1st Gear Difficult to Engage Options

[jkb944t]

I have had a problem with engaging 1st gear ever since I have had this 914. I have already done all the bushings and rebuilt the transmission. I can easily engage all the other gears including reverse.

I really have to pull hard to the left and down to actually engage 1st gear. It feels like a linkage issue but reverse is very easy to engage so I am not sure that is the case.

Does this just sound like a basic linkage adjustment issue? Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated.

Jeff B

[toolguy]

If you are still rolling a little, does it go in 1st OK ? only difficult when at a dead stop?
Tail shift or side shifter ?

[dr914@autoatlanta.com]

the 901 style gearbox is notorious of being hard to pull into first at various times when the car is not moving even when in perfect condition. One may have to shift into another gear , and then go back into first or actually put in another gear move the car a bit forward or backward and then go into first.
It is when the transmission grinds going into first (but not reverse) or pops out that first gear is bad

I have had a problem with engaging 1st gear ever since I have had this 914. I have already done all the bushings and rebuilt the transmission. I can easily engage all the other gears including reverse.

I really have to pull hard to the left and down to actually engage 1st gear. It feels like a linkage issue but reverse is very easy to engage so I am not sure that is the case.

Does this just sound like a basic linkage adjustment issue? Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated.

Jeff B

[gereed75]

one last suggestion - You may be hitting the end of the gear shift lever travel before the trans is completely engaged. The fix is to loosen the connection just behind the gear selector on the shift shaft. Shorten the shaft a bit and then retighten the coupler. This will give you a bit more pull on the shaft and thus a bit more travel on the actual gear selector back in the selector console before the shift lever travel hits the stops.

Worth a try.

[burton73]

If the car is in neutral, I always put the car in second first then 1st. No problems. All cars 911 or 914

Bob B

[pete000]

Both my 914s are fussy going into first when stopped. I just make it a habit to get it in first before the wheels stop moving.

[jkb944t]

If you are still rolling a little, does it go in 1st OK ? only difficult when at a dead stop?
Tail shift or side shifter ?

It is a 1973 side shifting transmission. Shifting into second gear then back to first doesn’t seem to help since it doesn’t feel llike a synchro issue.

Jeff B

[jkb944t]

one last suggestion - You may be hitting the end of the gear shift lever travel before the trans is completely engaged. The fix is to loosen the connection just behind the gear selector on the shift shaft. Shorten the shaft a bit and then retighten the coupler. This will give you a bit more pull on the shaft and thus a bit more travel on the actual gear selector back in the selector console before the shift lever travel hits the stops.

Worth a try.

This suggestion makes sense to me since it does feel like the linkage is binding. I will give your suggestion a try this weekend.

Jeff B

[djway]

I have owned many an aircooled that had this problem
Every single one was a clutch cable tube that had one or more mounting points that were broken.
I just repaired my current 914 recently and it goes into 1st now no problem

[Lucky9146]

I have had a problem with engaging 1st gear ever since I have had this 914. I have already done all the bushings and rebuilt the transmission. I can easily engage all the other gears including reverse.

I really have to pull hard to the left and down to actually engage 1st gear. It feels like a linkage issue but reverse is very easy to engage so I am not sure that is the case.

Does this just sound like a basic linkage adjustment issue? Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated.

Jeff B

Glad you posted this thread as I experience the same issue with first. I am very interested in all the comments and information that have come out. I am embarking on a 915 trans swap for my car but will be living with the 901 for some time till I get things ready. Hope you get yours sorted. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/white914.jpg)

[Dr Evil]

Man I chase this issue for customers, often. On rare occasions this happens with a rebuild, too. While it is often endemic of the 901 box, there are things that can be done with time and effort, if all externals are 100%. However, ass mentioned above, there are external issues that are often overlooked. The tube is a big one. First does not take kindly to poorly adjusted clutch cables, things in the tunnel hitting the shifter, poor adjustment, bushings, etc. IN the end, the only thing internally to do is change the teeth/band/break bands/blocks/slider and hope for the best. I can often find a less stiff or more stiff band to change this condition depending on the condition of the one that came out of the box. Its a read and react scenario at that point.

[Dr Evil]

Some further internal mechanics to consider that can cause this issue.

When you select 1st (or any gear) you push the slider onto the synchro band. The synchro band compresses just enough to let the slider pop on and engage the "dog teeth". The synchro band rotates a little during this evolution and that is when it pushes on the blocks and break bands inside of the synchro band. These push against the synchro band and cause it to push on the inner surface of the slider where it locks the slider to the synchro band and holds it against the dog teeth.

