The Ford Barn

Forker · 04-01-2013, 09:56 PM

Went for a long drive today taking advantage of our 80 degree weather here in Texas. The car drove great most of the time, but occasionally didn't want to shift into 2nd gear for some reason. Double clutching helped once in a while, but not always. Seemed I had to slow down and start from 1st again to be able to get it into 2nd, even though it seemed to refuse to go into second from 1st initially. And on a rare occasion I even had to struggle to get into 3rd. This wasn't a constant problem, just an occasional one...any ideas what the problem might be?
Thanks
george

tiquer · 04-01-2013, 10:05 PM

No syncromesh in Model A trans. You must double clutch up shifting and down always

Milton · 04-01-2013, 10:32 PM

Check the ball on the bottom of the shift lever. When it wears down to a square shape the lever will hang up when shifting. The cure is to weld it up and grind it back to round.

Forker · 04-01-2013, 10:33 PM

Thanks, I will chjeck that out.

BILL WILLIAMSON · 04-02-2013, 12:04 AM

Sometimes if the shift rail detents are quite "crisp" you might need to "slap" it with an open palm into the next gear. Are your shift rails new? Bill W.

pat in Santa Cruz · 04-02-2013, 12:20 AM

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how is the oil level?

swo4rd · 04-02-2013, 12:55 AM

Ah, the famous Model A "second and a half"...double clutch heartily...

Forker · 04-02-2013, 09:02 AM

Lots of good questions that I don't yet have the answer for, but met someone with a well equiped personal garage and I can get her up on a lift and check things out.
Thanks for the suggestions
george

kp · 04-02-2013, 12:56 PM

If I shift out of First too fast it sometimes has to be returned to first then brought out slower, else it tends to stay in first,also slower shifting is the key ,I think, to not Scratchin the gears and shift out before reachin to much speed .This is shifting up ,shifting down requires double clutch and revin the engine in neutral with clutch pedal not engaged or "out". Just my opinion .

Donvito · 04-02-2013, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forker

Lots of good questions that I don't yet have the answer for, but met someone with a well equiped personal garage and I can get her up on a lift and check things out.
Thanks for the suggestions
george

I like to work on my transmission with the floorboards out. It makes it easy to put the grease in. I recently drained my transmission and added new 600w grease to it. I did it on the floor in my garage.

BILL WILLIAMSON · 04-03-2013, 04:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donvito

I like to work on my transmission with the floorboards out. It makes it easy to put the grease in. I recently drained my transmission and added new 600w grease to it. I did it on the floor in my garage.

Don, there's an advantage of me bein' a skinny RUNT, I can go all over under Vermin, without a jack or stands, and get FREE Dog slurpies! (YUK!) Bill W.

Brentwood Bob · 04-03-2013, 01:08 PM

A precaution. Never start up the car with the top of the transmission removed. Oil goes everywhere. The main shaft will spin in neutral.
Bob

newshirt · 04-03-2013, 01:43 PM

Shifting from 1st to 2nd within the first twenty feet of travel makes it much smoother.

Forker · 04-03-2013, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Shifting from 1st to 2nd within the first twenty feet of travel makes it much smoother.

I've probably been winding out 1st gear to far, thanks
george

newshirt · 04-03-2013, 02:31 PM

Sometimes I even try to shift from 1st to 2nd within ten feet of travel. It usually ends up farther. But still, up-shifting during low rpm's is the key.

Donvito · 04-03-2013, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BILL WILLIAMSON

Don, there's an advantage of me bein' a skinny RUNT, I can go all over under Vermin, without a jack or stands, and get FREE Dog slurpies! (YUK!) Bill W.

Bill, I was skinny in the first part of my life. I know what you mean. Now I'm 52, 5'10", and 180 pounds. I still fit into most places, and my long skinny arms go where others can not. Back to that transmission...I use an empty quart squirt bottle that 90 weight comes in. I measure the 600W and pour it into the squirt bottle with a funnel. Then it goes right into the transmission with no mess.
Mike

jkeesey · 04-03-2013, 03:35 PM

Brentwood Bob, it sounds like you've learned this through experience.

Duffy1 · 04-03-2013, 03:49 PM

I guess no one read the thread about lugging your engine. Kind of between a rock and a hard spot . Shift at optimum rpms but can not get it in second gear. Sounds like a problem with the transmission .

29ModelA · 04-03-2013, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tiquer

No syncromesh in Model A trans. You must double clutch up shifting and down always

According to the manual you don't have to on upshifts, and on my car I only 'might' need to double clutch on a downshift most of the time if my speeds are right it slides in.

