4 speed, Hard to shift when cold.....

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694spd

694spd

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I'm have a problem shifting into 2nd when the trans is cold. Sometimes it is stubborn to go into 1st, but 2nd is the biggest problem. Usually I have to just skip the gear and just go from 1st into 3rd. After a few miles of driving the 1-2 shift will improve.
As for 3rd and 4th gears, there is no problem with those shifts.
I rechecked my shifter rod adjustments and made and a one turn adjustment on the 1-2 rod, but there was no improvement after that.
Last week I swapped out the stock Hurst shifter and rods for an aftermarket Hurst Comp Plus shifter and rods. I was real careful setting and checking the rod adjustment when I installed it, but again still I have the same cold shifting problem. When it does warm up it will go into second, but still with a little resistance. The other gears seem fine.
FYI, I'm using Sta-Lube 85W-90 gear oil, GL4 in the case and the car is a 69 340 Dart.
 
694spd said:
I'm have a problem shifting into 2nd when the trans is cold. Sometimes it is stubborn to go into 1st, but 2nd is the biggest problem. Usually I have to just skip the gear and just go from 1st into 3rd. After a few miles of driving the 1-2 shift will improve.
As for 3rd and 4th gears, there is no problem with those shifts.
I rechecked my shifter rod adjustments and made and a one turn adjustment on the 1-2 rod, but there was no improvement after that.
Last week I swapped out the stock Hurst shifter and rods for an aftermarket Hurst Comp Plus shifter and rods. I was real careful setting and checking the rod adjustment when I installed it, but again still I have the same cold shifting problem. When it does warm up it will go into second, but still with a little resistance. The other gears seem fine.
FYI, I'm using Sta-Lube 85W-90 gear oil, GL4 in the case and the car is a 69 340 Dart.
Click to expand...
I use automatic transmission oil and have no shifting problems hot and cold, street and strip. You could try that with ease. Does your clutch disc move free on the transmission, clutch pedal gap? Car is moving/ spinning the wheel with pressed clutch pedal, if the clutch is the problem. I had one car that was hard shifting to second gear because somebody forgot the clip ring of the front bearing ( under the throwout bearing shaft ), the input shaft was moving back and forward.
 
When I raced my 4 speed I used 1 qt ATF and 1 qt B&M trick shift fluid, ATF worked great but would always grind in second when power shifting, then I added trick shift and it stopped the grinding and shifted like a dream. You have to remember there is no EP in these oils so premature wear is a problem.
 
Change to ATF and it will be fine.
 
I have been thinking that my next try will be going with a mix of gear oil and ATF. I know that some guys run straight ATF, others run a mix of both.
I was wondering if the problem might be a synchro issue being that I'm fighting just one gear.
 
Dartswinger70 said:
I had an issue going into 3rd, was the synchro "dogs" or whatever they are called...
Click to expand...

This is what I was going to mention, because if the syncros are worn they don't stop the gear the trans is trying to go into from spinning and therefore will make it hard to go into gear.
Whenever there is a hard shifting (like it doesn't want to go into gear when cold) it's always fluid viscosity or syncro ring wear.
Just think about this when involving second.
Second is pretty much always the gear that gets hit hardest and therefore has the most syncro wear.

Fluid viscosity changes can help even if it is syncro wear because thinner fluid gets out from between the syncro ring and gear faster, so it stops the gear faster letting it engage faster.
 
The BW T18 in my truck is hard to shift ONCE when I go from 1 to 2 first shift of the day. From then on it's fine. Ford's spec for it is 50W motor oil and that's what I use.
 
My guess is either
A) the input gear is not slowing down because the clutch is dragging, or
B)BOTH the first and second gear brass rings are about done.

A) is easy to prove; just put the clutch pedal down and immediately try to shift into reverse. If it grinds this may be normal. Let the clutch pedal up and start over this time allowing about 3 seconds for the cluster to stop spinning. If it goes in now, then the clutch has enough departure. If it still grinds, increase the departure and retry. I don't like to wait more than 2 or 3 seconds with my oil recipe: 50/50 ATF/85-90 EP. So, if the departure increase and 3 seconds doesn't allow a relatively grind-free reverse engagement, then I'd be looking at the clutch.
B) But if it passes the above test, then yes you can try another oil recipe, but IMO and if it was mine; it would be time to pull it apart for inspection.Do it now before the points get all beat up.
 
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