finding neutral
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
finding neutral
Hello:
I recently pulled the engine and tranny out of my 78 L48 to do some engine maintenance.
When I put the engine/tranny (4 spd GM tranny) back into the car and connected everything (linkage etc) I cannot get the car into neutral.
I know i must have tweaked the linkage, but at am a lost as to how to correct my mistake.
please, anyone who can help, please give me a hint
Thanks!
I recently pulled the engine and tranny out of my 78 L48 to do some engine maintenance.
When I put the engine/tranny (4 spd GM tranny) back into the car and connected everything (linkage etc) I cannot get the car into neutral.
I know i must have tweaked the linkage, but at am a lost as to how to correct my mistake.
please, anyone who can help, please give me a hint
Thanks!
Racer
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 407
Likes: 38
From: Swansea IL
Finding neutral
First thing, disconned the shifter arms from the trans.
Now, take a look at the shifter body. It should have a hole or slot in the body down where the shifter arms extend from the body.
You need to put an alignment tool, either a round bolt or a flat sheetmetal indexer. (if you need the flat sheetmetal, you may have to cut one from some aluminum sheet, it will look like a long L).
Center the shifter handle. You may have to manipulate the shifter arms in the bottom of the shifter to find neutral. Put the alignment tool in the shifter. This will hold the shifter in the neutral position.
Now you can begin to connect your shifter arms to the trans. Most of those arms attach in the UP position (arm towards the fiberglas tunnel).
You screw the threaded shifter rods in or out to make the arms line up with the transmission.
Hope that helps.
Bob
Now, take a look at the shifter body. It should have a hole or slot in the body down where the shifter arms extend from the body.
You need to put an alignment tool, either a round bolt or a flat sheetmetal indexer. (if you need the flat sheetmetal, you may have to cut one from some aluminum sheet, it will look like a long L).
Center the shifter handle. You may have to manipulate the shifter arms in the bottom of the shifter to find neutral. Put the alignment tool in the shifter. This will hold the shifter in the neutral position.
Now you can begin to connect your shifter arms to the trans. Most of those arms attach in the UP position (arm towards the fiberglas tunnel).
You screw the threaded shifter rods in or out to make the arms line up with the transmission.
Hope that helps.
Bob
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Thanks for the quick responses/illustration!
i will try the first suggestion.
I've tried the one from the illustration with no luck
Did i mention the tranny is/was in gear when pulled from the car? not sure of this will affect this proceedure
will post results today
i will try the first suggestion.
I've tried the one from the illustration with no luck
Did i mention the tranny is/was in gear when pulled from the car? not sure of this will affect this proceedure
will post results today
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 6,638
Likes: 287
From: Ann Arbor Michigan
Do you have the levers on correctly? Note that the 1/2 and 3/4 levers point UP, and the reverse points down. I would remove all the levers from the trans and make sure that the trans will shift w/o the linkage.
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
to all.
turned out, the tranny was in reverse when i took it out, when i put the rebuilt engine/tranny in the car, it was still in reverse, however after re-bolt up the existing linkage, the shifter in thecab of he car was out of place, abd thru evrything out of whack.
I found this out after firing the car up, noting that it was in reverse (by the fact that i couldn't get it out of reverse, and the reverse lights were on)
i disconnected all linkages at the tranny, pjut the shifter, in the cab of the car into reverse, then re-connected everything, and voila, everyting was back to normal
thanks to all for the help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
turned out, the tranny was in reverse when i took it out, when i put the rebuilt engine/tranny in the car, it was still in reverse, however after re-bolt up the existing linkage, the shifter in thecab of he car was out of place, abd thru evrything out of whack.
I found this out after firing the car up, noting that it was in reverse (by the fact that i couldn't get it out of reverse, and the reverse lights were on)
i disconnected all linkages at the tranny, pjut the shifter, in the cab of the car into reverse, then re-connected everything, and voila, everyting was back to normal
thanks to all for the help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
