transmission locked up or busted ?

Godfather · #1 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 10:16 AM

I have been sorting things out with the car this week and have 70 miles on it. Last night I opened it up in 4th and took it up to 80mph. Then it happed, both rear wheels locked up and we came to a screeching halt. I thought perhaps I dropped a half shaft but no. I can only shift into 2nd and nuetral positions. In what should be 2nd the car goes nowhere, when I let out the clutch it resist any movement and kills the motor, acts like the brake is on, I discovered what feels like nuetral position is actaully first gear and drove it home that way. I can not shift into any other gears. It is a brand new toploader from David kee. What should I check first?

xlr8or · #2 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 10:23 AM

First I would check with David Kee. If it works in first gear you know the problem is isolated to the trans. The fact that it locks up in any other position likely means it isn't just a linkage problem. Time for the trans to come out of the car.

patrickt · #3 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godfather

Then it happed, both rear wheels locked up and we came to a screeching halt.

I'm glad I wasn't behind you. That must have been quite a scene, not to mention flat-spotting your rear tires. Pull the trans and ship it back -- I wouldn't even bother opening it up.

EDIT -- Now that I think about it, 80 was better than 160.

jhv48 · #4 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 10:53 AM

Did it have fluid in it? If not, uh oh!

Godfather · #5 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 10:54 AM

Patrick, It was a scary ride for sure, Luckily the car held a straight line and there was no traffic for 15 minutes while we collected our wits. Could have been much worse. I just called David and he said no problem just send it back. This is such a bummer, 18 months to get to this point and only 1 good ride.

Tony Radford · #6 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 10:56 AM

My Toploader stopped working in third and forth though other gears worked. Come to find out, the main shaft was snaped at the third/forth gear clusters. When looking at the dismantled tranny, I couldn't believe any gears worked. Had to have it completely rebuilt.

Godfather · #7 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 10:59 AM

Yes , it had fluid in it.

Godfather · #8 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 11:16 AM

I had the transmission installed at ERA. It looks like it might be easier to pull the trans from the top. Anybody have suggestions for removing and installing?

patrickt · #9 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godfather

I had the transmission installed at ERA. It looks like it might be easier to pull the trans from the top. Anybody have suggestions for removing and installing?

Remove the seats, remove the tunnel, unbolt the drive shaft and pull it right out. It's easier than you think.

Traveller · #10 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 11:22 AM

Also, if it's an aluminum case it's a lot easier than a cast iron top loader.

Man alive those little tranny's are heavy!

jwd · #11 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 11:37 AM

Where you in 4th gear and driving when this happened or did it happen during a shift? If driving - tranny has to come out cause something inside is wrong. If during a shift - it's a linkage issue.

Jim

Godfather · #12 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 11:51 AM

I believe I was in 4th but would like to double check any possible linkage problem before pulling the transmission. Could a linkage problem actually lock up gears and cause that to happen?

strictlypersonl · #13 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 11:54 AM

Too bad about the tranmission problem.

Instructions on engine and transmission installation/removal are around page 80 in the manual. The transmission is removed from the passenger compartment, after the seats and tunnel are removed.

Clois Harlan · #14 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 12:22 PM

Can you get your car in neutral so that your wheels turn freely? IF so then crawl under your car and check to see if your gears are in proper alignment. You do this by bringing all your gears to neutral and if you will look at your shifter and linkage from below the car you will notice three sets of rods that connect to some levers on the drivers side of your transmission. At the back of those rods is your shifter that is mounted to the tail shaft of the tranny. Each rod attaches to a lever in your shifter and each lever has an ear that should extend below the shifter box. Each lever has a 1/8" hole in it. With your car in neutral make sure all your shifter levers are aligned by inserting a drill bit thru the before mentioned holes. If they are not aligned then you must manually move each lever on the transmission to the middle position with the exception of the reverse lever which may be in gear in the forward position or in the back position depending on your transmission. Once you determine it the shifter alignment is ok then get back to us and we can tell you how to adjust your linkage.

Clois

patrickt · #15 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 12:41 PM

Clois, I think he was already in fourth when it blew at 80MPH. You'd remember making a shift right before a lockup like that and you'd say to yourself "jeez, somehow I jammed her in to reverse instead of fourth!" But I can't think of how a linkage problem would lock you up when you're just tooling along in gear, can you?

Godfather · #16 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 12:53 PM

Clois, I can not position the transmission in a nuetral postion with the shifter so that the wheels will turn freely. All I can get is 1st or a locked up position. The clutch is still working and I unbolted the driveline. I can turn the tail shaft by hand with the clutch in. I have the top off the trans now. What should the nuetral postion of the gears look like?

JWheaton · #17 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godfather

Patrick, It was a scary ride for sure, Luckily the car held a straight line and there was no traffic for 15 minutes while we collected our wits. Could have been much worse. I just called David and he said no problem just send it back. This is such a bummer, 18 months to get to this point and only 1 good ride.

Geeez...I'd like to hear your description of a bad ride!

Glad that you are safe from your trip from 80 to 0.

Good luck with the trans.