HELP - Transmission locked-up

[wframe]

As I pulled away from a stop sign today, all of a sudden the transmission locked up. First, second, and reverse now appear to be completely locked up. I was able to limp the 2 blocks home in 3rd. The car is a SII, but the transmission is out of a later model with all-synchro (well, they used to be all-synchro!)

I see in the SS catalog that there are at least 2 different all-synchro transmissions. How do I tell which transmission I actually have?

Any ideas on how bad this might be? I have never rebuilt a transmission, but I am willing to try almost anything. Is this something I should attempt? Do I go looking for another transmission? Any thought, suggestions will be appreciated.

 

[alpine_64]

I am thinking you have an issue with your selector forks.. sounds like they are jammed in your lower gears.

 

[65beam]

syncro trans

early syncro transmissions had coarse or 10 spline input and tail shafts, later had fine spline or 25 spline .

 

[wframe]

early syncro transmissions had coarse or 10 spline input and tail shafts, later had fine spline or 25 spline .

Would it be correct to assume that only the early (course or 10 spline) transmission would be a direct replacement for the SII transmission? That is without changing the clutch disc and the matching splined piece on the front of the drive shaft.

 

[mikephillips]

I don't recall the exact serial number when they changed but any non syncro or syncro box up to close to the end of seris V production should work. They didn't change to the fine spline until towards the end of Alpine production. You might however need to use the clutch fork and pedestal from the original transmission though since the height varied from beginning to end of production.

 

[wframe]

Next Question: Transmission HELP

After I take the transmission out of my SII, do I need to keep the back of the engine supported in some way or should the engine mounts be strong enough to support the engine once the bellhousing and transmission are removed? Along the same line, is it safe to transport the car with the transmission removed without additional support for the engine?

Thanks!

 

[Pumpkin]

support

I always cut a 4x4 block to fit just as the engine gets low enough to drop the tranny,, and yes always keep it supported. You don't need to let your engine mounts take any un-needed stress. Watch out for radiator/fanblade clearance too, plus the hoees sometimes won't strech that far.. Mine do but after practice..
Good luck in your venture..Drain the water and tranny fluids prior to the project..
chuck

 

[Pumpkin]

support

After I take the transmission out of my SII, do I need to keep the back of the engine supported in some way or should the engine mounts be strong enough to support the engine once the bellhousing and transmission are removed?


Along the same line, is it safe to transport the car with the transmission removed without additional support for the engine?

Take this as a no if you are towing,, trailer still block it up..
chuck

 

[wframe]

Thanks for the tip about the block. I have a trailer to move the car. I have a friend that has an old garage hydraulic floor lift in his shop. I'm thinking that will be a lot easier to work under than having the car up on ramps or jack stands. But I don't want to impose on him to leave the car there while I work on the transmission. I'm thinking that once the transmission is off, I would use some nylon tie-down straps to hold the back of the engine up to avoid straining the engine mounts.

I will probably go so far as to remove the radiator to avoid any possibility of the fan stabbing it. I need to do some work on the grill and it will be a lot easier to get to the back of it if the radiator is out.

 

[sunbby]

The WSM has some information about supporting the engine when you remove the entire front suspension. It mentions a specific Churchill fixtures and shows a cross brace across the engine bay that holds the engine up somehow. Something to ponder I guess.

 

[wframe]

Mystery solved

Just heard from the shop that is working on my transmission that mysteriously locked up as I was pulling away from a stop sign. What they found was that one of the snap rings/circlips broke. That allowed one of the gears to move on the input shaft just enough to engage with and lockup the 1st/2nd & reverse gears (or something to that effect). They believe it will be back together early next week and ready for me to get it back in the car.

I still have a couple of other things to do on the car before I am ready to put it bake on the road, but soon!

 

[jumpinjan]

The only circlip that I know that would do that, is on the early series I transmissions that holds the 3rd/4th syncro hub in place. I suppose then it came loose the hub moved forward right into the 4th gear engagement dogs and locked it up? Interesting.
Jan

 

[wframe]

Installing Transmission

My transmission is ready to go back in my SII. I put one in about 10 years ago, and all I remember was what a bugger it was to get everything lined up and supported while I got the first couple of bolts started on the bellhousing. Does anyone have any secrets on how to do this? I tried a transmission adapter for my floor jack from Harbor Freight. Unfortunately, it wouldn't attach firmly to my jack and it was so large that I couldn't get it under the car even when the car is up as high as I dare put it on jack stands and ramps.

Has anyone built a small adapter for a floor jack? If so, could you post pictures and dimensions? Any suggestions about supporting and install would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Bill

 

[Bill Blue]

I purchased one of the Harbor Freight cheapie transmission jacks, about 50 bucks on sale. It is far from perfect, but is infinitely better than no jack or trying to balance the tranny on a standard floor jack.

Mind you, I have never put a transmission in an Alpine, but a trick that I have found to work in other cars: Get a couple of long bolts of the proper size and thread. As soon as you get the tranny close to the correct position, install the long bolts so they are opposite each other. Run them in perhaps a half inch, then slide the transmission into place. I've had great luck with this, once installing a 5 speed Tempo transaxle by myself in a few minutes, after two of us had wrestled with it for 3 hours with no luck.

Good luck
Bill

 

[britbeam]

I don't recall the exact serial number when they changed but any non syncro or syncro box up to close to the end of seris V production should work. They didn't change to the fine spline until towards the end of Alpine production. You might however need to use the clutch fork and pedestal from the original transmission though since the height varied from beginning to end of production.

Mike you are so right on the height issue on the clutch fork and pedistal. I found when I changed over from the non sync to sync in my series 2 that the bell housing would not go all the way to mate with the engine. I thought it was such a small amount I could just tighten up the bolts and suck it up. Wrong I broke the starter ring attach point. I had the crack welded and it functions today but the point is if it doesnt mate up somethings wrong inside. Lesson learned
Dwain V6 Krazy

 

[wframe]

Transmission problem update

Just picked up the transmission from the local British car shop. I got a little more clarification as to what happened. The ring on the OUTSIDE of the input shaft bearing broke (SS part # TP055507. This allowed the input shaft to drift backwards into its coupling with the output shaft, driving the roller bearing into the "collar for roller set" (SS part # T1224578) and pretty much locking the input shaft to the output shaft. Their inspection determined that the only damage was to the roller set, the collar, and the broken input shaft ring (and the detent spring and ball that I lost when the dummy shaft slipped out of one of the shifter forks). Of course, there were a number of misc part that were required for reassembly. End result, about $680, including a parts, labor, and new clutch plate and throwout bearing. All because a simple $1.70 part broke!

I did get what I believe will be a useful hint for reinstalling the transmission. This may be common knowledge, but I hadn't thought of it:

Get a long (5 or 6 inch) bolt the same size and thread as those used to bolt the bellhousing to the engine. Cut the head off the bolt and screw it into the top engine bellhousing mount hole. Use this stud to hang the transmission on while getting the it aligned with the clutch disk.

 

[jumpinjan]

I have no idea how that large snap ring broke. Its a good thing it stayed away from the gear teeth.
Jan

 

[wframe]

Fortunately, it was not the big one inside the transmission, rather the small ring on the OUTside of the transmission case. It must have been kept in place by the front seal. I am very thankful that there was no more damage than just the roller bearing and their collar.

 

[jumpinjan]

I see now. Its clip #13. It holds the inner race from sliding on the input shaft.
That's a new one that I haven't seen before.
Jan