Technical Three speed Saginaw stuck in second gear

This is the "long" version of the Muncie 318. It will bolt to your bellhousing and use the same clutch assembly, but you'll need to shorten your front driveshaft. The yoke should be the same, although the later versions of this trans used a fine spline slip yoke, and you have a course spline slip yoke currently. And FYI, a LOT of guys call these older Muincie 318 and 319 transmissions "Saginaw's". I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

No power shifting.

 

These are the photos I took of the innards this morning. Damaged teeth. Still stuck.

 

Great thread here. I'm learning a whole bunch about these three speeds.

 

Can I use the tail shaft from my current Muncie short shaft on this trans?

 

Slim I have a 67 GM 3 speed If you want it $50. and come and get it. I'm in Rhinebeck NY near the fairgrounds.

Pat

 

If you get the other transmission, you can take them both apart and swap parts....assuming they both have the coarse spline output shaft (1964 and older).

But if you're gonna take one apart, you might as well just take the one you have apart first, and see what's wrong with it. I think the syncro moved too far, and jammed.

btw is the other trans that's for sale, priced to where you can afford to get it as a spare parts transmission?

 

Chevy should have never used these behind V8s. But they did keep me in spending money fixing them when I was in college

 

Yep it’s stuck in second. The second photo shows the 2-3 barrel slid all the way back against the drive gear. If you can you need to push the barrel forward with a screwdriver as you turn the trans. It’s a lot easier when it’s out. Good luck.

 

He wants $75.

 

I'd be tempted...

 

They are some differences between the early and late Muncie 318/319 transmissions. Different gear ratios is the biggest and you can't mix/match those. Plus, you'd have to change the extension housing AND the output shaft. Too bad you're so far away, you could have a Muncie 319, overdrive 3 speed I have; it'd cost more to ship it than it's probably worth however. Start looking for a "short" Muncie 318. How about a shot of the side cover shifter forks; the smaller fork tends to really wear. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

I freed up the gears and re mounted the side cover enough to back the car out of the garage so the wife can have her space back. In the driveway I tested all gears. Each work. It is when I take it on the road and shift it that the problem occurs. I followed the instructions on the Hurst installation sheet to the tee. Let's see if it locks up again.
And I will start looking for another Munce 318 transmission with short shaft.

 

Cmon @squirrel were counting on you to guide this young person in the right direction.

 

Did you inspect the side cover carefully while you had it off, to see if anything looks amiss? like it would allow too much travel towards 2nd gear?

It's not easy to diagnose problems like this without being there...

 

I know this might not mean much but in one of the photos are the arms bolted with u-bolts on the side plate Hurst? The chicken shit Spark-o-matic one I had in HS had the same thing. I would have thought Hurst sold better parts than that.

 

U-bolts came with the Hurst Indy shifter kit. Side cover was pristine and all detents were crisp working. Installed it according to the Chevy manual someone posted here.

 

2 3 lever is 180 off (I don't mean upside down) per instruction sheet.
Adding, did 2 3 rod come in contact with 1 R rod when shifting?

 

58-64 "X" frame cars would be where the short Muncie 318 was used; some trucks from the 60's also used the short trans. The gears look pretty much "normal" for one of these transmissions; they tend to be loud, and not having a synchro first gear takes it's toll. Used to nbe, to change synchros, the entire slder drum had to be changed (synchros are staked in place); now, they sell the synchros separately, but you have to come up with a way to stake them in place. The Hurst levers are't "dragging" on the bosses are they? I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

Here is my two cents, on these early chev three speeds, with the Hurst shifter kit. It is important that
the alignment is correct. As I have had many, the arms clamp on the shifter shafts, if the move you will
have two gears trying to engage at the same time. the threads on the u-bolts wear, as well as the threads on
the nuts. Double check, or replace. Use loc tite on threads.

 

Rods were bent far enough to allow clearance.

 

There are 2 mounting holes on each leg of the Hurst shifter. The last time I installed it, I used the hole with the longer throw. That may be why it jammed in 2nd gear. I just changed to the shorter throw. We'll see how it shifts tonight.

 

I ground down the levers so they wouldn't rub on the bosses.

 

I recently was playing with the linkage on my old dodge. I found out how temperamental these old 3 speeds can be.
Just by playing with the linkage in one area, I could not get 1rst or reverse later while working on something else.
I was able to put everything back the way it belonged and works again.

You are kinda in the same position. The existing 3 speed you have is traditional and works well, You may need to learn to tear it apart and replace components ... could be as simple as adjusting linkage like mine. Can be something you can fix for $50 ... you want to switch to a 4 speed, can be over $2k dollars to fix. Your choice.

What I was really concerned about, you back that car out of the garage, allow the wife to park her daily driver in place of your hot rod. You will never reclaim that space. Is important to do negotiating for the new shop for the hot rods, before you give up that space.
Just saying, married once and quit counting when we hit 30 years, 10+ years ago.

 

^^^^^ 4 speed floor shifters are also a problem if not set up correctly. Adjustments begin at shifter first no matter the number of gears to be successful.

 

Yep... put the drill thru the hole and start either rods....

 

I may take a ride out there and buy it. 147 miles each way. I can do it on my motorcycle. I've carried heavier loads camping.

 

Slim this is the trans I have, casting #3858886. cast date C 2 7 has 7 bolt cover. Is approx 21-1/4" from mounting flange to output shaft and 14-1/2" from mounting flange to center of trans mount. I took side cover off and it looks good, I turned the input 180 degrees and took 2nd picture. I took this trans out of a non-running car so don't know much about it.

Pat

 

^^^^^^^^
You'll be very pleased. Last fall I did one from a late '60s Chevelle with over 300,000 miles. I figured a small parts kit, bearings, a cluster maybe …. pulled apart, the only thing it really needed was gaskets and a spring in the interlock that broke. I did use the new needles & brass because he'd prepaid for the parts. Thankfully, the front and rear bearings were fine, so we returned the foreign made units we'd bought. The shifter is an unknown model Hurst with syncro stop bolts. Cleaned and lubed, welded a couple ovaled out holes, and good for another 300 ...

 

If your shifter has 2nd and 3rd gear stops make sure they are adjusted per the instructions. If not adjusted, they could allow you to muscle the shift forks and gears into places they shouldn't go. This Hurst shifter has both.