HI All,
I just purchased a 1969 F100 360 cid V8, manual 3 on the tree. Great quick story of determination: I threw my mountain bike in my car, drove to Amtrak station, purchased a 1 way ticket. Then rode bike to the Seller's house, bought truck and threw bike in back and drove it100 miles home with faith and fear!

The 3 on the tree shift pattern as we all know it, I worked it and it was not responding in the format that it should. Let me explain, 1st felt like 2nd. I could hear and feel the lag and near stall. I drove like this for awhile. Pulled over cried a bit (i'm a girl), then started in 2nd. It was perfect, then went into 1st (which should have been 2nd), again the revolutions felt and sounded correct. The shift column was a little loose with play, the collar and pin looked worn so I know there's some work there... but that's not the problem I'm addressing here. My question to all you experts, have you seen transmission linkages changed so that the shift pattern is not traditional? Thank you

 

https://images.app.goo.gl/YcHPaAGjM7YSJ8xYA

Is this what you were after?

 

I've never seen it happen before. For 1st and 2nd to reverse themselves, lots of weird things would have to happen. I guess, but can't imagine how this would happen without moving Reverse and 3rd .

Just to verify: This is true?:

 

https://pin.it/1t3P6US

Will this help? I've seen different shift patterns , can't remember for sure which, but not on Ford.

 

YES! This is how this tranny is responding. I had another person drive it and also confirmed the revolution feel and stall on the 'normal' first was not 1st. 2nd was the 1st. I was hoping to show my boy how to drive 3 on the tree and I don't want him to learn it incorrectly, so I am here trying to learn if this is a possibility or seen in a F100. Original owner not avail, I purchased from a guy who bought for his son, they were more into aesthetics, making it look cool, and didn't have any insight on internal workings to share with me. I appreciate your feedback

 

Thanks, Moongypsy, that diagram is pretty cool. It will be helpful in my quest.

 

Wow that's weird.

I'm wondering if it has a tach if you can tell us what speed it goes in each gear at, say, 1,500RPM . It's not that I don't believe you, I just want to try to put real numbers (as opposed to feel) to this before troubleshooting something that I think might be impossible but don't know for sure because it's so uncommon that I've never thought of it before.

 

No tachometer sadly. I'm going to have my brother look at it (Fleet mechanic for Uhaul). If we find out why 2nd feels like 1st and 1st acts like 2nd gear I'll share my findings.
(sounds like an old baseball joke, who's on 1st lol) Thanks everyone

 

Cool, looking forward to hearing about this one!

 

Doesnt make sense at all. Because on the transmission there are 2 levers. One has 1st and reverse, and the other lever has 2nd and 3rd. The shifter only has 2 levers. If 1st is where 2nd is normally then reverse would be where 3rd is normally.

 

Way back in time, when I was a young lad, I installed a floor shift in my 1959 Plymouth Savoy. The shift pattern was similar to yours. I had installed the linkage backwards. Not saying that is the case here, but maybe with age, something has slipped out of adjustment! I have a lot of that at my age!!
Hope it something simple, like a lever or rod is out of adjustment. Or, the previous owner had the trans out for some reason, and reinstalled the rods incorrectly. That could be at the transmission or at the steering shaft location.
Let us know, this is interesting!

 

GirlWithDirtUnderHerNails Years ago I had the exact same truck and drive train that you do now. IMO it would be wise of you to keep in the glove box extra spring clips that hold the shift levers to the transmission or you can also use small zip ties in a pinch. I found out the hard way once on the 22 freeway coming home from work. Traffic slowed down and I went to shift from 3rd to 2nd which went ok , but when I went to go back to 3rd I heard a pop and the transmission would not go into gear. That part of the freeway on the far right looks pretty wide as you drive by it, but when you are laying on your back under the truck putting the zip ties in the **** of the transmission to hold the lever back on well it gets Small really fast. I was born and raised in Orange County ,CA. In Westminster to be exact spent a Lot of time cruising P.CH. in Huntington Beach. Those were some good times for sure.

 

I am with you 100% as there is no way it could happen.
1st & reverse is 1 lever on the transmission and gate on the shifter
2nd & 3rd is the other lever on the transmission and gate on the shifter.

With that said 1st & reverse and 2nd & 3rd can be reversed.
Had a IH carry all that had a floor shift installed in place of the 3 on the tree.
Well 2nd & 3rd were reversed because the lever for them 2 gears on the transmission had to be flipped as the rod hit the cross member.
It was strange going from 1st to 2nd in a upside down U as 2nd was where 3rd was.
3rd was not where 2nd was.
Dave ----

 

GWDUHN (I just had to abbreviate your name) ! If you haven't fixed it already, take a picture of the shift rods where they are attached at the steering column. lilorbie may have hit on something! The previous owner may have had a problem like described above and didn't reinstall the rods correctly. The picture will give someone on the board (with 3 on the tree background) an idea about the rod positions and what they should be.
Sorry, It's late in the day here in PA and I just read the last post. Hope I made sense of it, but if not I'm sure I will be corrected, by a member with more experience. This board is the place to ask if you need help!!

 

I'm interested to hear more about this problem. I've had my fair share of odd problems. The symptoms are usually more confusing than the real issue. Just try to remain logical in the thoughts and diagnostics.

But, I agree that a tachometer would be beneficial to really put true data into the problem. Tachometer readings combined with speedometer readings will give a true indication of the gear it's in.

(Unknowing of your age or expirience) Is there perhaps an older, more experienced individual who could drive the truck and feel what you're feeling? Someone who might've daily driven a 3oT vehicle back in the day?