SM465 Can't get it to go into reverse - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

82 Silverado 4X · 04-16-2004, 10:50 PM

I ran into a problem on my 82 4x4 tonight. A wire under the hood burnt off leaving me unable to start my truck. Since I was on a grade I figured that I could coast it to get it moving and catch it in gear. When I let out the clutch in 1st gear it made a nasty sound but it didn't start. I coasted it again but put it in 2nd gear this time and it started. When I tried to put it in reverse to back up, the shifter wouldn't go over far enough to the right to get it down into reverse. All forward gears are fine.

Anyone have any ideas what I broke and any recommendations on what it's going to take to do the repair?
Thank you

82 Silverado 4X · 04-17-2004, 01:27 PM

After removing the cover on the drivers side of the trans and not finding any chunks or peices of metal in the bottom of it, I decided to pull off the top. After removing the trans boot, transfer case shifter, carpeting, tunnel access cover. I then removed the top tranny cover bolts. Fishing the shifter forks up through one of those bears was a nightmare in itself but I was finally able to get it out. I inspected all the gears and found nothing out of the ordinary. That was good news.
I then clamped the top cover with the shifter in a vise and proceeded to shift it through the gears but ran into the same problem out of the truck as I was having in the truck. I could not get it to move over to the right far enough to go into reverse.
I then moved the fork for the reverse gear forward one detent and I then was able to get the shifter over and into reverse. I ran through the gears in the vise a few times and it was now working properly.
After using a peice of styrofoam to hold the reverse gear where it needed to be in the transmission, I was able to snake all the forks onto their proper gears and the cover went down and seated. I installed two bolts to hold the cover in place. I now could move the shifter in all 5 positions. Just for a quick test I rehooked up the battery and started the truck and tested the tranny in each gear. SUCCESS!!!!!!!!!

I still don't know what caused it to mess up, but at least all it cost me was the price of the gear oil to refill it and about 5 hours out of my day.

1969 GMC · 04-17-2004, 04:03 PM

im glad that you got it fixed, George. isnt it funny how sometimes you can expect a big job, when it turns out it is something simple?

i wish life was like that more often, lol...

04-16-2004, 10:50 PM	#1
82 Silverado 4X Genuine Chevrolet Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: South West Pennsylvania. Posts: 582	SM465 Can't get it to go into reverse I ran into a problem on my 82 4x4 tonight. A wire under the hood burnt off leaving me unable to start my truck. Since I was on a grade I figured that I could coast it to get it moving and catch it in gear. When I let out the clutch in 1st gear it made a nasty sound but it didn't start. I coasted it again but put it in 2nd gear this time and it started. When I tried to put it in reverse to back up, the shifter wouldn't go over far enough to the right to get it down into reverse. All forward gears are fine. Anyone have any ideas what I broke and any recommendations on what it's going to take to do the repair? Thank you __________________ George 82 Silverado LWB 4x4 350 SM465 NP208 77 Chevrolet Blazer Chalet 400 TH350 NP203

04-17-2004, 01:27 PM	#2
82 Silverado 4X Genuine Chevrolet Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: South West Pennsylvania. Posts: 582	fixed problem After removing the cover on the drivers side of the trans and not finding any chunks or peices of metal in the bottom of it, I decided to pull off the top. After removing the trans boot, transfer case shifter, carpeting, tunnel access cover. I then removed the top tranny cover bolts. Fishing the shifter forks up through one of those bears was a nightmare in itself but I was finally able to get it out. I inspected all the gears and found nothing out of the ordinary. That was good news. I then clamped the top cover with the shifter in a vise and proceeded to shift it through the gears but ran into the same problem out of the truck as I was having in the truck. I could not get it to move over to the right far enough to go into reverse. I then moved the fork for the reverse gear forward one detent and I then was able to get the shifter over and into reverse. I ran through the gears in the vise a few times and it was now working properly. After using a peice of styrofoam to hold the reverse gear where it needed to be in the transmission, I was able to snake all the forks onto their proper gears and the cover went down and seated. I installed two bolts to hold the cover in place. I now could move the shifter in all 5 positions. Just for a quick test I rehooked up the battery and started the truck and tested the tranny in each gear. SUCCESS!!!!!!!!! I still don't know what caused it to mess up, but at least all it cost me was the price of the gear oil to refill it and about 5 hours out of my day. __________________ George 82 Silverado LWB 4x4 350 SM465 NP208 77 Chevrolet Blazer Chalet 400 TH350 NP203

04-17-2004, 04:03 PM	#3
1969 GMC Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: The Rubber City Posts: 5,498	im glad that you got it fixed, George. isnt it funny how sometimes you can expect a big job, when it turns out it is something simple? i wish life was like that more often, lol... __________________ 1969 GMC K2500 1996 Honda Accord 2007 Kawasaki KLR 650



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