If the band is worn, the slider does not get smooth engagement with the teeth (grinding) and can pop off of the teeth because the band cant lock it into place (popping out of gear on acceleration).

This is why you need to look at what you have for these parts installed, and using the above understanding you need to select what needs tweaked. Often, I find that bands are too strong so that compressing them with the slider is difficult. The opposite yields the same issue, though, in that the band is too loose and rotates too easily so it energizes all of the break bands and blocks inside thus keeping the band too rigid and making the slider very difficult to force on.

What is interesting is that 1 and R are on the same slider, and 2 is not. So, putting it in 2nd indicates that there is likely external issues at play; clutch drag, shifter alignment, etc.

[VaccaRabite]

Usually going into first is not an issue for me.
Like others have said though, when it is I can either shift into second and then into first or release and repress the clutch to get first to engage. for the most part though, first will engage with a nice, confident "thunk."

Zach

[Dr Evil]

Usually going into first is not an issue for me.
Like others have said though, when it is I can either shift into second and then into first or release and repress the clutch to get first to engage. for the most part though, first will engage with a nice, confident "thunk."

Zach

Wow, who built your transmission?? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[914Toy]

Some further internal mechanics to consider that can cause this issue.

When you select 1st (or any gear) you push the slider onto the synchro band. The synchro band compresses just enough to let the slider pop on and engage the "dog teeth". The synchro band rotates a little during this evolution and that is when it pushes on the blocks and break bands inside of the synchro band. These push against the synchro band and cause it to push on the inner surface of the slider where it locks the slider to the synchro band and holds it against the dog teeth.

If the band is worn, the slider does not get smooth engagement with the teeth (grinding) and can pop off of the teeth because the band cant lock it into place (popping out of gear on acceleration).

This is why you need to look at what you have for these parts installed, and using the above understanding you need to select what needs tweaked. Often, I find that bands are too strong so that compressing them with the slider is difficult. The opposite yields the same issue, though, in that the band is too loose and rotates too easily so it energizes all of the break bands and blocks inside thus keeping the band too rigid and making the slider very difficult to force on.

With a professionally rebuilt 901 with side shift, I have difficulty getting into second with car stationary, but easy into second if the car is moving forward even at a slow rate. You and I concluded earlier that I probably have a too rigid band. Can I expect this too rigid band to become less rigid with more miles?

What is interesting is that 1 and R are on the same slider, and 2 is not. So, putting it in 2nd indicates that there is likely external issues at play; clutch drag, shifter alignment, etc.

[914Toy]

Hmmm - my message did not attach?

Will send again.

[914Toy]

Does the passage of time and miles reduce this band stiffness

[jkb944t]

Wow, what a wealth of information! Thanks! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

I already reinforced the clutch tube so I sure hope it is still good but I will check. Since reverse is very easily engaged I think that would rule out the clutch since it would affect both 1st and reverse.

To clarify, when I engage 1st it never grinds it just binds (like it is blocked) if I don't pull very hard to the left and pull down hard on the shifter. This most likely does point to a shifter adjustment although I thought I did it right.

Jeff B

[djway]

Wow, what a wealth of information! Thanks! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

I already reinforced the clutch tube so I sure hope it is still good but I will check. Since reverse is very easily engaged I think that would rule out the clutch since it would affect both 1st and reverse.

To clarify, when I engage 1st it never grinds it just binds (like it is blocked) if I don't pull very hard to the left and pull down hard on the shifter. This most likely does point to a shifter adjustment although I thought I did it right.

Jeff B

One clue as to the cause either being the transmission or the clutch cable tube system would be, how far off the floor does the clutch pedal rise before the club starts to engage?

[Dr Evil]

Wow, what a wealth of information! Thanks! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

I already reinforced the clutch tube so I sure hope it is still good but I will check. Since reverse is very easily engaged I think that would rule out the clutch since it would affect both 1st and reverse.

To clarify, when I engage 1st it never grinds it just binds (like it is blocked) if I don't pull very hard to the left and pull down hard on the shifter. This most likely does point to a shifter adjustment although I thought I did it right.

Jeff B

One clue as to the cause either being the transmission or the clutch cable tube system would be, how far off the floor does the clutch pedal rise before the club starts to engage?

To illustrate this, check my sig below to download my 31 pages of notes as it goes over adjustment and symptoms.