Help With Toploader Shifting Problem

[Lindy]

I am hoping that one of the vetrans here can help.

Prior to installing the new 331 in this ERA/FIA, I noticed that it was difficult to upshift into 3rd when I was accelerating briskly. Now, after installing the new engine and driving the car for a few days, it has become difficult to both upshift and downshift. With the car running and in neutral, or not running at all it is difficult to get into gear, which makes me think that itis not a syncro problem.

Any ideas?

Thank You!

[Woodz428]

A good Top Loader is pretty flawless. I would be looking at a) bad clutch adjustment or air in the system, b) a leaky rear seal on the engine or possibly one from the front of the tranny that has gotten oil on the clutch. Both of these will cause the issues you are having.

[mj_duell]

Originally Posted by Lindy

I am hoping that one of the vetrans here can help.

Prior to installing the new 331 in this ERA/FIA, I noticed that it was difficult to upshift into 3rd when I was accelerating briskly. Now, after installing the new engine and driving the car for a few days, it has become difficult to both upshift and downshift. With the car running and in neutral, or not running at all it is difficult to get into gear, which makes me think that itis not a syncro problem.

Any ideas?

Thank You!

Did you switch out the bell housing to anything new like a Lakewood? I ran into a problem like this when I switched to a Lakewood bellhousing that is why I asked. They must be dialed in to work correctly. It does sound like a clutch alignment problem. I assume you never messed with the shifter linkage on the toploader. Is your clutch fully engaging as well as disengaging?

--Mike

[strictlypersonl]

Originally Posted by Lindy

I am hoping that one of the vetrans here can help.

Prior to installing the new 331 in this ERA/FIA, I noticed that it was difficult to upshift into 3rd when I was accelerating briskly. Now, after installing the new engine and driving the car for a few days, it has become difficult to both upshift and downshift. With the car running and in neutral, or not running at all it is difficult to get into gear, which makes me think that itis not a syncro problem.

Any ideas?

Thank You!

Is shifting into all gears difficult? Does it clash into reverse?
Once you get it into first gear, how far up is the clutch pedal when the car starts to creep?

[oliver350]

If it shifted fine before. Not Syncros. Make sure that you have your shift linkage aligned and check all the bushing you make have not cracked one or forgot to put one in. This happend to me and once I re-aligned the shifter ... and PERFECTO!!

[Lindy]

I think that it might be a loss of brake fluid, as the clutch/brake resevoir is low, and now (after my initial post) the clutch is not releasing all of the way (kind of like an on/off transmission in a Bonneville car) and the clutch travel is much less than it was previously, which would explain why the problem got progressively worse on my last drive.

Hopefully this is either a loose bleed valve in the slave cylinder, or an old return line.

We'll see.

Thank you for your responses!

[nanard289]

Hi Lindy
Your shifting problem looks like a tired clutch control symptom! Is it easy to shift when your engine is not running?
About the toploader, I would like to relate a desaster that appears at the last "Le Mans Classic" to the Mustang "Hertz" (see pictures here attached). Toploader gear boxes have very strong reputation in muscle cars and it is very rare to see these kind of damages.
I thing that the problem origin is the conjonction of 2 successive troubles.
The first was the disconnection (for unknow reason) of the connecting rod to shift the 3 and 4.
The second was the excess wear of the locking device balls that are in charge to avoid to move the 1/2 fork if the 3/4 fork is not in medium position (and reciprocally).
My feeling is after to broke the 3/4 connecting rod, the driver has tryed to shift to the second or the first ratio. As the locking device was not working, he has shifted the first even the 3 was locked. Pictures shown the result

[Lindy]

Well,

(Knock on wood), it appears that it was simply a bad slave cylinder. Peter/ERA got a new one out overnight, and after installing/bleeding it, things are working well.

About a 45 minute project.