Manual 3rd Gear

[don668]

Has anyone besides me find shifting up into 3rd a bit rougher than the other gears? Mine seems to bump a few times before going in. (tried double clutching, waiting a moment, no difference) Its like its not quite synchronized. Mechanics have noticed it and changed the linkage, but no difference. Unfortunately it can be a bit sporadic so on road tests lately it shifts great.

(I was a driver trainer for Laidlaw for 7 years so I'm fairly sure its not my driving)

Don

[Mean Green]

You are not alone. I got the Hurst sts and it helped alot. Also, don't shift into third with your hand down on top of the shifter. Shift with your hand upside down and you will find you have more control.

[hyracer]

Our manual trannys are not the smoothest shifting trannys I have ever owned. Mine was "rachety" when I bought it and is still that way after adding Booger bushings and the STS Mopar shifter. The short throw is great but it's not smoooooooooooth.
You have to remember the HD 5-spd was originaly used behind a diesel engine (European model PT's. It was never designed to be slipped into a "hot-rod".

Deen

[TurbozCS2003]

Changing the tranny fluid doesnt hurt either.

I dumped mine and replaced with Amsoil synthetic ATF, shifts pretty good. Also changed the two bushings under the air box on the bell crank for the linkage with the urethane booger bushings.

Note it is probably a good idea to dump the ATF once a year in these things. At least there are two pipe plugs to do the service but is a kind of a pain, needed to snake my pump(get a suction pump at auto store to refill) hose around stuff to get to the top filler plug.

Personally I find it pretty decent gear box to shift, but I am use to the getrag gear sets in my other cars. Price you pay for having a gear set which can handle gobs of tourque.

Mike

[PTGT_Boy]

A hurst short shifter (Mopar) did improve the 2-3 and 4-5 shifting of my 5-speed.