Hi! I’ve decided I’m keeping and using my M20 and want to go through it before I put it in. Who has the best rebuild kits? I’m looking for one with the synchros included. Might as well while it’s all apart. Any advice is appreciated! Thanks all!
Google 4 speed repair. I found a supplier 10 miles from me with everything. I live in So Cal where everyone is leaving..
I get stuff from thegearbox.org They have a large selection of parts in stock and tell you who made the parts. They sell lower cost, but still decent quality Korean offshore parts, or the better AutoGear, Italian parts and other USA made parts. Don't mix and match Korean-Autogear-Italian stuff. Korean gears engaging teeth have a back cut and should use the torque lock slider. Auto gear, Italian gears have straight cut engaging teeth and should use a straight cut slider. Most other companies dont tell you the origin of the parts they are selling. Beware of other lower lower price, white box offshore parts! Dont try and be cheep, buy the best quality parts you can afford, or it will burn you. Bill
i used 5speed.com for my muncie parts.they have a rebuild video as well that really helps reassembly.spoke to them on the phone as well during final assembly.
Stay away from cheep poorly fitting gasket sets also. The best ones are from AutoGear and 5speeds.com. 5speeds makes gaskets that have a unique feature of a printo type silicone sealer on them. Bill
Exactly the kind of helpful info I was looking for, thanks! I’ll definitely check 5 speed. Looking for good quality parts sold by reputable (H.A.M.B. recommended) dealers. Tough finding “good quality” and “reputable” nowadays... Keep the info coming!
Don't forget to use GL-4 gear oil. Video talks about GL-4 lube, also talks about some other things to consider.
We still use GL4 in older manuals, although if you noticed in his video he kinda states that using GL5 is not really an issue in his experience. Bill
I've bought parts from Paul Cangelosi on eBay, great guy, he always gets back to me with my questions. My M20 side plate came from Auto Gear, brand new and worked great. The older M20 had the studs that hold the shift levers on, I like the bolts better. I had mine gone over locally in 2018 after a 2-3 shift mishap. New Italian gears where needed and changed over to a 1" countershaft from the 7/8". I went from a 2.56 1st gear to a 2.52, no biggie. The old one spun and took out the mid-plate like a lathe bit.
Be sure to take apart the transmission, and carefully inspect all the parts, before you order new parts. It's pretty common to have to replace 2nd gear because the teeth that engage the synchro, get worn. Also inspect where the gears and shafts ride on needle bearings, if you find pitting, you'll need to replace that part. And the synchro sleeves may or may not have wear on the ends of the teeth, or the sides of the grooves...wear at the ends will make it hard to shift, wear on the sides will tend to make it jump out of gear (same applies to the synchro teeth on the gears). Manual transmissions are one thing can't really buy a "kit" for, since you won't know what parts you really need, until you take it apart and inspect closely. You could just buy every new part they sell, I suppose...that can get expensive, quick.
All great advice, thanks! I’m hooked on the Gear Box videos. Perfect for the crappy weather this weekend.
I also used Paul to help me rebuild my Richmond 5 speed for my Bonneville race car, never rebuilt one before, but with his help and parts it was easy. He walked me thru all the tips and tricks he has developed and I also got his really good shift bushings for my Hurst shifter. He also helped me rebuild/service the Hurst shifter! Good guy!
Jim......well said! We get asked for a “rebuild kit “ for the early Ford 3 speed transmissions all the time. I always suggest that they get it apart first and see what it really needs before ordering parts. It could get very expensive very quickly if you ordered one of everything inside the gearbox. Of course, sometimes that nearly has to happen if the unit is junk. And by the way, Paul at 5 Speeds is sharp on the Muncie 4 speed transmissions. We did one for a buddy and got the parts from him.
Pick up Paul's Muncie book, amazing detail and will help you a ton. I had a local Muncie guru go through mine in 2018. Soooo many bad used parts in it. The reverse-idler... was used and abused, installed into my 1964 box. He has an astounding stash of good used better-than-my parts, so he went that route. He was amazed that I told him it shifted up & down with ease. I was ready to pull the trigger on a new Auto Gear M23.
Try The Wright Connection Speed and Gear here in Bakersfield Ca. 661-304-1967 I've used him several times, good guy knowledgeable specializes in Muncie and T-10's.
The Jalopy Journal
