240Ti M46 tranny with OD

Hello,

My project car is an '84 240Ti with a good 215K on it.

I replaced the M46 transmission/electric OD with another said to
be in great shape, as the sync rings in mine were kaput.

Now I am not a real happy camper.

The problem is the shift to 2nd gear.

Whether shifting up from 1st to 2nd, or down from 3rd to 2nd, it is
VERY stiff.

In fact, even if I try and push the clutch pedal through the floor,
it still doesn't like to go into 2nd.

Today I jerked the shifter knob off the shifter lever trying to
get it right.

Now I have to figure out how to get the OD wires
back into the shifter knob, and how to make the knob stay on the
lever.

One clue is that I know the clutch is about shot. I suspect
the clutch plate and the "throw out" bearing as well as
the pressure plate.

Could the shifting problem be mostly clutch related?

I detect no sync ring problem. The darn thing just doesn't
want to go to 2nd.

I test drove the car completly around Atlanta's perimeter
expressway today going mostly between 75 MPH and 85 the
whole way, mostly in OD and all seemed well from that perspective.

But when I exited the expressway and had to down shift,
it was very difficult. It was the same before the test run.

Now it is parked in front of the house about to receive
a sound cussing.

I think if the shifter lever was about 1/2 its length things
would work better.

Any thoughts or speculations on what is wrong with the
shift to 2nd would be greatly appreciated.

Allan J. Ballard
89 240 197K solid daily driver
84 240Ti 215K project for the determined

 

The shift knob is easy, the fascia pops out of it and then you can pull the
button out, put the knob on, then put the wires back on the switch and put
it together.

If the clutch is the problem, it'll grind when shifting to reverse while
stopped. Could be the bushings on the shift lever, or your "new"
transmission may be shot. How's the fluid in it?

 

Thanks for the tip on the shifter knob. There always is a trick to
learn.

But how to make it "stick" to the shifter lever once reassembled?
Super glue? A good whack with a rubber hammer?

I had not thought of low fluid in the transmission and will have
that checked tomorrow.

The more I think about it, I wonder if the linkage is not set
correctly.

The transmission "acts" as if it needs about a half inch more
clutch depression to shift properly into second. Once in gear
it is fine. But perhaps low fluid could produce the same symptom.

Thanks. I'll post the results of a fluid check tomorrow.

Allan Ballard

 

It just sticks on, the end of the stick is tapered. If the knob won't stick
on then it's broken, IPD sells replacements.

 

I have the OD and shifter knob working now---many thanks.

I looked again in my Haynes, and it describes the test you mentioned
for checking the clutch.

I put the transmission in neutral, depressed the clutch, and waited
several seconds before shifting from 1st to reverse and back again a
few times.

No problem.

Haynes had a second test, whereby the engine again is left at idle,
and the transmission in neurtal.

With the clutch pedel depressed to 1/2 inch from the floor, repeat
the same test to see if the clutch fully disengages.

I don't know how one is supposed to push the clutch to 1/2 inch
from the floor, (maybe using a small 1/2 inch block of wood as a
"stop"...) but that test either passed, or flunked, depending on just
where I pushed the clutch pedel, while guesstimating the 1/2 inch
distance.

The transmission was a little low on fluid, and after topping it
off, all seemed better.

But here is the crux of the matter.

If I drive like an old lady (no offense to anyone), the shift from
1st to 2nd is pretty OK at low RPM's.

If I let 'er rip, up to near the red line on the tach, then possible
problems in 1st as well as oftentimes the shift to 2nd.

There is a kind of shudder as if something is not solidly
connecting initially off the starting line, then smoothness,
then a hard shift to 2nd.

I say "shudder" but that's not exactly right; I can't find the
precise adjective, but under full throttle off the starting
line *something* happens the first half of the journey to
the tach's red line, then Ok, then a hard shift to 2nd.

The shifts thereafter to 3rd and 4th go fine but they are
not under the same stress as a full throttle acceleration
from a full stop.

Allan Ballard

 

Reply in line

Usually the clutch. As the clutch disc wears, or if the pressure head
has oveheated, the clutch fork requires more travel to disengage. This
additional force tends to stretch the clutch cable.

There's a "1st Gear Brake" that resides inside 1st gear. Its function is
to stop the cluster shaft from turning when the clutch pedal is
depressed in order to stop a gear rattle noise when in neutral. If the
brake fails to disengage correctly, the transmission is hard to shift.

Get a new knob from Volvo. As the knob ages it gets loose on the shaft
and eventually splits. The new part is not very expensive.

The standard kit includes clutch disc, pressure head and release
bearing. SOP is to replace the pilot bearing and rear main seal at the
same time. A proper job would be to index mark the flywheel with a punch
(so it can be replaced in the proper orientation) and have it
resurfaced.