Only third gear Nash 1932

[Dexter Starr]

Hi guys,

 

I'm working on my friends 1932 Nash (photo attached) wich came from a local museum in Holland.

The history is a bit unknown because they sold at auction.

 

Last week we got it fired up for the first time and i must say it runs pretty sweet.

 

All excited we wanted to go for a small test drive but i wasn't able to get it in gear.

The gear stick feels good and it looks like i can get it nicely in every gear but when i fully release the clutch padel nothing happens.

Only when i select third gear (right and down) it gets the car moving.

 

I tried to play with the freewheeling switch but this doesn't make any difference.

 

Maybe anyone know what happens here? Where did reverse - first - second go?

 

[edit]: or could this be a problem with the freewheel option that doenst disengage properly?

 

Thanks!!

 

Dex

 

 

 

Edited September 19, 2018 by Dexter Starr (see edit history)

[Alfa]

I would expect the freewheeling sprag clutch, if it had failed, to result in no drive in any gear. If you have drive in third gear (direct drive), I would be suspicious that there is a problem with the selector forks in the top of the gearbox.  I would suggest removing the top of the gearbox to inspect the selectors. I am assuming in all this that the clutch is engaging and that you have a good solid, positive drive when you engage third gear? It might also be possible that, if the car has been stored with the clutch pedal depressed to avoid sticking, that the clutch cover has jammed in an intermediate position, or that the release bearing has failed. Might be worth getting a friend to rock the car back and forth whilst you attempt to engage the different gears to see if the clutch does indeed engage fully.

 

Hope this helps

Adam..

[JACK M]

I know nothing about free wheeling but in this case I would suspect that the clutch may be rusted up.

See if you have those gears without the engine running.

[Graham Man]

I like the broken shift fork idea.  If it were a clutch problem it would not move in any gear. 

 

The free wheel will let the car over run the gears, you can have it in gear and push the car, no engine braking (should not effect shifting or gears).   Free Wheel will let you shift the car without using the clutch, after getting going with the clutch (I have never tried it with my car, I have free wheel also) the problem is no engine braking with the free wheel engaged.

 

The idea of a broken shift (or bent) fork would explain no reverse, first or second gear.  When you shift you should have a nice "H" pattern, up and left should be reverse, down and left should be first, up and right should be second, down and right should be third.  It should look like an H pattern.  You could also just have gears not sliding property (bad H pattern also).  You should be able to go through all the gears without having to start the car.

Edited September 19, 2018 by Graham Man (see edit history)

[Spinneyhill]

That is a good point. With the engine off, can you put it in each gear and try to push the car forward? Perhaps without using the clutch. You will need to disengage the freewheeling to do this.

[Bloo]

On old three speeds like this, third is direct. The thing that all the missing gears have in common is power flow through the main drive gear and countershaft.

 

I think it is time to take the lid of and have a look. Good luck.

 

 

[Spinneyhill]

As a museum car, maybe they left out the countershaft gear because they didn't need it.

[jrbartlett]

On a '29 Packard, the shift mechanism is held in place by a nut that can sometimes loosen up. When it does, the shift lever disengages with the selector rods in the transmission, and you might only be able to catch one gear -- or none at all. Repositioning the lever and tightening the nut completely fixes it. Check to see if perhaps this transmission shifter is held in place the same way.