A833 Four Speed Gets Stuck in Reverse

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clifftt

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'66 Barracuda, A833 four speed, original New Process shifter. Car has recently on occasions got stuck in reverse, I get underneath the car and whack the shift lever to pop the reverse lever back into neutral so I can get it back into other gears.
Last night, I moved the car, put it into reverse several times. Each time it got stuck, five times in the dark I'm crawling under the car to whack it back into neutral.
Transmission was opened and inspected about 60 miles ago to check it out since I had bought this car, pronounced good and resealed. It really has not given me any problems until the last ten miles on it.
I did line up the shift levers a while ago and I plan to recheck it now. A few weeks ago, I shortened the reverse rod adjustment just a tiny bit thinking that might help.
Any other ideas welcomed. Thanks!
 
loosen up side cover, shift trans into reverse, then tighten cover back down, there is a shoe on 1 2 lever and reverse lever inside, they have to mesh correctly so reverse will work. simple fix!! been there done that before.
 
With your left hand,push the cover up towards the floor as hard as you can, until the rear wheels come off the ground, then tighten at least two bolts.Then relax and tighten the others. Kidding!
I bet the two special long-shouldered bolts are missing or in the wrong holes. You remember those special bolts? In the absence of those bolts, post #2 will work. If it still occasionally gets stuck, push the cover up hard and cinch it up.
 
the things I mentioned are from dodge service manual. concerning adjusting shift lever interlock.
 
I wouldn't bother, you don't have to loosen the bolts that much, and it's such a PITA to refill that box.
Do it like perfacar says . You can tap the bottom edge of the cover upwards, and bingo!
 
BTW, disconnect shift rod from reverse lever. I usually pull lever off and use a wrench to move reverse shaft.
 
No, just break um loose a bit. It's a wonder-fix?!!
It works. I flipped on it because I had just rebuilt my 4-speed and reverse was sticking. I was thinking CRAP!! , but I did as said and presto... happy camper :thumbsup:

I will need to drain the transmission first, correct?
 
Also probably wouldnt hurt to double check the shifter throw, i have a old broken drill bit (cant remember what size) but it fits perfect in the hole.
 
Well, hell, here it is in May, and I’m just now getting around to this. I did as Perfacar explained: Loosened cover (backed the ten cover bolts back about a turn and a half to where fluid started to seep out), put in reverse, then tightened the bolts.

At first, reverse was locked again. I whacked the reverse shift rod to push the lever back into reverse, then I got my four gears again ... for a few shifts. Then the problem repeated. Whacked it again, got a few shifts done, then it locked into reverse once again.

I looked at the service manual to try to get an idea of what’s supposed to be happening by loosening and tightening up the cover, but it’s Greek to me.

Maybe I need to back the bolts a whole lot more and repeat?

image.jpg
 
Also probably wouldnt hurt to double check the shifter throw, i have a old broken drill bit (cant remember what size) but it fits perfect in the hole.
I set the shifter using this homemade alignment tool described in the factory manual. When this problem first occurred, I thought maybe the reverse throw was too long, so a backed the length just a tad, but it didn’t help.

image.jpg
 
I set the shifter using this homemade alignment tool described in the factory manual. When this problem first occurred, I thought maybe the reverse throw was too long, so a backed the length just a tad, but it didn’t help.

View attachment 1715176278
You missed the key here that's "pushing up" on it and then tightening it. The side cover. Not just loosen it but push up on it while it's loose and retighten it.
 
Holy scrap metal you been dragging your feet for 5 months I just seen how long ago the thread started.
 
Holy scrap metal you been dragging your feet for 5 months I just seen how long ago the thread started.

Easy lead foot we had snow here in the middle of April. The weather has sucked since Feb. Not everybody has your energy.
Give the dude a break.
The car wouldn't start.
My mother needed me.
I ran out of gas.
Had a flat tire.
The cat had kittens.
 
