I just put in a new clutch. I tried, and all I can shift into is 1st and rev. I haven't actually started the car yet. But, shouldn't I be able to shift through the rest of the gears? Any ideas on what I did wrong?

Yea your linkage is out of whack
Get back under there and re-check the cone screws. probably not rotating the shaft enough to get into the other gates.

Tried that. Cone screws seated, linkage OK. Gears still seem to be unavailable. But, I will try again, thanks. Anyone else have a clue?

How are your bushings? Side or tail shift?

Bushings replaced. '73 2.0

cant shift into other gears standing still or while moving?

probably needs a clutch adjustment if standing still. and linkage is adjusted correctly.

does the clutch catch at the end of the throw or closer to the floorboard?

Standing still. Haven't put the muffler on yet. Clutch is adjusted for end play. Still, I should be able to find 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th without it running, correct?

Correct, you should.

Are you certain that it's only 1st/rev that you're finding?

Did you disturb any bushings while you were disassembling or reassembling the linkage?

Can you unhook the shift rod head from the gear selector on the transmission, and move that by hand to select gears?

--DD

I tried that, can't seem to select anything manually from the linkage except 1st and rev. either. That's why I'm thinking that I must have disturbed something in the transmission. In which case, I'm rather lost on correcting the problem.

If you can't move the gear selector in or out of the transmission housing at all, then there's something inside the transmission preventing you from moving it like that. Assuming that you've unhooked everything from the outside end of the selector, that is.

Probably some kind of misalignment of the shift forks. I believe that James "red beard"'s tech article covers this, along with the rest of the transmission rebuild procedure.
http://home.san.rr.com/pb914/

You can probably deal with this just by pulling off the side-shift console and mucking about inside the case through that hole. Though if it won't come off, then you may have to take the gear stack and such out.

--DD

before pulling apart the tranny, i'd disconnect the linkage and shift it at the tranny. then, while turning the wheels, try and shift into other gears... =-)
now that i'm no longer a shifter linkage virgin, i know that it's got to be pretty close or it just won't shift.

i hope it's just the linkage........ =-)

Well I was just going for the easy stuff 1st. Screwing up the 3 shift fork linkages without going into the trans is pretty difficult.

I agree with Roger and others. disconnect the shift rod and then grab the shifter at the trans shift console. get into nuetral. should be able to push in and pull all the way out with a mid ground being 2-3 gear.

If you can get them there then it's the rod up the the shift handlein the car.

If you can't move the shifter at the transmission shift console you need to drain the trans and pull the shift console out.
Look inside and you can see the 3 shift fork rods all lined up when in nuetral.

if not you need to pul the rear cover and gear stack and un do what ever is Effed up.

Thanks, I forgot to mention that I first replaced the first gear syncro, before pulling the transmission. The intermediate plate did move about a quarter inch while removing the rear cover. This was unavoidable. Rear cover was stuck tight, intermediate plate gasket was dry and moved easily. Probably is a misaligned shift fork rod. I'll look into it.

Thats a big "I forgot to mention", I could not figure out what you could have done

replacing the clutch that would cause that problem other than linkage. Short of

dropping it off a 6 foot rack.

So, you think I should check the shift forks? I don't know why replacing the first gear syncro would have caused the problem. They don't mention anything in Pelican Parts technical section about this problem.

Ya, a BIG forgot to mention. You misalligned the shift comb. Drain it, have it in neutral, remove the side shift console and see if you can get the unit out. If so then you are looking good and you can then check to make sure all of your gears are infact IN neutral and not all goofed. If all are in neutral you can install the console and reconnect everything.

No biggie probably, just time.

Thanks, doesn't sound too difficult. At least I dont have to unbolt the CV joints, and take the transmission out again. If they aren't in neutral? Just push them into the correct position?

We are a bunch of "been there and done that's". But I can't see much way around not pulling the entire gear stack.

Sorta figured something else was afoot.

OK I got it. I was taking apart the 1st gear synchro in my head. (scary)
So to take 1st gear off you have to remove the shift fork.... Ya may not have gotten that bugger back on right. So if you get lucky you can remove the side shift console and see the out of alignment of the 1st gear "comb"? There is an opportunity to get it all together and not be lined up exactly.
Well at least you didn't get the muffler back on yet.

Sounds like when you re-installed the 1st/rev shift fork you got it mis-aligned. You will have to pull the end cover off too along with the shift console to align the shift forks. The forks are aligned in neutral and set closely together so the shift rod can easily slide between them without hitting another fork.

It might be easier if you pulled the whole stack but I would try first to just re-align 1st/rev by loosening the bolt at the shift fork/slider and reset it by rotating it to align it at the shiftforks, looking at them thru the shiftconsole hole. The manual has a measurement for inbetween them and they must all be set even in neutral.

see page

Could be. But, in trying to remove the shift console, I find it will not come out. Twisting it does nothing. Definitely some misalignment going on here. I'm suprised Pelicans article makes no mention of this problem. Looks as if I'm going to have to pull the transmission back out and check the first gear shift fork alignment. Because that's not where the trouble is, I'm thinking I'm going to have to pull the whole gear stack and straighten out the problem from there. Unless somebody can give me a better way to realign things without pulling the stack. I think I now understand, if I misaligned the first gear shift fork, the other shift forks are now out of alignment. Since I did not change them, the only misalignment should be in the first gear shift fork, correct? If so, I could fix the problem by pulling the rear cover only, which means I wouldn't have to pull the whole tranny back out again, right?

BTDT

Just drain the oil, pull the rear cover and loosen the 1st gear shift fork. Then the shift console should pull out with you messing with the now lose 1st gear shift rod.

Look at the page from the manual and set the alignment for the forks and reinstall everything, then test the gears shifting thru them before adding the oil back in.