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messed up 4-speed - need help

Yaz

Yaz

Big Brother
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68 Camaro Saginaw 4 speed - matching numbers stock trans.

Symptom - When backing up slowly at about 15 feet back the car just stops- feels like it's binding up in reverse. Then when letting the clutch out again it pops and starts to goes back again, then binds up again.It seamed OK driving it but was tight going into gears. In order to get into first I had to let out the cluck a bit and it grind then went in.


As an experiment I tried taking the free play out of the clutch and then adjusted the linkage rods all with the aliment pin. 1-2 rod was a bit long before I started.

* Same symptoms occurred binding up when rolling back. but I did not drive the car just backed it up and drove it back in the garage a few times.

I'm thinking it's a 1-2 clutch fork. because I saw the rod was bit long (two threads off), the only way it could have been out is the fork inside bent or broke or wore thin. Would that explain the binding - first / reverse.

Think my next step is to order new gaskets then pull the side cover and have a look inside.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
Yeah, I'm thinking your old baby is in need of alot of attention. I'm thinking just sell it now to me in "as is" condition and I'll deal with all her problems. Of course I'm thinking it's gotta go cheap...:sifone: with it being so old and all. :D:D
 
My nephew in OR says that all the time. :D

I think I'm keeping it so i can can have a 2009 parked right next to it.:driving:
 
So has anyone ever torn down a saginaw 4 speed?

any special tools needed for the procedure?
 
An SM465 truck transmission is essentailly the same with a few small difference, no specail tools are need just rebuilt mine before I came to Iraq. It is just very top heavy when take it out and putting it in, trans jack is recommended, but not need we just did it with two guy arm power. Those tranny's are very stout I would bet the shift fork just needs replaced mine was bent very bad but shifted fine, but my bearings is where the problem laid on mine very simialy the tranny was loud and seemed to bind. That is my input.
 
They are easy enough to pull out and check. I think it is time for a rebuild, something is floating around that shouldn't be. I just picked up a super t-10 from sleeze bay. In my search I came across more than a few rebuild kits and part suppliers on their.
 
Thanks guys.. Bigblock 88 your fork was bent and still worked! wow I bet mine is bent or worn paper thin.

I check e bay for a gasket set or make my own from paper unless any supporting vendors speak up that have a set in stock.
 
clutch fork... like everyone else has said. had a 465 in a 78 chevy do almost the same thing except couldn't get it into gear at all.... fork was bent.
 
Mine went into gear just fine and my fork was fairly bentand the diit in the fork whrer the rod pushes on it just had a hole all the way through it, it shifted fine it just talked back a little into 1st gear and reverse but seeing how reverse isn't syncro'ed anyway I can live with that. My bearing where the big problem, and the clutch fork, eay job though did it in a day, just had a hard time finding the carrier bearing I needed chevy carriers are freekin huge compared to ford and dodge. But you don't have to worry about that.
 
Update.. it wasn't the fork, they looked mint:confused:.. Funny.. it all looked fine inside.. I don't think it will handle the new engine anyway so I picked up a completely rebuilt M21 Muncie for it.
 
Well I was gonna tell you about the end play problem on the countershaft and how I did a little machining on one and installed a thrust washer many years ago to correct the problem but you got it covered. As soon as I saw the original post my 1st thought was Muncie anyhow.
 
I bet it is that, end play. Yes Muncie is way to go. Throwing 400Hp at a Saginaw is not a good idea anyway.:nono:
 
):h, a buddy of mine use to have a 37 Ford coupe that had a 305 with a 3spd in it. Some kid had started building the car as a low buck build. My buddy stuffed a mild 350 in it and started breaking the 3spd trannys in half. After a couple of those he started dumping in Saginaw 4spd's. After stuffing a posi and 4.10's in the 12bolt rear he started breaking those too. He yanked the 350 and dumped in a 383 stroker and a Muncie 4spd, man what a nasty car after that. The damn thing would break loose and roast the tires at a rolling 45mph walking sideways up the road.
 
Yaz said:
Update.. it wasn't the fork, they looked mint:confused:.. Funny.. it all looked fine inside.. I don't think it will handle the new engine anyway so I picked up a completely rebuilt M21 Muncie for it.
Click to expand...

Thats what I ran in the El Camino.... Putting it behind a 650hp BBC will find the weak spots. :D

I doubt you'll wanna go bangin on it too hard if you pushin mid-400 or higher. You'll need some hard parts.... Mine took a new plate, Twin clutch(custom built to fit the cae... read $$$$$$$), heavier springs, and new input, out put. Gear set was untouched and survived quite a few 2 tire launches... Still working when I got rid of it.

Good luck. I love the old jammers.... :thumbsup:
 
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