What is wrong with my A-833 OD? It just started doing this. It grinds when I try to put it in reverse. The clutch is properly adjusted, but when I try to put the transmission in reverse I can feel the engine turning the cogs of the gears (at a constant rate, not just spinning from being in gear before). I can jam it in gear, but I feel there is something wrong. It has the proper level of ATF. It is also hard to get into 1st gear too. But isn't hard to get into 2nd, 3rd or 4th. The transmission has 230,000 miles on it and was doing fine up until now.

Help!!!

bwhitejr

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'72 Duster (Performance 360)
'83 Ramcharger (Performance 318)
'80 TrailDuster (360)
'80 D-150 Truck (See Below)
CompCams 252S, Holley 390cfm, Offy manifold
Ported, Polished and Gasket Matched
P4286813 Springs,0.040 Overbore,
0.090 Shaved Head

Sounds like somethings dragging.

If the clutch isn't dragging, I'd say the drag is in the pilot bushing/bearing.

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

Agreed, it is a clutch or pilot bearing problem.

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Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225

How can I tell what is going on? If I start the truck with the clutch pushed in, the clutch shouldn't turn should it? If after I have let out the clutch and push it back in, the clutch/pressure plate should stop turning right?

Help!! How do I diagnose what is going wrong?


bwhitejr

_________________
'72 Duster (Performance 360)
'83 Ramcharger (Performance 318)
'80 TrailDuster (360)
'80 D-150 Truck (See Below)
CompCams 252S, Holley 390cfm, Offy manifold
Ported, Polished and Gasket Matched
P4286813 Springs,0.040 Overbore,
0.090 Shaved Head

*Deleted*

A manual tranny should not have ATF in it. Gear Lube. Probably not the problem anyway though

That's not necessarily correct. Some manual transmissions specifically call for ATF. There are specialized fluids that can be substituted (e.g. Redline MTL) but second-guessing the manufacturer's specification and dumping in 90-weight (or whatever) because "manual transmissions should have gear lube" is asking for trouble.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

It sounds like it might be a good time to replace the whole clutch. Does it have many miles on it? Is it smooth when it engages or does it pulse or jerk? The disk could be dragging if anything is warped or if the pressure plate spring is bad (uneven pressure). About gear oil. That MTL is great stuff. Dan is right on about using the right lube. It was the only thing I could find to replace the lighter gear oil that was in my turbo colt back in the 80's. The dealer was no help. It would not work with 90 or 80-90 wt. I even tried 70wt kendall race oil, better but not right. Even with the factory oil 2nd gear crunched all the time but with the MTL that went away. It will work in place of ATF or 90wt as well and lessons the drag in the trans and frees up some power.

The clutch is brand new (6000 Miles since I put it in new). The FSM for my truck says to put DEXRON ATF in it. I put DEXRON III in it because I couldn't find just DEXRON. I lubricated the pilot shaft per the FSM when I installed the tranny. If I didn't install it right why hasn;t it showed up till now. No noises etc. I tend to think this might be a clutch issue, but for the engine to be turning the input shaft with clutch in is disturbing. I can start it and it doesn't try to lunge or anything, just trouble getting it into Reverse (probably because Reverse is not synchronized).


bwhitejr

_________________
'72 Duster (Performance 360)
'83 Ramcharger (Performance 318)
'80 TrailDuster (360)
'80 D-150 Truck (See Below)
CompCams 252S, Holley 390cfm, Offy manifold
Ported, Polished and Gasket Matched
P4286813 Springs,0.040 Overbore,
0.090 Shaved Head

I agree that the clutch is dragging. I'd pull the dust cover and make sure the disc stops spinning when the clutch is released. I'll bet it doesn't. Put a mirror on the ground under the truck so no one is put in harm's way.

Even dial indicate a bellhousing for runout? Where did you buy the clutch parts and are they all new or remanufactured? Either way the trans has to come back out.

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Joshua

The clutch assembly is a Precision Clutch, sold by NAPA. They are supposed to be associated with ZOOM Clutches. The whole assembly is new. (at least it was 6000 miles ago).

bwhitejr

_________________
'72 Duster (Performance 360)
'83 Ramcharger (Performance 318)
'80 TrailDuster (360)
'80 D-150 Truck (See Below)
CompCams 252S, Holley 390cfm, Offy manifold
Ported, Polished and Gasket Matched
P4286813 Springs,0.040 Overbore,
0.090 Shaved Head

Yep, Dexron III is the correct choice wherever Dexron, Dexron II, Dexron IId or Dexron IIe is specified.

I agree you've got a clutch-hanging-up issue. Are you experiencing any other symptoms? Difficult shifts between gears, that kind of thing? Did you replace the throwout (clutch release) bearing when you did the clutch? Have you got under the car to check for bent linkage pieces or (yes, I've seen it happen) a bent clutch release fork?

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Careful, though, you still have to be mindful of factory specs. MTL is not a magic cure-all. Some transmissions don't like it. The Chrysler A568 in my '91 Spirit R/T gagged on MTL; that transmission calls for 10w30 engine oil and only works correctly when that spec is adhered to. As for replacing 90wt, that's what MT-90 is for!

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

SS_Dan,
The entire assembly is new, clutch plate, pressure plate, throw-out bearing and pilot bushing. I installed it 6000 miles ago, haven't had any trouble with it until now. When I went to put it in reverse to get out of a parking lot last week, I couldn't get it to go, without somewhat forcing it. So the only thing that is different is the daily driving in between the original install and now. I inspected the linkage and except for the normal wear and tear should work. I did find a grease fitting high up on the shifter mechanism that definetly benefitted from some attention. (Still left me with the grinding reverse problem). I originally had the clutch adjusted to start engaging at 2-3 off the floor and thinking that may be my problem, re-adjusted it for 1" of free-pedal.

I appreciate any suggestions on how to determine the problem, outside of pulling the transmission. Like tightening the shifter linkage, adjusting the clutch, etc........

My helper is now in college. No help.

bwhitejr

_________________
'72 Duster (Performance 360)
'83 Ramcharger (Performance 318)
'80 TrailDuster (360)
'80 D-150 Truck (See Below)
CompCams 252S, Holley 390cfm, Offy manifold
Ported, Polished and Gasket Matched
P4286813 Springs,0.040 Overbore,
0.090 Shaved Head

I have had pilot bushings go bad right away. If you end up replacing it polish the tip of the input shaft, or make sure it is smooth. Better yet see about getting a bearing instead, unless that is what is already in there. It sounds like something is failing. Do check everything you can externally before you tear into it. Is it possible the clutch fork is slipping on it's pivot? About MTL, right Dan, it's not magic. I tend to think in applications with a performance mindset. I would not put something that light in an older box that used 90 wt. with any kind of mileage on it. It would probably leak out and might be noisy. Of course I would not use 140wt. and a banana either. But if I was rebuilding an old school box I would think twice about filing the blocker rings like I used to and would use a lighter synthetic. I have not checked, but I suspect even that mt90 passes the 30wt. specs?