So much for Mid-America

[ingramlee]

Well I thought I was ready to head to Mid-America with Mike Self's caravan in a couple of days.. Maybe not. I went out for a long drive today and noticed that my tranny is grinding as I try to shift into first gear from a stop. I've always had to be careful with 2nd gear since I've owned the car but never 1st. If i'm very deliberate and slow while shifting to 1st the grind is very minimal but it still grinds most of the time. Outside of this the car runs very well. My question to the group is should I or would you attempt such a drive (Columbus Ohio to Eureka Springs) if it were your car that recently started this? My car is a 73 recently rebuilt engine... Damn I really wanted to go to Mid-America this year but i'm afraid of a catastrophic failure. What do you guys think

 

Thanks

[williamggruff]

First gear is optional. Worst case, you turn off the ignition when you stop, and shift into first while the car is off.

 

Mid America sounds like a real blast. I wouldn’t let a grindy first gear keep me away from the fun. 

[Son of Marty]

I would try bleeding the clutch first it may be just some air in the line.

[Bibm5]

I had a Toyota truck years ago that started to grind Going into 1st and reverse and I assumed the worst at first but it turned to be a little air had been let in by a failing slave cylinder. I went ahead and replaced both the master and slave cylinder and that truck was back to perfect shifts...
May not be your problem but it might be worth ruling out an issue with the clutch before a gearbox rebuild + missing an event.
Good luck!

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

[Simeon]

Clutch hydraulics and 40 year old synchro. Nothing that would stop me going (if I wasn’t on the other side of the world). 

[SteveJ]

Tap the brakes...ok

Wiggle the steering...yup

Give it gas and it moves?

 

Yeah, I'd do the drive.

 

Took our new to us 73 spider on the Motherlode. Started making a grinding/scraping noise 20 miles in. Noise went away. The only issues in 600 miles was a loose wing window and a broken new rubber exhaust hanger.

 

Two weeks later i lost 2nd gear completely while going out for coffee. Rebuilt transmission.

[zinz]

Definitely drive to MidAm. 

 

Bleed the slave cylinder as noted above...super easy. 

 

See you in Eureka ?

 

Ed

[Mike Self]

I was told many years ago by an old timer who learned manual transmissions before synchromesh was invented--when shifting into first at rest, first shift into second, then first.  That's particularly important if you have a non-synchro first, but even with a synchro first it makes that initial shift easier.  Try that and see if it helps. 

 

Look under the car and see if things are wet around the slave clyinder, then stick a pencil or similar down past the clutch or brake pedal into the pedal box and see if it comes up wet.  If both are dry, then I would bleed the clutch hydraulic system.

 

Hope to see you come Wed morning...

 

mike 

 

 

[bob02]

Go for it! You'll most likely make it there. Skip will replace all the broken parts right there in the parking lot for a 6 pack of bud tallboys

[SydneyTii]

Do it do it do it do it do it

says he who used to hold his windscreen wiper together when it rained..... that was an old mini, but I'm sure a BMW will never break down?

Just talk to it nicely this week?

[echappe]

Get a AAA card and go for it!

[2002#3]

Option:  Drive another vehicle. 

 

The important thing is to go, attend, learn, and enjoy.  My tii is undergoing complete drive train, suspension, and brakes rehab and is on stands.  So, I'm driving an X3.  I plan to trail the caravan as an maladjusted discontent interloper.  Feel free to join me.

 

Larry

[ingramlee]

^

10 hours ago, mike said:

I was told many years ago by an old timer who learned manual transmissions before synchromesh was invented--when shifting into first at rest, first shift into second, then first.  That's particularly important if you have a non-synchro first, but even with a synchro first it makes that initial shift easier.  Try that and see if it helps. 

 

Look under the car and see if things are wet around the slave clyinder, then stick a pencil or similar down past the clutch or brake pedal into the pedal box and see if it comes up wet.  If both are dry, then I would bleed the clutch hydraulic system.

 

Hope to see you come Wed morning...

 

mike 

Hi Mike,

The plan is to change the tranny fluid and bleed the clutch today and see what that gets me. I will check the pedal box for fluid but under the car is dry.. no leaks that I can see. I think I have until tomorrow to cancel my room reservation with no charge. See you on Wednesday

Edited April 23, 2018 by ingramlee

[FunElan]

3 hours ago, 2002#2 said:

Option:  Drive another vehicle. 

 

The important thing is to go, attend, learn, and enjoy.  My tii is undergoing complete drive train, suspension, and brakes rehab and is on stands.  So, I'm driving an X3.  I plan to trail the caravan as an maladjusted discontent interloper.  Feel free to join me.

 

Larry

What Larry said ^^^

 

I'll be joining in my E36. Grinding into first does sound easier to rectify than grinding into second/other gears....

 

See you down there!

[zinz]

11 hours ago, mike said:

-when shifting into first at rest, first shift into second, then first.  That's particularly important if you have a non-synchro first,

 

This... 

 

My '67, 2000CS has an early 4 speed with non-synchronized 1st gear.  Took me a couple drives to figure out what was going on???  Jack Fahuna enlightened me about what I had.  He suggested that upon rolling to a stop, clutch in, slip the transmission into 3rd, then into 1st.  I've done that ever since and presto... no crunch.

 

Ed