Alfa Romeo Forums banner

BAM!!! then no 1st gear

1K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  John533i 
#1 ·
My 88 Graduate had just been cleaned, it was a beautiful Fla Spring Sat, and time for a long overdue stroll. 20 minutes later while slowing to traffic, I was downshifting out of 2nd and into 1st when one big horrible noise occurred. Now the shifter refuses to go to 1st, 2-4 are fine, did not try 5th or reverse as I prayed my way home. Unknowns abound, 1st, 2nd and reverse syncros were already worn, and I have never done a clutch job so its probably time for everything. The old back is far too crunchy itself for me too tackle. Understanding that you don't know till inside, whats a reasonable expectation to R&R with those new parts?
 
#2 ·
The way you describe the problem, the 1st gear synchro ring could have broke. It won't allow the slider to move over the ring and into the gear slots to mesh.

It might be possible that some one here on the BB has a rebuilt trans for you. I would guess to do a complete rebuild will run you about a grand just for parts. VicksAuto has rebuilts. (transmission)
 
#3 ·
Christopher is probably right. I've seen this before but its usually 2nd gear that does it. What happens is each time you grind the gear it wears the engagement teeth down on the gear. Once they get worn down far enough it will throw the synro ring out. When this happens you will need not only the usual rebuild parts but also collar. As the 3 flats get broken when the teeth break off and the ring fly's out. The reason it won't go into first is the ring is still partially in the gear and the rest is sticking out preventing the synco slider from engaging the gear. But with out the synro ring you wouldn't be able to hold it in gear anyways.

I do rebuild these trans for a fair price plus parts. I also have a lot of good used spares for them. Send me a PM if your interested.
 
#5 ·
The little bolts holding a shift fork in position on a gear selector shaft have been known to break. If the bolt on one shaft fractures, a different fork / shaft combination will still function (ask me how I know).
 
#6 · (Edited)
sorry guys I have yet to start into it...in Fla its almost getting too hot to drive...90'F here today.
I just finally called the local Alfa shop and left a message as this is my first week not traveling for business.. I am nervous about driving it at all now to take it to them as the tranny was warmed up when I limped ( more or less) home and would be obviously be cold if I drive it to the shop.
cone driver are the shift forks inside or outside the tranny? That would be a wonderful find if outside!

Never mind, I searched up a recent rebuilt on the site and as I thought ( but not hoped) the fork in question are internal :-(
 
#7 ·
The shift forks and rods are inside the transmission. My last experience with a broken fork locating bolt had the bolt head get stuck between a gear and the transmission case; resulting in a bent shift rod needing replacement. I would suggest not driving the car.
 
#8 ·
I think that when someone opens up the xmission, they will find issues related to 1st gear and maybe 2nd (two syncros and maybe 1st gear?). That's not going to cost a grand in parts alone. It would be worth your time to replace input and output shaft bearings though. The chowderhead 'factory trained' butthead that rebuilt mine just replaced 2nd syncro and swapped others around and called it good. Now I have a noisy input shaft bearing at idle and 1st needs a lot of time to shift into...
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top