Any of you guys that just bought a Shep trans have trouble shifting it right away? I've seen a few threads where they say it takes some miles, but I've got about 250 on mine (100 highway, with downshifts) but it doesn't really shift all that good.

At a stop light, it's very hard to get it into 1st gear unless I go into 2nd and then 1st. When I go to shift into 2nd, again, it's a little harder to get into gear. Alot harder then it should be.

Does it get better? And how long does it normally take? I'm running an 80-90 synthetic with a mix of shock-proof according to 3 DSM places that are pretty good and it's what they run.

Should I just try something different like a SyncroShift (not Syncromesh)?

As for the going into 1st at a stop light are you at a full stop or still rolling, and why dont you PM Shep on here or call them up, that should have been the first place you contacted, because they did the work so naturally they will have all the awnser's to your questions.

get ahold of shep, i had a freind who had the same problem and never got ahold of him to see what the problem might be and it got to the point where the trans was absolutly junk. GET AHOLD OF HIM ASAP

If you have a problem with a product you should contact the vendor.

It wasn't bought directly from Shep, it was bought at a place where he "supplies" them with the trans he built. When I talked to John, he said it has to be broken in for 500 city miles, which maybe it's true, I don't know. I think that is a little strange but maybe not.

And no I'm not rolling and trying to go into 1st.

I just wondered what other people are doing with the Trans. A buddy of mine has a Shep trans and there was no break-in at all. It shifted like butter from the get-go, mine just isn't that way.

Most if not all trans issues after a rebuild are from improper clutch disengagement. The trans cannot be blamed if the input shaft is still trying to be driven from a dragging clutch disc. Did you follow simple steps to insure it was installed correctly? Are the dowel pins in good condition etc. We have NEVER recomended mixing 80/90 gear oil with anything else.

Think of it like this, a synchro is like a brake. Try holding your foot on the gas while trying to stop. You get the picture.

Immediately after a rebuild ANY trans will be stiffer to shift until the edges of the synchros have broken in.

Exactly. ^^^^

So many people are quick to judge a part as junk or not working properly, but are not quick to realize that other systems help to operate the tranny.

Did you replace the TOB, pivot ball, and fork?
Did you have some shims under the ball, longer slave rod, or an other bandaid to fix the old tranny? Take those out.
What about leaks or bleeding the sysytem has that been done?

Also it could be the fluid that you are running. I ran straight Synchromesh and my tranny shifts titties and beer all the time.

It's actually a 75-90, I don't know why I put 80. It's the Mobil 1 gear oil mixed with shock proof. The master and slave are both brand new. It was adjusted properly and 2 shops had verified this. The TOB was new. Pivot ball and fork were not replaced but it was properly bled twice as well to make sure of it.

I had actually talked to John friday or saturday and he told me to break it in for 500 miles and see if it got any better. I'm gonna try this once I can drive.

I can't drive the car anyway, ended up with a fractured tallus and all the tendons ripped from the joint.

Just as a quick check since you didn't replace the pivot ball & fork, does your fork look correct according to the pic?

Yup, that looks exactly like it. It is just right of center. Thanks.

I would try putting 100% pensoil syncomesh in there. I have one of his tranys and was also stiff when new but got better over time. As of right now I have 4k on it and using 1 qt of shock proof heavy and the rest syncromesh. I was also having a problem with the trany going into first when fresh but got better over time. 99% of the problems people have with new tranys is clutch not dissengaging fully or the improper fluid. Get that 80wt oil out of there and put in the syncomesh. John recomends it and I bet will solve alot of your problems.
John can only do so much but we have do the rest and think about whats going on. No transmission is going to shift like a dream unless its set up properly with the install and clutch adjustment.
Also if your still having problems you may have to pull the trany back out and shim the fork pivit ball with a washer behind it.

TSIfreek said:

Also if your still having problems you may have to pull the trany back out and shim the fork pivit ball with a washer behind it.

Click to expand...

This is just a bandaid and will not fix the problem. john would not recommend this nor do I. If you are already pulling the trans for something like this spend the 70.00 bucks and buy a new pivot ball and fork. That will fix a majority of your problems.

This is not a band aid in any way. If the flywheel has been resurfaced this needs to be done toget the geometry right with the fork TRE has it on there web site for more info on this. . I had to pull stock trany out a while ago when I did my motor puting a new clutch and properly steped flywheel to put a washer behind the pivit ball. The wrong way to do it is to install an extended rod in the slave cylinder. John recomend me the syncromesh if you read it wrong. Sorry for the confusion.