Removing rear cover when trans is jammed?

B-One-RD · #1 (**permalink**) 06-10-2008, 07:49 AM

I have a Spider 5 speed on the bench. The gearshift moves easily back and forth as if it is in neutral but will not go into any gear. Both the output shaft and input shaft will rotate freely about a 1/2 turn independently, but then they stop hard, so it is not in neutral, nor is it in any gear. So apparently the transmission is jammed somehow. I do not have the history of the trans, so I don't know how it happened. My issue is that I won't be able to get it into 3rd gear in order to remove the rear cover, as the manual instructs. I didn't want to try pulling the cover until asking if anyone knows whether there is something I should or should not be doing to open it up. Any ideas? Thanks in advance!!

Joe Papa Sr · #2 (**permalink**) 06-13-2008, 04:20 PM

Man, thats a tough one. Yeah you probably need to for sure, get it into 3rd to get out, UNLESS, if I remember correctly, you remove the 2 breather screens , one on each side of tower, just beside base of shifter, and then, remove the shifter (may need to unbolt more bolts, not sure). I may be wrong on this, as I just did that exact thing about 2 months ago, but going by memory......

B-One-RD · #3 (**permalink**) 06-13-2008, 05:13 PM

The manual says to use the shifter to get third, then remove it. But that gives me an idea - the jam might be in the shifter, so if I take the screen covers off and mess with it I might be able to get third. No one else replied so tomorrow morning I'll give a try. Thanks!

Joe Papa Sr · #4 (**permalink**) 06-13-2008, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B-One-RD

The manual says to use the shifter to get third, then remove it. But that gives me an idea - the jam might be in the shifter, so if I take the screen covers off and mess with it I might be able to get third. No one else replied so tomorrow morning I'll give a try. Thanks!

**101/105guy** · #5 (**permalink**) 07-06-2008, 04:33 PM

You guys seem to know your way around a 105 trans....
Molly 105 box opened up and new parts installed, but I would like to know if this is right before I button it up.
Can you tell me if it is normal for new syncros to drag on the gears when the main shaft is rotated? Just put new rings and slider on 1st and 2nd. When I rotate the main shaft in the case, both of the quadrant pieces for 1 & 2 seem to be slightly engaging. 3 & 4 do not move.

B-One-RD · #6 (**permalink**) 07-28-2008, 10:04 AM

Sorry about the long delay - took me awhile to get back to this project. Upon removing the breather screen assemblies on the rear cover I found that the shifter stub then moved around freely (I did not remove the cap so the stub stayed in). I was thus able to remove the rear cover by jiggling the shifter stub around in order to disengage it from the shift rod ends as I removed the cover, even though I was unable to get it into 3rd gear.

Upon opening it up, I discovered that the jam discussed above was caused by bits of broken 3rd gear dog teeth sitting in a couple of the main and layshaft gears here and there. The trans had been shipped to me in a crate but had apparently been turned upside down and every which way, leading to a redistribution of the tooth bits throughout the trans. Most of the fluid had leaked out so jiggling and messing with the trans did not dislodge the tooth bits. Once the case was opened, I simply wiped the bits out from the gears and everything turns and shifts freely now.