Popping out of 1st gear... What are possible causes?

[peranteau]

My 1968 Westfalia Camper Bus pops out of first gear when I accelerate from a stopped position. If I push the gear shift lever forward and hold some pressure on it, it will stay in gear. I have loosened the 2 screws that attach the gearshift lever ball housing to the floor panel and slid the housing forward and backwards but it does not solve the problem. What are the possible reasons that this is happening? Any suggestions will be appreciated.

[airschooled]

If you’ve confirmed the shifter isn’t missing any bushings or coupler components, the issue is internal.

The teeth that hold the gear engagement “sliders” onto their hubs have worn down, and their self-locking features have worn out. The only fix is internal transaxle repair, often called a “rebuild” but some more budget-friendly shops don’t replace the hubs and sliders on a gearbox unless asked, and paid accordingly.

Robbie
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[zerotofifty]

Well it maybe wear in the tranny, or maybe that the fisrt is not fully engages do to linkage issues. Get under the van and assure the linkage does indeed fully engage first gear.

My old Bus did that for many many years, tranny was worn, but I simply held the shift lever in place when starting out in first, the other gears worked just fine.

If you travel up steep grades far, and need to stay in first for a long time, a bungie cord can be rigged to hold the shifter lever in place. Seeing as I had a 1200cc 40 Hp Bus, and travel on long steep mountain upgrades, I did rig a bungie as I had to be in first gear for sometimes many miles.
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[SGKent]

just have it rebuilt and be sure to tell the rebuilder what it is doing.
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"Most people don't know what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it." - George Carlin

[soggz]

I had this very problem and the helpful people pointed me in the direction of a rebuild, or a known working box. I found the latter, but have yet to fit. I’ll not be in a hurry to fit it, as I have only just rebuilt and put the engine back in. Maybe in the winter.
Good luck.

[Wildthings]

In first gear the shift coupling is being forced towards the transmission and if there is anything hindering it's movement the transmission may not be able to go fully into gear. A loose grub screw on the coupling can cause the same issue. Have someone run through the gears while you slide underneath and see how close the coupling gets to the nose cone when in first and third.

[airschooled]

[peranteau]

I love this forum.

Thank you all for your thoughtful responses. I now have a strategy. I will closely examine the linkage between the shift lever and the transmission. If that fails, I will begin searching for a transmission guru. If anyone here knows of anyone in Texas who is qualified to do a rebuild, please share his or her contact info with me.

Peace & Love to you all!

[SGKent]

I know that Eric at Transworks gets bus transmissions in from all over the USA. They are often used in sand rails. If you decide to use him, call and ask him the best way to ship one. He has special boxes made to protect them.
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"Most people don't know what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it." - George Carlin

[Ry-dog]

[dodger tom]

having worked with ken at german transaxle n bend, or, i’ll fifth the fact that shipping is no big deal. the pros have it wired.
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1978 Champaign Edition 2 Westfalia
Would never find the time to keep up another classic air-cooled.