Can't get trans into gear

[luseboy]

Been a while since I've posted on here.  I've been resto-modding a '73 z for the past 2 1/2 years, and have had pretty slow progress up until recently.  Yesterday I "dropped" my engine and trans in (bolted the bell housing to the block out of the car and dropped them in together), aside from switching around the motor mount brackets, it went in without a hitch (the second time anyways).  I went with your typical F54 block/P79 head, and 280z (or as some of you know it, A) 5 speed.  Both have been taken apart partially and cleaned up/put back together with new gaskets (not professionally, I did it myself with the help of this forum and others).  When I got the trans it was somewhat seized and wouldn't shift into any of the gears but after cleaning it up and what not it seemed to be functioning just fine.  It has sat without any fluid or any input shaft rotation for about a year now, and after installing it I put my shifter back on, but found that it would not engage any of the gears except for reverse (or could be 4th, hard to tell).  What I'm wondering is if this sounds like a problem (maybe I re-installed the rear case wrong and messed up the forks?), or if it's more likely to be just a matter of everything being bone dry and the trans having sat for so long (don't know when it was last used in a car, I bought it on it's own from craigslist). Any insight? I know there's no way to say for sure, but I should be able to get my engine up and running soon enough so hopefully I'll have a better idea then.  

Appreciate any insight.

Thanks!

-Austin

Edited December 21, 2013 by luseboy

[seattlejester]

Hey Austin, glad to see your Z is almost ready for paint!

 

Hmm, what do you mean you re-installed the rear case wrong? Did you have the transmission apart and were inspecting the gear set? 

 

When you cleaned the transmission did you clean it bone dry? Or was it still wet (did it have a film of oil or did you brakeclean/spray some detergent to clean all the oil off)?

 

What state is the car in? Is it literally just the driveline? Do you have the clutch master and slave installed?

 

Did you install the starter/flywheel/clutch/pressure plate/clutch fork/release bearing, what about a shifter bushing etc?

 

Well before we jump to any conclusions, I would add at least a quart of transmission fluid if it was left bone dry. Make sure to cap the rear of the transmission if the driveshaft isn't connected or you will have quite a mess. 

 

And the car may need to move a little bit (the output or input shaft for the transmission may need to turn a few degrees) to engage certain gears without the clutch. I know I panicked when certain gears wouldn't go in, and my friend rolled the car a little bit and voila those gears would slot in.

 

Another point of advise would be to make sure you can get both the drain and fill plugs out before you start putting everything back in the car, nothing worse then getting to filling/changing your tranny fluid to find your drain plug is seized

Edited December 21, 2013 by seattlejester

[NewZed]

Does the shift lever go side-to-side like it should but not back and forth or does it not move at all except to drop down in to 4th or reverse?  Describe how it seemed to be functioning just fine when it seemed to. 

 

You can always pull the transmission from the bottom if you get the engine hooked up and can't fix the problem.

[luseboy]

I guess I didn't put enough info in my original post mostly because I wasn't willing to face that something was up with the transmission.  When I got it originally it had been neglected, and I decided to pull the housings off and take a look to clean it up, replace the seals, and paint the bell housing.  Unfortunately, it seems I have messed something up when I went to put it back together.  At this point, I'm going to have to drop the trans, and take it apart again to see if I can get it right this time, or just replace it with a known good trans (anyone in the bay area have a 5 speed?).  I'll update this thread with whatever I figure out. Sorry this turned out to be kind of a lame duck but at this point it seems that something is wrong.  I can partially engage 5th and reverse but it takes a lot of effort.  I tried putting the driveshaft in and turning it and it wouldn't move.  I then tried turning the motor over and the driveshaft moved with it, so even though it seems that the shifter is in neutral, the trans is not.  In addition, it doesn't seem to want to move far left enough to engage first or second, and I can not put it into 3rd or 4th.  If anyone has any insight as to what I did wrong on re-assembly, I'd appreciate it as I will be dropping the trans and inspecting on my next day off work.  

Thanks,

Austin

[duragg]

Getting the trans rear extension on correctly so it can activate the fork rods is tricky.

You have to gently feel it go on, with your finger down in the shifter socket and work it in.

And don't mesh any gears until the front cover is on so the rods don't over extend.

 

Once I have it all bolted together, then I bench check to make sure all shifting feels about right.

It might feel clunky since there is no vibration or rotation to assist.

 

You may have moved a fork while putting on the cover and didn't get the actuator in the fork slots right.

[luseboy]

That sounds like what I did wrong, at least I hope it's something simple like that. Hopefully I didn't bend any shift forks in the process of trying to get it to shift...