Easy lead foot we had snow here in the middle of April. The weather has sucked since Feb. Not everybody has your energy.
Give the dude a break.
The car wouldn't start.
My mother needed me.
I ran out of gas.
Had a flat tire.
The cat had kittens.
Big Breath--- I went downtown and got a workbench brought it home and unloaded it in the driveway I washed my truck I tape off a 403 Oldsmobile motor and got it ready for paint I went to a small car show and seen a demon I walk my dog today? I'm gettin old.
IMG_20180515_094303.jpg

IMG_20180515_182907.jpg
 
Or maybe this thing needs some adjustment?
image-jpg.jpg

STOP!

cliftt makes a good point;(thanks for the swell pic)
>However,Look at the picture. If you screw that spring retainer out too far the ball will will fall into the box making for a very bad day. I have rebuilt hundreds of those boxes, and have never seen that retainer make trouble, unless there was no gasket under the head.
If you decide to change that gasket or need to install a thicker one, first remove the cap-nut, the spring, and fish out the ball with a pencil-magnet. Then yo will not have a bad-day.
>But now, on the same picture IS the trouble spot; the interface between the 1-2 shift lever and the reverse lever. When you push up on the cover, you are increasing the clearance between those two, to whatever maximum is possible. If it is not enough there is an alternate reverse lever that you can obtain and sub in, but the entire box has to be disassembled to install it. The guy who builds the box is supposed to check this prior to disassembly, then again before shipping it. If all the relevant parts are original, I have never seen it make trouble, using the push-up-and-secure,method
 
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View attachment 1715176449
STOP!

cliftt makes a good point;(thanks for the swell pic)
>However,Look at the picture. If you screw that spring retainer out too far the ball will will fall into the box making for a very bad day. I have rebuilt hundreds of those boxes, and have never seen that retainer make trouble, unless there was no gasket under the head.
If you decide to change that gasket or need to install a thicker one, first remove the cap-nut, the spring, and fish out the ball with a pencil-magnet. Then yo will not have a bad-day.
>But now, on the same picture IS the trouble spot; the interface between the 1-2 shift lever and the reverse lever. When you push up on the cover, you are increasing the clearance between those two, to whatever maximum is possible. If it is not enough there is an alternate reverse lever that you can obtain and sub in, but the entire box has to be disassembled to install it. The guy who builds the box is supposed to check this prior to disassembly, then again before shipping it. If all the relevant parts are original, I have never seen it

How about unscrewing the plug to relief the tension on the detent spring?
 
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How about unscrewing the plug to relief the tension on the detent spring?
That will not achieve anything if the factory spring is in there. Clifftt is supposing that the spring-retainer is touching, rubbing, or otherwise interfering with the reverse lever action. Even without a gasket this is not supposed to happen. But the possibility still exists, and so it's valid help. The only issue I could suspect with a non-stock spring is coil-bind, but with the length of that spring I can't even imagine that situation. As to the power of that spring, the mechanical advantage of the stick makes that rather moot. As for myself, I rather like a good stiff spring in there..... and I have a pretty short stick, stock-length Mr.Gasket Bang! shifter. I like it for two reasons; 1) it makes darn near impossible to accidently put it into reverse, and 2) it makes this really great sound when it goes in.
 
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That will not achieve anything if the factory spring is in there. Clifftt is supposing that the spring-retainer is touching, rubbing, or otherwise interfering with the reverse lever action. Even without a gasket this is not supposed to happen. But the possibility still exists, and so it's valid help. The only issue I could suspect with a non-stock spring is coil-bind, but with the length of that spring I can't even imagine that situation. As to the power of that spring, the mechanical advantage of the stick makes that rather moot. As for myself, I rather like a good stiff spring in there..... and I have a pretty short stick, stock-length Mr.Gasket Bang! shifter. I like it for two reasons; 1) it makes darn near impossible to accidently put it into reverse, and 2) it makes this really great sound when it goes in.

How about if that ball is stuck?

Be it from rust or something inside there broken the spring is binding it up or it was assembled correctly?
 
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