Bent Hockey Stick?

[Clatter]

So,
A long story, but a guy really screwed up fixing my clutch cable tube.
(Welded it to the wrong side of the tunnel )
Clutch cables lasted a few hundred miles before breaking again and again.
Last time it happened was the last straw, i was way, way too pissed off to stop and get a tow.
My kid was in the car with me, rush hour, etc.

'70 beetle pan with later AT-code SSC, but earlier nose cone, BTW..

I was not very nice to it on it's 2-mile or so clutch-less drive home.
Now that i re-did the clutch cable (correctly ) myself,
The trans pops out of both 1st and 3rd gear.
It _feels_ like it needs a shifter adjustment, but I'm already all the way back at the shifter plate..

So, to my question..
Is there any chance that i just bent the hockey stick?
Would there be some faint hope that i could tweak the stick straight again, and stab it all back together?
Or is it far more likely that i broke something internally?
Because it pops out of both 1 and 3, it might not just be a slipped a fork or lunched some teeth?
The thing drives quietly/normally if i hold it in gear.

Grasping at hope, here...
The car is an Oval, with a big motor, so the R&R process is especially really no fun...

[Henryhoehandle]

Was it jumping out of gear before all of this trouble started? Since its jumping out of 1st and 3rd, then you would had to have hit the hockey stick backwards (towards the transmission). If you pulled it too hard and bent it, then I would think it would then jump out of 2nd and 4th (as well as reverse).

[Clatter]

Naw, it never had any issues before...
It was a "lottery tranny" from the junkyard.
Found me a late model that was rusty and didn't have too many miles on it.
Seems like it was never apart before, and was smooth and quiet.

In my anger I was jamming it into first, I think.
Not second..
Trying to 'match' the downshift into first, and not being nice.
It now never pops out of second or fourth,
But pops out of first and third easily, unless I hold it in place.
It really feels like it needs more throw into first or third.
Un-scientific, I know, but it just feels that way..

Could just be wishful thinking..

Would pulling the drain plug and inspecting the contents be helpful?
If I did not find any shift fork parts, and the hockey stick showed a significant bend when compared to a known good one, then I might be good to gamble, eh?

If the hockey stick looks exactly like a known good one,
And there's parts in the oil, then we can assume it's time to play the lottery again, right?

Or am I missing something?
Can you tell from comparing to another hockey stick if you have a bent one?
Do all trannies have a certain amount of crap in the oil, or would some broken parts never make it to the drain plug?
A slipped fork wouldn't shed parts into the oil, right?

Do you think there is any hope I just bent the hockey stick?
Or am I totally dreaming that this would ever occur without breaking other things...

You guys take these things apart, so maybe somebody has seen a bent stick without other stuff wasted?
I see those gusseted hockey sticks, and it makes me think they bend easily.
The shifter sure has a lot of leverage,
And, boy, after a half-dozen or so clutch cables, I was piiiiisssst OFF!

[The Newf]

I think your first analogy may be correct: if 2/4 are ok but 1/3 are not, it may very well be an anger-bent hockey stick.
Not likely a slipped/bent fork because 1 & 3 are on 2 different rails.

[Henryhoehandle]

I would pull the plug and drain and look at the magnet/oil. Broken shift forks would affect 1st AND 2nd if that one is broke (not just one gear), and 3rd AND 4th if that one was broke. (I have never seen a broken 3rd/4th one because they are steel). The AT trans may or may not have a steel 1st/2nd. I would pull the nosecone if the plug inspection looks ok, and look at the stick. It will be a right angle from the main shaft to the end tip. Post a pic here if you are in doubt..

[Clatter]

Well, I finally got the transaxle out and pulled the nose cone.

This thing had been run for years and was due for a change, so,
The drain plug looks normal, right?


However, here is the hockey stick lying on top of a known good one. It doesn't look bent at all.


So,
If this pops out of 1 and 3, there's no other option without special tools, right?

This transaxle was a real sweetheart before the damage, and it makes me want to try and get in there and fix the shift fork, or what ever it is.
But I'm dreaming if i think i can just get in there and do it, right?

There will be specail tools needed, a shift jig and whatnot, correct..?

[Henryhoehandle]

The magnet looks good to me. So, let me get this straight.. it started jumping out of gear ONLY after you fixed the cable? If so, then this is a very weird coincidence. The transmission will have to come apart and see what exactly is going on. This requires some knowledge about these and if you have never taken one apart, then it is not something I would advise unless you are VERY mechanically inclined or are willing to do a lot of learning. Most likely the problem is that 3rd gear and/or the 3rd/4th slider teeth are worn. The same goes for 1st. Replacing these requires complete dis-assembly. Usually the gears themselves will wear out before the sliders, but who knows. There is a trick you can use on first gear which is knocking off the 3 sets of 3 teeth. Then you are left with 3 sets of 7 engagement teeth. Anyway, if you want to tackle this yourself, there is a wealth of knowledge on here. If not, then off it goes to a shop.

[Clatter]

Correct; after the clutch cable broke, I drove it home anyway.
Later, after the cable was fixed, it was popping out of 1st and 3rd.

Tried to move the shifter baseplate back, to get more engagement, as it felt like the shift rod was just too short.
That didn't help..

Oh, well.. Time to play the 'transaxle lottery' again.

Back 10 or so years ago, Kevin Pirtle (Trans West) used to ship me rebuilds, no core needed, for $325.
Those days appear to be over..

I tell you, playing the lottery with a junkyard Trans is a fools game with this car.
A big motor in an oval body, and the exhaust, intake, filter and fan shroud all have to be installed after the motor is in.
No Weber windows or remove able apron.
Plus, we have the kafer bar, bell housing strap, and crappy urethane mounts fighting the Trans pull.

The aftermarket stuff takes 3x longer than the typical stock pull/stuff!

[Henryhoehandle]

Finding a GOOD one in a junkyard is really a gamble. 90% of them will have a bad reverse or other problems..bearings, jumping out of gear (usually 4th), etc.
However, here are a couple of pointers: First, remove the drain plug and look at the magnet. Also, remove the filler plug and look into the hole and you can see the STRAIGHT CUT teeth of the 1st/2nd slider (you may have to shift the trans into neutral). If these teeth look good (teeth are nice and straight), then the smaller reverse (that you cannot see) might be good as well. Also, I would look for an "AT" or "DC" trans as some/most of these had steel 1st/2nd forks as the AH ones were almost all brass (maybe a few late ones were steel, someone else feel free to chime in on this). This will increase your chances of buying one without a broken fork. It is a good idea as well, to remove the nose cone and inspect the mainshaft bearing before you put the trans in.