Missing Gears: Tips for

Tough Stuff

by J Weldon Barnett

ts a rare day that the ATRA

Hotline doesnt get a call about
a transmission thats back on the
bench for the second time because its
missing a gear. It can be no reverse,
first, second, third or even eighth
gear. It could be a combination of missing gears, but doesnt slip or flare. Of
course, it cant be no forward and no
reverse at the same time; that would be
no engagement or no movement.
Here are a few things you can look
at that can make it a little easier to find
those missing gears.

Would You Look at That?

When I ask the tech if he has

looked at this part or that part, the
answer is always the same: I dont see
any thing wrong. I believe him. Lets
face it: If he could see the problem,
hed have fixed it and we wouldnt be
talking about it.
Just looking at the parts again and
again hasnt helped find the problem,
so what do we do next?

Figure 1: If you feel or see metal shavings or clutch material, replace the converter.

Plan on Taking New Steps

What we need is a new plan. The

new plan must be more than just looking at a part lying on a workbench. We
need a step-by-step plan, with tests
along the way, and when possible a test
with results that can be measured.
Usually no testing was done before
or after the rebuild, so we usually have
little more than symptoms to work
with. And now were really in a tight
spot, because by now the car has been
in the shop for three days or more and
the customers getting antsy. We need
to work with a fast, step-by-step plan to
identify the general problem area.
22

Figure 2: If you hear, feel or see stripped splines, replace the converter.

Step Right Up to Success

Here are 6 simple steps you can
use to help find a missing gear or gears
on most transmissions:

Step 1: Check the turbine shaft splines.

Feel or look for sharp or stripped
splines on the front of the shaft. Replace
the shaft if its worn or damaged.
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Missing Gears: Tips for Tough Stuff

and install the shaft in the converter.

With one hand lift the shaft about

off the bottom of the

converter.

With your other hand use the pliers

to rotate the shaft with very quick

jerks clockwise and counter

clockwise.

If you hear, feel, or see stripped

splines or broken parts replace the

converter.
Step 4: If you have the unit out for the
second time, use another case; more on
the old case later.
Step 5: Assemble the transmission but
dont install the valve body. Test all the
clutches and servos with about 55 PSI of
regulated air or fluid pressure (Figure 3),
Figure 3: Use a test plate to check for leaks and apply problems.
unless another pressure is recommended
by the OEM. Listen and feel for crossStep 2: Check the converter. Slowly pour all of the fluid out of
leaks. For quick and more accurate testing, I recommend
the converter into your hand. If you feel or see metal shavyou use a test plate; one of the test machines that are on
ings or clutch material, replace the converter (figure 1).
the market is even better.
Step 3: Check the internal turbine splines in the converter

(Figure 2).
Clamp locking pliers to the rear of the turbine shaft

Step 6: Check for clutch engagement.

Attach locking pliers to the input and output shafts
(Figure 4), in such a way that theyll let you turn the

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GEARS September 2007

You may not know where

your problem is yet, but
you can have a very high
degree of confidence that
the box is okay, and wont
need to come back out
of the car if you still have
problems.
shafts without hitting the
case.
Get someone to help
you apply the clutches
with air or fluid pressure
hoses.
Apply all the necessary
clutches for the gear
thats missing.
With the gear applied,
Figure 4: Attach locking pliers on the input and output shafts.
turn the input shaft with
the locking pliers. Does the person at the rear of the
step, its extremely unlikely the problem is in the assembled
trans have a hard time holding the output shaft from
parts up to this point on most transmissions.
turning?
You may not know where your problem is yet, but you
can have a very high degree of confidence that the box is
Lets use an example of no reverse: Is the output shaft
okay, and wont need to come back out of the car if you still
rotating in the opposite direction? In other words, do you
have problems. At this point you should be looking for a probnow have a good solid reverse apply, or is the output shaft
lem in the valve body or the computer control system, but the
just rotating due to frictional drag? If you have reverse at this
box isnt a suspect anymore.

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25

Missing Gears: Tips for Tough Stuff

Figure 5: Test the case for cracks in the worm track area.

Are You Overdriven?

Only Your Ratios Know
for Sure!

Lets look at another example:

What if you think youre missing 5th
gear on a Mercedes 722.5, but cant tell
for sure if it is 4th or 5th, because the
ratios are so close together. Build it up
quick and test the ratios; heres how:
Look up the ratios for the
trans.
Use air or fluid pressure to lock
the transmission into 4th gear.
In this case the ratio is 1.00:1 that
would be turning the input shaft one
complete turn for one complete turn of
the output shaft. Fifth gear is 0.75:1,
which would be of a turn, or 0.75 for
the input shaft to one turn of the output
shaft. This type of testing gives you
measurable results.
NOTE: See page 58 in the January/
February issue of GEARS for several
ratios all in one place.
26

Oh, By the Way

I didnt forget about the case in

step 4. Besides all the usual case inspections, such as looking for stripped holes
and checking flatness, test the case for
cracks in the worm track area; heres
how:
Drag a sharp, single-edged razor
blade across the case surface (Figure
5), to see if it snags on the surface. If
it does, examine the area for signs of a
crack. Sometimes when a wall cracks,
it bends over; then the main casting and
the cracked part no longer line up, so
the razor blade may snag on the crack.
Sometimes you can see the gasket
has been scraped back and forth as the
pressure moves the wall back and forth.
Then again, maybe not; by this time
the unit may have been though several
gaskets, so there may not be much to
look at. Also the gasket may have a bit
more aluminum scuffed on to it in the
broken area.
Cracks seem more likely to occur
on the outside walls of the worm tracks.

Most case cracks are so obvious they

never make it to the ATRA HotLine.
Inspection of the gasket, separator plate,
and case is about a 10-minute project.
If you suspect a crack but arent
entirely certain of it, pop the case into
your parts washer for about 20 minutes
to heat it up, and see if it reveals the
crack. If you dont find the crack, youll
know you need to keep testing, because
you havent found the problem yet.
If you cant find any other problem
and decide to replace the case, tag the
old case with a date and the repair order
number. If the car comes back next
week for the same problem, the original
case from that car is probably okay. If
you dont see the car for three months,
send the old case to the smelter.
As with so many other transmission troubles, sometimes identifying a
missed gear just takes a little time and
some careful testing.

GEARS September 2007

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