Lycoming-8 · 04-04-2013, 12:02 AM

I would second the comment that you do not need to double clutch when up-shifting. In fact it can be counter productive, especially when going up hill. Drove our 1929 business coupe as my daily driver during four years of college in a very hilly city and never once double clutched during an up-shift. On the other hand was very familiar with that procedure on down-shifting, especially when transitioning from a high speed 4-lane road to 2-lane side streets.

04-01-2013, 09:56 PM	#1
Forker Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: East Texas Posts: 150	Shifting Went for a long drive today taking advantage of our 80 degree weather here in Texas. The car drove great most of the time, but occasionally didn't want to shift into 2nd gear for some reason. Double clutching helped once in a while, but not always. Seemed I had to slow down and start from 1st again to be able to get it into 2nd, even though it seemed to refuse to go into second from 1st initially. And on a rare occasion I even had to struggle to get into 3rd. This wasn't a constant problem, just an occasional one...any ideas what the problem might be? Thanks george

04-01-2013, 10:05 PM	#2
tiquer Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Kamloops B.C. Posts: 392	Re: Shifting No syncromesh in Model A trans. You must double clutch up shifting and down always

04-01-2013, 10:32 PM	#3
Milton Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 837	Re: Shifting Check the ball on the bottom of the shift lever. When it wears down to a square shape the lever will hang up when shifting. The cure is to weld it up and grind it back to round.

04-01-2013, 10:33 PM	#4
Forker Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: East Texas Posts: 150	Re: Shifting Thanks, I will chjeck that out.

04-02-2013, 12:04 AM	#5
BILL WILLIAMSON Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: FRESNO, CA Posts: 12,560	Re: Shifting Sometimes if the shift rail detents are quite "crisp" you might need to "slap" it with an open palm into the next gear. Are your shift rails new? Bill W. __________________ "THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"

04-02-2013, 12:20 AM	#6
pat in Santa Cruz Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: santa cruz, calif Posts: 2,011	Re: Shifting Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) how is the oil level?

04-02-2013, 12:55 AM	#7
swo4rd Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Charlottesville, Virginia Posts: 364	Re: Shifting Ah, the famous Model A "second and a half"...double clutch heartily...

04-02-2013, 09:02 AM	#8
Forker Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: East Texas Posts: 150	Re: Shifting Lots of good questions that I don't yet have the answer for, but met someone with a well equiped personal garage and I can get her up on a lift and check things out. Thanks for the suggestions george

04-02-2013, 12:56 PM	#9
kp Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Wimberley ,Tx. Posts: 232	Re: Shifting If I shift out of First too fast it sometimes has to be returned to first then brought out slower, else it tends to stay in first,also slower shifting is the key ,I think, to not Scratchin the gears and shift out before reachin to much speed .This is shifting up ,shifting down requires double clutch and revin the engine in neutral with clutch pedal not engaged or "out". Just my opinion .

04-03-2013, 01:08 PM	#12
Brentwood Bob Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: brentwood, ca Posts: 4,244	Re: Shifting A precaution. Never start up the car with the top of the transmission removed. Oil goes everywhere. The main shaft will spin in neutral. Bob

04-03-2013, 01:43 PM	#13
newshirt Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 868	Re: Shifting Shifting from 1st to 2nd within the first twenty feet of travel makes it much smoother. __________________ Ray White

04-03-2013, 02:31 PM	#15
newshirt Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 868	Re: Shifting Sometimes I even try to shift from 1st to 2nd within ten feet of travel. It usually ends up farther. But still, up-shifting during low rpm's is the key. __________________ Ray White

04-03-2013, 03:35 PM	#17
jkeesey Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Glenmoore Pa Posts: 1,644	Re: Shifting Brentwood Bob, it sounds like you've learned this through experience.

04-03-2013, 03:49 PM	#18
Duffy1 Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Mo. City , Texas Posts: 725	Re: Shifting I guess no one read the thread about lugging your engine. Kind of between a rock and a hard spot . Shift at optimum rpms but can not get it in second gear. Sounds like a problem with the transmission .

04-04-2013, 12:02 AM	#20
Lycoming-8 Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 76	Re: Shifting I would second the comment that you do not need to double clutch when up-shifting. In fact it can be counter productive, especially when going up hill. Drove our 1929 business coupe as my daily driver during four years of college in a very hilly city and never once double clutched during an up-shift. On the other hand was very familiar with that procedure on down-shifting, especially when transitioning from a high speed 4-lane road to 2-lane side streets.