<VV> No Reverse Gear

[N. Joseph Potts]

Have you got the DIRECTION of reverse at the transmission correct? When
you're looking toward the back of the car, reverse is found to the extreme
COUNTERCLOCKWISE. Don't use Vise-Grips - they'll score the shaft. Use a #1
Philips-head screwdriver through the hole in the shaft.
     If you can shift the transmission this way, consider the possibility
that the base of your shift lever is in the car (and on the lever)
backwards. If this turns out to be the case (the base is marked with an
arrow or something - consult the Shop Manual), you'll have to remove the
lever/base, take it apart, and assemble it the other way (the way that lets
you shift into reverse).

Joe Potts
Miami, Florida USA
1966 Corsa coupe 140hp 4-speed with A/C

-----Original Message-----
From: virtualvairs-admin@corvair.org
[mailto:virtualvairs-admin@corvair.org]On Behalf Of Brown, Douglas T CIV
NAVAIR DEPT
Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2004 10:14 AM
To: virtualvairs@corvair.org
Subject: <VV> No Reverse Gear


I pulled my 65 out yesterday from where I had backed it in last week and
found I have no reverse.  I had trouble finding reverse when I bought the
car last month and have already gone through the usual adjustments.  The
coupler has minimal play, Clark's bronze bushings were already installed,
and I found one of the set screws missing in the quick-shift extension.
After replacing it, reverse worked...for a while, though still difficult to
get sometimes.

Last night I tried tightening the bolts holding the shifter to the floor,
thinking I may have left them too loose, and it only made everything stiff
and immobile.  So I took it apart and replaced the upper spacer, which was
gone, and used white grease on the upper and lower spacers.  I tightened it
back to where there was no slop but had smooth, easy operation.  I still had
no reverse.  Shifter will not move to the left past the 1-2 side of the
pattern in neutral.

I then disconnected the coupling from the shifter shaft and clamped a
vise-grip on to the shaft.  Even with the linkage disconnected, I cannot get
the shaft to rotate to the position to the left of the "H" pattern where
reverse would be.  I looked in the chassis shop manual and found in the
description of the 4-speed trans that there is a spring loaded plunger that
prevents accidentally shifting into reverse.  There was no further
discussion of this part.  Could this plunger be stuck, not allowing the
shift finger to rotate over to the reverse gate on the 1-2 shift fork?  Or
is something else broken?  Is there a way to check it, and correct it
without removing and disassembling the whole transmission?  Looking for some
sage advice from those who have BTDT.  Thanks.

Toby Brown
San Diego CC
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