Solved the gearbox trouble, or did I?

'kay so the rod that is connected to the shift arm and went into the valve body was stuck. Some not-so-gentle hammer blows unstuck it and now it moves not-so-freely back and forth, as in I can shift through the gears but with so much effort that the sprocket where the spring clicks in doesn't automatically click into a valley but sometimes stays put wherever. My guess is the rod was bent (and still is). Now say I can live with hard to find gears, will it still be worth even hooking this box up, as I presume the rod is a valve that needs close tolerances that I probably 'freed up' with my hammer blows? Also, is taking the rod out and have it straightened an option?

Remember, no going to the wrecking yard and get another one for me, no American cars to be found.

Thanks.

 

I guess you are talking about an automatic trans?

I had a similar problem on my trans in my modified roadster, it was an old Ford-O-Matic. Through various handling events over time and fabrication, the shift lever had been over-extended and bent the internal selector valve that goes into the valve body. I carefully disassembled the valve body and found that selector valve bent. Careful straightening and a little chamfering of the corners and now it slides back and forth like it is supposed to. Hopefully it stays straight.

I had to disassemble my trans a bit to get to the pieces so i could straighten them out.

 

Christian.
Don't be too quick to write off that box.
The shaft is NOT a valve.
The shaft rotates in the casing, and a sort of peg, offset at the inner end moves the valve in the valve body.
You should be able to remove the valve body (carefully, working very cleanly) and then remove the shaft and straighten it so it rotates freely, then reassemble.
Can probably do it without removing the trans.
It might be possible to carefully study the shaft and work out which way it is bent. Some carefully aimed hammer blows might get it rotating freely enough.
I can imagine that if you hammer directly on the end of the shaft, you could snap the valve, so be careful.
The above info is generic, I dont know what box you are using...
Try something before junking the box.
Mart.

 

The box is already outta the car, in fact never had it in a car. I think I should be able to remove the shaft even without removing the valve body, but from the other side.
Cheers mates!