6 Speed

[Mirroredshades]

My TA has popped out of first a couple of times. What do you think the deal is? It was under very light acceleration both times. Lazy shifting or something not engaging properly? Broken Tooth?

No other symptoms. Drives fine. 56k on original clutch.

[tabahr]

My Cousin used to have a 5 speed in an 88 that did that. It was very annoying. I'd be interested in knowing what caused it also.

[fastTa]

Most likely a shift fork. Stock ones are made of plastic and partly hold the gear shifter in the gear you put it in. If your #1 synchro mesh is damaged this coould further the problem. They make steel and/or aluminum upgradeable shift forks for the T-56. Do you have the stock shifter?

[Mirroredshades]

I'm pretty sure it's stock. I have been wanting to put in a Hurst though. Is the fork an internal component of the transmission or external?

[M3EATER - GG '00 WS6 T/A]

You may have a problem with the shift fork, yes...

However, I have found that sometimes when I'm not really paying attention to what I'm doing with the shifter.... I may not push it all the way home .. into 1st. When I then go to engage the clutch, the shifter pops out with a startling bang. This isn't a fault of the trans, but operator error.

Now, these transmissions do have a history of shift fork problems, but usually not with 1st gear.

If, normally, it's OK ... I wouldn't worry about it (for now).

On a note about manual transmissions in general..... if a trans won't stay in gear it's most typically bent or broken shift forks or worn nylon/teflon contact pads on the fork. Either of these ends up preventing the guide sleeve from fully engaging with the synchro/gear.

Picture the shift fork as a upside down "Y". The Y straddles a sleeve on the trans shaft (the guide sleeve). The sleeve has a slot or groove around it's outer circumference. The fingers of the upside down Y fit into the groove. The ends of the fork may or may not have nylon or teflon wear pads. The fork (the upside down Y) moves on a shaft (the shifter shaft), forward and back ... sliding the guide sleeve front to back. The guide sleeve is what contacts the synchro and then, through the synchro, engages the gear.

Here's a quicky:

All of the gears in a synchronized transmission (which is what we have) are always in mesh with each other and free wheeling on the shafts (on needle bearings). You're not actually moving gears into mesh (when you hear grinding on a botched shift... that's the teeth on the synchros grunching with the little teeth on the side of the gear that actually engage the synchro to the gear, typically called dog teeth). The guide sleeve assembly is what is splined to the rotating input shaft and when you shift, the shift fork moves the guide sleeve into contact with the synchro which then contacts the dog teeth on the gear and then makes that gear rotate on the shaft.

Gordon
PPC
www.provenperformanceconcepts.com

[N20LT4Bird]

Originally posted by M3EATER - GG '00 WS6 T/A
You may have a problem with the shift fork, yes...
............ the dog teeth on the gear and then makes that gear rotate on the shaft.

Gordon
PPC
www.provenperformanceconcepts.com

Nice......I second that you probably dont have it engaged all the way. I have done it myself a few times.

[00 Ragtop Z]

Same here on occasion. However, I have noticed in extremely cold weather that it is an easier occurence.

[Mirroredshades]

Cool. I hope that's all it is. Makes one heck of a loud pop when it does it.