dixie wrecked

iTrader: (6)

Hello all..
With my current box sounding like its supercharged (bearings toast), I got anither used t5.
Everything looked great inside, synchros looked new..yada yada.
While apart, I still decided to take it apart and clean the case, new synchros (even though the old ones looked great, almost new), needle bearings..the little stuff.
Got everything back together, the slider hub on 1-2 shifts and moves fine, but I noticed the 3-4 one doesn't still. It felt stiff and had a decent amount of resistance before being freshened up. I got it to go in gear, engaging 3-4 is difficult, but going from gear to neutral, it clicks and slides perfectly.
Pulled the cover off and noticed a few new metal shaving on the gear right in front of the hub/slider..
What would cause this? I put new keys and springs in as well, they still look fine, everything is lined up right.

jmd

iTrader: (4)

Did the hub / slider have a matching mark to orient them?

Did you put the key retainer springs together in opposing directions, starting from the same key? (looking at side 1, if the spring goes clockwise from the key at 12:00. Spin the synchro on a vertical axis, and side 2 should have the spring starting from the same key and also going clockwise.) If you don't get this right, the keys will **** / angle in their slots.

dixie wrecked

iTrader: (6)

Yes, the 3 sets of 3 notches on the hub, I aligned the keys so that they were in the middle notch.
As far as the springs, yes I have them going that way as well. I've tried having the little lip on one spring start in one key, then have the spring on the other side start on the same key but Going the opposite way, also tried just putting them in going opposite directions with the lip not in a key.
I just pulled the hub/slider off, it definitely feels rough, I'll get a few pictures shortly.

dixie wrecked

iTrader: (6)

Pics

















Side 1


Flipped over, the spring lip is starting in the same key as the opposite side, just going the opposite direction

jmd

iTrader: (4)

I can't see marks that indicate orientation of hub to slider. (All original T56 synchros have this; I don't tear down enough T5s to know.)

Take the bare hub and slider and fit them all 6 possible ways to each other. Make sure no dirt, dust, ferrous bits, detritus, or doobies are hanging around in the coarse splined mating surfaces. You may find your smoothest orientation of the 6 by doing this. If not, consider use of your other transmissions' synchro. Or we can move onto the next step.

dixie wrecked

iTrader: (6)

I saw a little of silicon that got in the splines, removed that and used a high pressure air blower to remove any other possible debris.
Rotating the hub around had no difference, felt the same in all 6 positions, it doesn't bind or catch like that. It's only once they keys are in that it starts to bind. Good thing I saved the old keys..put the old keys side by side with the new one, the new ones are are ever so slightly taller obviously. I don't have a dial caliper, but the difference in height is approximately two playing cards.

I kept everything else the same, but put just the old keys back in the 3-4 slider/hub, threw it together and its back to shifting fine. Requires a slight amount more force going into fourth and third than other gears, but just barely. Looks like problem solved; new keys are too tall and binding.

jmd

iTrader: (4)

Well it is tough to tell from afar but what you're describing is similar to more aggressive angles on new billet keys. I would say you did your due diligence at this point and would be safe to use the new stuff. With the understanding the shifts may be stiff but are likely to smooth out a bit with wear. Good work.

dixie wrecked

iTrader: (6)

That's what it appears to be, the new keys are just more aggressive/taller profile.
Oddly, the box that's currently in my car suddenly stopped making any noise. No more whining in all gears, howling in neutral, and shaking the whole car till the clutch is in.
Still, I have one more possible concern about this new gearbox. When I disassembled it, I found a washer








Yet have no idea where that would go/don't remember where in the box it came from. Every diagram I've seen, plus on every assembly/disassembly video, none of them have a washer like this. It's not the thin spacer that goes behind the third gear cage bearing, that one is in place.
I only took the main shaft apart to third gear; couldn't find my expanders to continue after that, nor did I find a need to. Also never removed the counter gear, only the main and input shaft.