[RandallM]

Recently replaced the clutch, slave, a Spurell flex disk, motor and transmission mounts. The tranny will not stay in reverse. With the car in the air on the jack points shifts fine. on the ground will not stay in reverse.

BTW the other five gears work fine.

Any ideas???

 

[Farace]

The first thing to check is whether the lever is hitting the edge of the console. This is pretty common, and only requires adjusting either how the lever is mounted on the tranny stud, or the position of the console.

 

[Kipp]

Ok, I have to ask, could the console be keeping it from going into gear?

 

[RandallM]

Okay. I forgot there is no console in the car.

 

[Aggie57]

Still sounds like something external to the box is interferring with the lever. If there was an internal problem you'd expect the issue to be present before the work as well.

 

[Autrey]

I have seen this problem covered thoroughly in other threads. A common solution seems to be renewing the transmission mount. I have the problem on my '85 Graduate. I just checked the mount and it is indeed bad. The cars is still on the stands waiting for the part. It was >$25 with shipping from IAP.

LOL

Neil

 

[RandallM]

NO! NO! NO! It's not a mount or console issue.

It's a binding issue maybe at the output of the transmission. When the car is on the jack points it shifts. When sitting on the wheels it binds and does not go into reverse. I also added a Spurell economy flex disk anyone have a problem with one?

 

[Gubi]

Looking at it logically I can't see how any binding at the output shaft could affect the shifting. On any car when the car's sitting still the output shaft is "locked" by the rear wheels and you can still shift into reverse no problem.

Your jackstand test sure makes it sound like a body/shifter/transmission alignment issue to me. The console may be out, but have you double-checked under the big rubber boot whether the shifter has clearance relative to the opening in the sheet metal?

 

[Alfar7]

Problem?

Spurell economy flex disk anyone have a problem with one

I guess the next thing will be your radio not working

 

[head gasket]

There is a little reverse gear lockout mechanism in the transmission that sometimes fails. It's designed to keep the driver from shifting into Reverse on the fly but sometimes it jambs shut. When it did so on my alfa you couldn't shift it all the way into reverse, you had to hold it into reverse or the gearshift lever would pop out.
The manual calls it the "ratchet gear" and the gear selector rod runs through it. If you have the console out it can easily be seen by taking off the bellows and the sliding caps that are on top of the rear cover of the transmission. If it's gummed up pr getting in the way it might be the problem.