Broke down, trans won't engage any gear....Help!
 

Hi folks. Shift lever seems to move ok but transmission won't engage any gears. Had not driven my '30 Roadster for 4 months. Got about 1/2 mile from home, slowing down for a stop sign, kind of heard and felt a faint pop as I clutched and down shifted into neutral. Engine continued to run fine, but no matter what gear I shifted into there's nothing there. I can move the shifter into any gear, but nothing engages. Speedometer starts to move when I lift the clutch, the higher the gear the higher the "speed" displayed. Had the car towed home. Thanks in advance for any ideas.

Re: Broke down, trans won't engage any gear....Help!
 

First guess: broken rear axle.

Re: Broke down, trans won't engage any gear....Help!
 

Thanks Ray....how would I confirm that?

Re: Broke down, trans won't engage any gear....Help!
 

You can see if the rear wheels pull off with the rear jacked up or if a wheel cocks off center.
With the car on the ground e-brake on you can put it in gear clutch out and feel what wheel the axle may be turning.

Sheared axle key is possible. I've had a broken axle before so know the symptoms and of course I rebuild them.

Larry

Re: Broke down, trans won't engage any gear....Help!
 

if the speedo is turning the driveshaft is turning so my guess is with the others on sheared key or broken axle.

Re: Broke down, trans won't engage any gear....Help!
 

Just jack the car up and turn each rear wheel to see if you feel a problem with either side.

Remove the wheel and hub. Examine the key and axle to see which is bad.

My first thought was a u-joint, but, I too think from what say its a key or axle.

Re: Broke down, trans won't engage any gear....Help!
 

I too think broken axle or sheared key. The latter means that the axle will be spinning inside the bub. DON"T try to drive it like this. You will only destroy the taper on the axle and in the hub, necessitating the replacement of both.
Jack up one rear wheel at a time, car in gear and handbrake off (chock the front wheels). Try turning the raised wheel. If it turns, that's the broken one.

Re: Broke down, trans won't engage any gear....Help!
 

Should a broken rear axle or sheared hub key not be at fault, remove the clutch inspection cover from the top of the bellhousing and examine the clutch disk with a flashlight. If it came apart (springs and/or lining separation), you will still feel resistance as you push in the clutch pedal, but the power won't be transmitted from the engine to the transmission. This will result in the symptoms you are experiencing. The gears won't grind when you try to shift because the transmission's input shaft is not turning with the clutch pressure plate, disk and flywheel. So, you could be fooled into thinking all is o.k. inside the bellhousing. A blown clutch disk happened to me on a cross-country trip in 1974, catching me without a spare disk. It took two days in a Missouri small town to come up with a new one so that I could continue back to Arizona. Since that day, I always carry a spare disk under the seat.
Marshall

Re: Broke down, trans won't engage any gear....Help!
 

If the speedometer is registering, then wouldn't the output shaft of the transmission be turning?

Re: Broke down, trans won't engage any gear....Help!
 

The speedo works, so the problem is in the ass end, somewhere.
Bill W.

Re: Broke down, trans won't engage any gear....Help!
 

Yes, you are both right about the speedo working. We're back to a broken axle shaft or hub key most likely. Good catch.
Marshall

Re: Broke down, trans won't engage any gear....Help!
 

Could be anything to the rear of the speedometer drive gear, but nothing in front of it. Axle or shear key is the first most likely but could be the driveshaft also. Pray for a sheared key and don't test it a lot to determine what is broken, pull the hubs one at a time and hand turn them. Don't race the engine in gear and look for wobbles or whatever, you will pay for that bit of foolishness. If it's an axle, get a spring spreader before pursuing that further. Let us know what you find.

Re: Broke down, trans won't engage any gear....Help!
 

I like the way you keep things simple, Bill.

Re: Broke down, trans won't engage any gear....Help!
 

30 Road Tom
I was in Texas on a tour and the same thing happened to a guy from Nebraska. As it turned out the hub on the clutch disk separated. The clutch spun but the driveshaft wouldn't turn. We towed the car to the next town and changed the clutch disk that night ready for touring the next day. It may be your problem.
Bill

Re: Broke down, trans won't engage any gear....Help!
 

Be careful. When you jack up the wheel, it may come off in your hands.

Re: Broke down, trans won't engage any gear....Help!
 

I don't suppose it's possible for the driveshaft to twist off... I'd jack it up and turn one wheel and watch if the other side turns.

Re: Broke down, trans won't engage any gear....Help!
 

I had a broken drive shaft Just ahead of the rear end, You would think an axle would go before the the shaft,

Re: Broke down, trans won't engage any gear....Help!
 

OK, the consensus is in. Either a broken axle or the hub is loose in the axle taper. Let's wait till we hear back from the OP what he finds. (Gentle hint to the OP!!):rolleyes:

Re: Broke down, trans won't engage any gear....Help!
 

This was a common failure mode on a Model A with a cottage industry overdrive modification when the housing elements and the driving elements were not in alignment. One I saw, the drive stub shaft with the pinion gear on it twisted off at the front end of the locking key.

Tom Endy

Re: Broke down, trans won't engage any gear....Help!
 

Broken Axle keys are easy to find.

Remove both hub caps.

Put car in gear with engine running at idle.

Release clutch

Look at each axle nut.

If key is broken the axle nut will be turning.

Do not leave like this very long ... Do not want to wear out the hub and axle.