitting the gearshift with a rubber hammer
so I probably wouldn't have tried rocking it without your suggestion. She was able to pull the shifter back into neutral position and the vette rolled back a little and stopped. I then got in and started the car and what the heck... not sure what gear it is in, but it got me up the driveway and into the garage. That was just such an awful place to be in at the bottom of the driveway with rear wheels locked. Now I can get to it when i get to it... Thanks!!!! 
Last edited by PRNDL; May 3, 2014 at 02:13 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,057
Likes: 421
From: BC
Same thing happened to me with my 69. I shifted from 4th to 2nd and the shift lever was in neutral but the trans stuck in 4th. I then shifted to reverse and the trans was then stuck in reverse and 4th. You have to get the rear wheel off the ground to get it out of reverse then you will be in 4th only. The front shift fork on the trans will be in the forward position and must be moved to the straight up position then everything will work normally again. You need to take about a quarter inch of adjustment (make it shorter) out of the 3rd/4th shifter rod to prevent it from happening again because it will.... If you jack it up you should be able to get it out of reverse then leave it in neutral while you reach the 3rd/4th shifter fork and pop it to neutral.
1969/1971/2021 Coupes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,212
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From: Port Huron MI
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Simple fix as others have stated. between new shift linkage bushings, clips and adjustments, you should be well on your way again. Adjustment procedures should be online. Just depends upon which shift mech you have.
Terry
Terry
2026 Loser of the Year
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 36,555
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From: New Or-leens Loo-z-anna
Wow! Lots of good advice to get you in the garage!
As for me.....................
I'm going jack up the driver's side.....
set two jackstands under the frame......
annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd...........
Hug my automatic!
As for me.....................
I'm going jack up the driver's side.....
set two jackstands under the frame......
annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd...........
Hug my automatic!
CF Community Team
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 9,285
Likes: 356
From: Delaware
St. Jude Donor '25
Yup, used to happen in my 68 years back. I carried a 2x4 and hammer around to spank it back into neutral whenever it happened. (This was back in the mid 80's as a teenager when I wasn't mechanical enough and too broke to get it fixed).
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 26,545
Likes: 46
From: Huntersville NC
Finally got around to it today. It was pretty easy to turn the levers vertical and put it into neutral. A bit more of a challenge to adjust the linkage (inserting that dang "tool" piece of metal to lock it in neutral is a PIA) and I never could reach the reverse lever, but it seems to shift ok now. I still haven't taken it out for a drive. I do have a little bit of "slop" in the levers as shown by these 2 pics. The 2nd picture I pulled out the levers to show the tiny gap. Would Bubba try to slip another washer in there where the washer is already?
No slop:
then, pull them out and show some slop:
No slop:
then, pull them out and show some slop:
Racer
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 430
Likes: 31
From: Ontario
I've had a bunch of GM 4 speeds and the ones with factory stock shifters and M20/M21 transmissions used to jam the same way yours did. It didn't seem to be only a wear issue. I had a `69 SS 396 Nova with an M21 and only 21k on the car that did it. I can't verify it personally but I've heard the stock Saginaw 4 speeds will do it too. I used to keep a small hammer in the trunk to reach under the car and tap the shift linkage loose. It was always easier if I had someone wiggling the shifter while I was persuading the linkage but I always got it moving again. Whenever it happened if I let the clutch out with the car running it would stall the engine.