[CJLove]

Howdy - This is my first post.. Try to make it short. I bought a running 79 CJ7 10 yrs ago..because it looked and sounded really cool!!.. and now I want to get it in drivable shape. It has a t-18 tranny with a strange issue. When you attempt to shift to reverse (over and down to the right on the 79) the shifter falls to the floor and the jeep is not in any gear. I have to pull the boot off and unscrew the shifter cap, pull the shifter and and align the gate with a screwdriver and put it back together. It works great through the forward gears. I have been researching this for a year!. I have installed a new shifter..replaced the pin..etc. It acts like the shifter finger is to short..but its not. Its 3 1/8 (I tried the 3 1/2..no fitty in there). It appears as though the shifter finger is popping out of the reverse gate. My only conclusion is that the reverse gate is the problem..but it looks like new.

Any Ideas....Ive had two shops look at it and I get the deer in the headlight look. I dont want to end up getting a whole new tranny when there has to be a simple solution. Thanks....

[Rollbar]

Are you sure it is a T-18?


There are two different versions of shift control housings. The 1966-1978 versions hung two cast iron shift forks into the case, with the reverse fork itself pivoting on the side of the case. These earlier T18’s have reverse gear over to the right and up by third gear. In 1979, the reverse shifter fork was moved from the side of the case into the top cover instead and all three forks were changed and made with die-cast aluminum. This later T18 has reverse gear shift pattern over to the right and down by fourth gear.

What T-case is attached to it and can you take some pics?

Thanks,
Jim

[CJLove]

Pretty darn sure its a T-18. As you said, the T-18 (in Jeeps)in 1979 changed to reverse over and down by fourth. The cast #'s are 13-01-065-906 which match what Novack lists as the 79 T-18's.

When I pull the shifter hold down cap off and pull the shifter out I can peek in and clearly see the reverse gate on the left rail of the three shifter rails (which would correspond to moving the shifter to the right. When the shifter "falls out of socket" I have to shift the reverse gate with a screwdriver to get it back in line with the other two and then I can stab my shifter back in. Only thing I can figure out is maybe the reverse gate is moving too far forward when shifting which allows the shifter finger to pop out of its sockect in the reverse gate..Like I posted before, the gate does not appear to have a lot of wear. I did put a new shifter in and beefed up the pivot pin and it helped a lot..but it still pops out on too often. Kind of a pain when she will not move!

Thanks Jim for your response

[Rollbar]

I can't remember but some do some of those have a plastic guide that the gate rides on-if so then that could be a problem and the thing moving out of the grove it rides on. Either that or the reverse finger etc is loose on the shaft maybe.

Just a thought-I'll keep thinking.

Jim

[CJLove]

here is a schematic that I found..and yes the gate may be moving too far due to issues in the gears themselves. I am NOT a transmission expert at all. I know when it works..and when it doesnt!!

http://www.manual-tr....com/?q=node/91

Dana