OK. Just got the 350 and T56 in and took it for the first drive tonight. All great until i go to shift into third. No third gear!!! I can get 12456 and R. I bought it used, so who really knows about its past life. Anyhow, could this be due to the skipshift? Or am i just looking at a rebuild already?

 

Which did you install: a pilot bearing, or a pilot bushing?

 

Does it go in at all / pop out?

Original alum. forks wear at the shift rail. And the usual synchro / gear / blocker wear.

Skipshift would go away with the car off.

 

my second was like that...shift to second, felt like neutral..second gear syn needed replacement..all other gears were fine

 

Im really not sure of the difference. I used whatever came with the clutch kit I bought from summit for a 1997 trans am.

 

When I try to shift into 3rd driving, it grinds and just wont let me enter 3rd. When the car is off it goes right in and holds fine.

 

Yeah, pull it. Easy fix but if you have a never-rebuilt box, it needs done.

 

A bearing looks like this.



A bushing looks similar, except it's a solid chunk of bronze, of the same dimensions.

 

I am pretty sure we used a bearing. I will check with my buddy who did the tranny tomorrow. But, why does it matter which one? Thanks.

 

Because if you put one in, you'd probably remember which kind it was.

If you don't remember which kind it was, you probably didn't put one in.

It's more important that you put one in, than which one it is. Asking which one, is a good way to find out whether you put one in or not.

Sounds like you probably didn't.

Not having one is DEATH to a transmission. It particularly affects the shifting of 3rd and 4th, those 2 gears being at the point where the "input shaft" (clutch gear, actually) and the "output shaft" (mainshaft) meet. Without a pilot, the front end of the clutch gear is free to wobble all over the place, which makes it hard/impossible to shift into 3rd and/or 4th.

 

Ok. Sounds pretty important then. Im sure he put one or the other in. I'll find out. But still why does one matter versus the other? Im not trying to be difficult, just learn.

 

Either is fine. The bearing can damage the pilot end of the maindrive if it fails. The bronze is more likely to be cheapened aftermarket with ferrous material that wears the pilot end over time. Summary: Cars. Stuff breaks.

Oh and there needs to be one.

 

^^ What he said^^

I personally prefer a bearing, but I'll gladly use either