The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Stuck in second gear

I posted this once before but, only got about three replys. Try again.

I'm having a problem getting my '49 1/2 ton out of second gear while driving. Stock drive train. New clutch, pressure plate, throw out bearing. I can run it through the shift pattern just fine while sitting still (motor running or not). And I have checked and double check all of the adjustments available on the linkages and gearshifter itself. The pattern is fairly tight (not sloppy) and does not bind. However....while driving if you shift from first to second you have to come to a stop to get it out of second. If you down shift from third to second, and then try to shift back up to third, same thing. Oh, yes, clutch is adjusted per factory manual as well. It runs down the road just fine in third and I have no strange noises. It just won't come out of second. When you try to shift it. It feels like it's "locked" in gear or something. I though at first maybe it was the second gear syncro but, wouldn't that problem also show up as you were down shifting from third to second? I haven't pulled the side cover yet, because I'm not sure I'd know what I was looking at anyway. But, I'm begining to think I've got a major problem here and that maybe I should just get another tranny. :mad: I just got through putting this thing back together. The truck didn't have a motor in it when I got it so I had no way of knowing about this before I installed the new engine. Who's the tranny expert here?

Seeing that no one has replied , I am going to take a couple of guesses..

What about your cab mounts ? If the cab is dancing around that may twist the shift linkages.

Those linkage boxes on the column can be a problem, perhaps rebuild the box ?

The column linkage wear problem usually manifests itself when you shift from first to second, and the tranny is stuck in first gear. You then have to pull up on the linkage to get the tranny into neutral. I'm not saying that the column linkage isn't the problem, just that I haven't seen one like this. Is there much wear at the linkage attach points, both at the column and on the tranny?

I replaced the bushings on the upper end of the shift linkages. There is I suppose a moderate amount of wear but, I have had at least a dozen or more old Chevys over the past many years (some of them with a lot more miles) and in much worse mechanical condition and I've never encountered anything like this before. I had a truck that would hang up between the gears before (and you would have to open the hood, etc) But, not this one. The gearshift isn't sagging and is in fact perfectly horizontal. (as per fact. service manual section on trannys). As far as the cab mounts none of them are broken or rusted out at the mounting point. The cab doesn't seem to move if you shake the truck (pushing up on the inside door frame). I'm thinking about pulling the inspection plate on the floor, disconnecting the colum shifter and (having someone ride with me) to shift it by hand at the tranny. Just to eliminate the shifter and linkages as a possible culprit.

After some deep thought I have put together a list of some of the things I can think of that could cause your transmission to stick in second gear.
!. Clutch not releasing fully.
2. Burred or battered teeth on sliding sleeve.
3. Burred or battered transmission shaft.
4. Frozen synchronizing clutch.
5. Stuck shifter rail plunger.
6. Gear shift lever twisting and binding shifter rail.
7. Lack of lubrication.
8. Improper lubrication.
9. Corroded transmission parts.
10. Also, just in case,- Second speed transmission gear bearings locked will give same effect as gears stuck in second.

There are probably other reasons but my head now hurts from thinking (not used to that-LOL) and if I happen to think of other reasons I'll let you know. But, this should cover all of the more common reasons.
Good Luck!!!

Oly,
I have refilled the tranny with fresh fluid. (that takes care of two of the things on your list). As I stated I have a new clutch, pressure plate and throw out (not that it means anything). If the clutch wasn't fully disengaging wouldn't I have the same problem going into other gears?

Stingray - Yes, if the clutch isn't fully disengaging you should be having problems going into any gear, but it might not be as noticeable. Sounds like it's time to pull the sideplate and do a visual inspection. The last Chevy 3 speed I had I found several gear teeth laying in the bottom. I them made a run to the junkyard for another tranny. Now that I think about it, it was hung up in second gear, too.