engine and drivetrain Pops Out Of First Gear

[radio9phs]

My 1976 has a Getrag 245 5 speed with a new IE short shifter platform.  I swapped in the transmission and shifter this past winter.  (Regret not having the transmission overhauled prior to installation).  Recently the car has been popping out of first gear when starting from a stop, otherwise shifts well enough and remains in other gears.  The entire gear pattern as perceived by the axis of the shift lever seems tilted to the right/passenger side.

 

I am thinking about replacing/adjusting motor mounts and trying to "twist" the drive train including adjusting the transmission mount toward the driver as a possible solution for  the "popping out of first" problem.   Will make sure I still have a straight shot down the drive shaft and center bearing.

 

Ideas?

Suggestions?

 

Thanks.

[knoxgeeks]

I used to work for an aftermarket transmission manufacturer and we'd occasionally see stuff like this. Just for giggles, try driving with the shift boot off and see if the problem improves. Also, since you've installed a short shift kit, make sure nothing is binding underneath. Does the new kit let the shift lever sit significantly lower than stock?

[MikeD]

+1 on the shift boot experiment.  That is exactly what happened to me.  Once the new rubber shift boot was removed it stopped popping out of gear.  I replaced the rubber boot with a soft leather one.  Problem gone.

[eurotrash]

+1 with Mike D.   and if its tilted, don't rule out the fact that mounting bolts can back out..  ask me how I know. 

My shift boot is all cut up from trying to get into reverse..

[jgerock]

+ xxx  on the shift boot.  After I installed a new square type boot in my car, it popped out of 4th gear so I put the old "witches hat" one back on (but have a good old flex boot purchased from a FAQ'r).   There IS a huge difference in the new ones versus the older ones.

[radio9phs]

No binding of shifter elements. I replaced my motor mounts and added the missing stopper for the right mount. Car still popped out of first. Tried driving with the fairly new square rubber shifter boot off. Still popped out of first. Tonight I rechecked the drive shaft alignment. It was aligned vertically, but a bit off axis horizontally. I coaxed the transmission laterally and improved the horizontal alignment. Test drive did not experience any popping out of first! I wonder if the lateral displacement of the transmission (about 1 cm) was enough to generate some off axis forces with the shifter and caused the problem.

Will need to drive some more to know for sure. If I can't remedy this issue, I will likely try to get a different five speed and try it out.

[Simeon]

Does it pop out under steady load or when you let up on the throttle slightly or drop the clutch?

[radio9phs]

Seems to pop out under load within a second or so after starting up from a dead stop. I am thinking that in the process of moving the transmission more to the middle of the tunnel and improving the horizontal alignment of the driveshaft, that I also improved the alignment of the shifter mechanism in relation to the tunnel and back end of the transmission.

[Tommy]

It may be just the shifter mechanism. I have had similar problem when the linkage was just about to break (bent already) in my racecar. It was jumping out from 4th, I think, otherwise working just fine. I though I lost the gearbox but luckily it was easy fix.

 

  Tommy

Edited July 31, 2013 by Tommy