Gear select shaft installation s54?

[widebodystarlet]

I just finished putting a TRD helical LSD in my s54 transmission and i seem to have run into a snag. When reinstalling the gear select shaft the BGB is quite vague, and it seems that the selector is not moving freely enough to get it into all gears. I'm wondering if this assembly has the ability to be inserted with an incorrect rotation, also if i need to remove the #2 lockball to get it into place as i didnt remove it get the shaft out. I've been doing my work with the bellhousing facing down, would this affect the ability of the gear selector to do its job due to gravity on the internals?

[Paul Woods]

The gear selector forks themselves will only install one way, you need to be careful of that number 2 lockball, i never need to remove it when installing a diff but if you do drop it out by accident it can wedge itself and stop you getting gears.

I also strip and rebuild these gearboxes bellhousing face down without issue, but i have noticed if you do not remove the external shifter arm VERY carefully it will bend the forks and you will lose gears.

[widebodystarlet]

It just seems that the first "gate" that the shift selector goes into drops down a few mm when the selector is in the second "gate", making it difficult for it to go back into the first one. I think i may drop it by a transmission shop on monday for them to look over just in case.

[Paul Woods]

Ah well that first gate is for fifth and reverse selection, all 3 gates should align perfectly.Is this a rev1 S54? you did remember to put the little circlip back on the selector shaft inside the 5th/reverse housing?

If it's a rev2- forget that as they don't have the circlip i am talking about, but without the rev1 circlip the first gate will definately drop a little.

[widebodystarlet]

It is a rev1, which circlip are you referring to? i recall one on top of the fifth gear assembly that holds everything down.

[Paul Woods]

It is this one circled red....



It sits around the base of the 5th gear selector shaft inside the 5th gear housing and stops the shaft dropping down into the box on a rev1.

[widebodystarlet]

truthfully i don't remember even having one there when i took off the 5th gear housing, i may have to crack it back open and take a peek, but i had no extra parts after putting it back together either. I thought it was held up by the clutch hub for 5th gear. Thanks Paul, hopefully i can figure this thing out. I'll let you know how it turns out.

[Paul Woods]

If it was there you would have to have removed it to get the casing apart, so presuming you could get all the gears ok beforehand? A little clip like that is very easy to lose. The part number is 90520-12003 if you need to order one from the dealer.

[widebodystarlet]

interesting to note that clip is nowhere on my motor, i took it all apart thinking that was the issue, but the gear selector shaft had an improper rotation when installed and was interfering with the lockball.

[Paul Woods]

Does your 5th shaft even have the groove in it for the circlip? might be a USDM difference on rev1's...