Please help CJ-5 Wont shif after lube change

[tbannister]

I changed the gear oil in my T-150 / Dana 20 from whatever contaminated lube that sat in it for 14 yrs while resting in a barn to the Napa 80-85-90, based on the recomendation of a friend. It used to shift fine to all but 3rd, where it would bind and give a little grind, but you could always get it into gear. It has a new clutch kit.
Now, after the lube swap, it won't go into reverse or first, from a standstill, just 2nd and eventually third. Can anyone recommend a lube change, if that's my issue? I'm planning on a tranny rebuild, but I dont have the coin right now. Thanks for any help.

 

[csuengr]

This is going to be a right silly question, but how did you get fluid into the tranny?

 

[tbannister]

Update: removed the full plug on the Transfer Case to find that I overfilled it by about 1/2 quart. Shifted better after letting it out, then went back to not being able to get back into gear.

I filled the tranny by the port on the passenger side half way up (which I now believe was unnecessary due to the sharing of fluids). I misread my Chilton manual on this. I'm sure I screwed something up as it wasn't this misbehaved befor my fluid swap.

This is going to be a right silly question, but how did you get fluid into the tranny?

 

[rrekr]

The Transmission and Transfer Case do not "share" the oil. If you are filling the Transmission to the bottom of the threaded plug hole and the Transfer Case is getting overfilled you have a seal problem.

 

[csuengr]

I was thinking you pulled the shifter out and poured the oil through the shift tower. But since you didn't, never mind.

Yes, the tranny and Transfer Case don't share fluid.

You may want to pull the shifter out and see if there is anything in the top preventing the shifter from going into 1rst.

 

[tbannister]

Thanks guys. I let it idle for 15 min and she shifts now. Might be a seal issue. Time to save for a rebuild.

 

[jdarg]

As long as you didn't pull the bellhousing into the block by tightening the bolts, it sounds like maybe your input shaft was just a little tight in the pilot bushing and the clutch was dragging. This will make engagement difficult on the lower gears but it will resolve itself after a min or two of running the motor w/ clutch disengaged on a new clutch install.

If you used the bolts to pull the bellhousing flush with the block you might have messed up the pilot though. Hopefully that isn't the case.