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40 LaSalle shifter adjustment

Started by wheikkila, February 12, 2022, 08:51:16 PM

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wheikkila

Good Evening Everyone
I rebuilt all the shifter linkage along with the transmission. The problem is it now jumps out of third gear. The manual said the main cause is linkage mis adjustment. Before the rebuild. I had a hard time shifting between 1st and reverse and second and third. Now it shifts easily between them. I would be happy to hear any advice someone may have on the shifter adjustment.
                         Thanks Wayne   

Classic

Gene Menne
CLC #474

wheikkila

I don't. But i sent him a PM to purchase one. I'm going to work on it this week. The first thing I'm going to check is to make sure that lever on the transmission is moving all the way. I would hate to think there is a problem with my new parts.
                            Thanks Wayne

Jeff Hansen

Jeff Hansen
1941 6019S Sixty Special
1942 7533 Imperial Sedan

wheikkila


Jay Friedman

Best to refer to the shop manual or somebody who knows 38-41 column shift linkage better than I do, but I THINK the purpose of John's tool is to clamp together the 2 shift levers coming out of the steering column under the hood, when they are both in neutral, to facilitate doing the adjustment.  You might be able to fabricate a tool to do this yourself.

Beginning in '42 these parts are different and the adjustment is done differently.
1949 Cadillac 6107 Club Coupe
1932 Ford V8 Phaeton (restored, not a rod).  Sold
Decatur, Georgia
CLC # 3210, since 1984
"If it won't work, get a bigger hammer."

wheikkila

I have the manual. I tied the two linkages together in neutral. Over all it works great. Before I rebuilt everything I had a hard time shifting from one lever to the other. But, the transmission never jumped out of gear. Now that I rebuilt it. It jumps out.
            Thanks Wayne 

Tom Beaver

When you say it jumps out of third gear, does it do so when cruseing or accelerating or decelerating?  When the transmission is in third gear the output shaft is directly coupled with the input shaft and all of the other gears are bypassed.  However any missalignment between the input shaft and the engine crankshaft will cause the input shaft to wobble and this in turn causes the syncronizer, the part that connects the input shaft to the output shaft, to back out, breaking the connection. This seems to occur most readily on deceleration.  You need to make sure that when the transmission was put back in the car that input shaft bearing properly seated with the alignment recess in the bell housing.  The bearing does not stick out very far so if the gasket is not the correct thickness the transmission may never register with the recess in the bell housing.  Also if the gasket slips during the installation you can tighten the transmission mounting bolts down with the transmission missaligned.  I always glue the gasket to the front of the transmission so that it won't slip and you can also verify that the thickness won't interfer with transmission/bell housing registration.     

Your problem can also occur if the brass button inside the transmission on the second/third shift lever is badly worn so that the syncronizer will not be properly seated when you shift into third.  If the transmission was rebuilt I assume that the brass button is in good shape.  Also, if the shift linkage to the second/third shift lever is too short it can prevent the syncronizer from seating as well.  You can check this by putting the gear shift lever in the car into third and then crawl under the car, remove the cotter pin from the second/third shit lever and see if the lever can be moved further.  If so, adjust the clevis so that the throw is correct.

Tom Beaver

wheikkila

It jumps out of third gear on decelerating. The first thing i'm going to check is to make sure it is going all the way into gear. Thanks for the advice.
                  Thanks Wayne
                   

wheikkila

Good Evening
Well I'm needing some help. I readjusted the shifter. It didn't change a thing. The warmer the car gets. the more it jumps out of gear. I will be pulling the transmission back out. I'm going to replace the synchronizers. I will be checking everything over. How do I know if the gasket is correct? When I mated the transmission top the bellhousing. I used alignment pins. And the transmission slid up tight to the bell housing. So I'm not sure how I'm going to check the clearances. But I will have to do something. I will be happy to lesson to any advice.
                 Thanks Wayne         

Tom Beaver

The mounting bolt holes in the transmission case are a bit larger than the mounting bolts which allows the transmission to be shifted a bit to allow for manufacturing uncertainties.  The transmission is aligned by the input shaft bearing outside diameter and the machined recess in the bell housing into which it fits.  The input shaft bearing protrudes from the front of the transmission by something like a sixteenth of an inch.  The OEM transmission gasket is quite thin something less than 0.030 in.  So if you take your gasket and place it on the front of the transmission it would be very evident whether there is enough of the input shaft bearing protruding past the gasket to engage the bell housing.  Once you have the transmission in the car and seated up against the bell housing try pushing it up/down sideways and rotating it a little bit to get a feel that it is indeed seated properly.  Also, is the bell housing you have the one that came with the engine?  A different bell housing, especially from a different year may not line up exactly right, I've had that happen before.

Tom Beaver

wheikkila

Hi Tom
It is the original bell housing and transmission to the car. I'm currently moving into a shop closer to home. Once that is done I will mess with the transmission. I ordered an extra gasket set. So I will take a measurement.  But it sounds like good advice.
                   Thanks Wayne

wheikkila

I have one more question. The cone is very tight in the bellhousing. Is this correct?
            Thanks Wayne 

Bob Schuman

Wayne,
If you find your trouble is a broken shifter shoe, I can furnish a drawing with dimensions for machining a new one. No longer have any spare shoes. though. If that is the problem, I think it can be seen with the transmission in the car by removing the bottom cover.
Bob Schuman, CLC#254
2017 CT6-unsatisfactory (repurchased by GM)
2023 XT5

Cadillacdieter

I'm having trouble getting my 39 to shift right as well. Is anyone selling or loaning out the j-1204 tool?

toybox

   Wayne, The reason for your jumping out of gear is more then likely your not going completely into gear. If you shifting pattern is better now I would make adjustments so you shift further into first and third both as that will keep the neutral slot in alignment. I wish I was closer as I would help you with this as I have set up both stock and custom made linkages for many people over the years.  Hope this makes sense to you as I can visualize it but don't always explain it very well, Tim

wheikkila

Hi Tim
Thanks for the offer. It is not going all the way into third. Even if I disconnect the shifter. When the weather warms up here. I'm going to pull the transmission. I ordered new Syros to replace the new ones I installed. If the weather will cooperate hopefully I can have it done this week. We will see. If not there is next week.
                                      Thanks Wayne   

wheikkila

Good evening
Well I have an update on my transmission. I replaced the new syros with more new ones. I installed the transmission today. One thing I did find was the front bearing retainer was jammed in the bell housing. I had to pry it out with a prybar. I know when I took it apart 3 years ago the retainer fell out on it's own. Now I can move the retainer. I won't have time to finish putting everything together for a 2 weeks. But I hope there is light at the end of the tunnel.
                             Thanks Wayne   

toybox

  Hi Wayne, Before you put the transmission back in the car look at your pilot bearing. If it's worn or sloppy it can cause the same problems you are having. Don't ask me how I know, it wasn't pretty .   Tim

wheikkila

I replaced it when I rebuilt the engine. But, it is always something to keep in mind.
                Thanks Wayne