My Transmission Problem

To day I topped off my manual tranny after replacing a CV half shaft. (The tranny is filled through the hole where the speedometer cable goes). I went for a drive and could not get it to shift. Seemed to only go in 3rd and 5th. And, the speedometer wasn't working. Here's what it was: The plastic speedometer drive gear broke and fell down into where the linkeages are (inside tranny) for shifting. I'm am really lucky as I was able to fish the broken gear out even though I couldn't see it under the fluid. Just thought I'd share that.:banghead:

Thanks for the info. I was lucky that I had the 5-speed out of my 94 Escort before I tried to get the VSS/speedo cable item out of the transaxle case. It was corroded in place and took a lot of work to get it free. The final step was to heat the transaxle case quickly but briefly with the acetylene torch. That loosened it up enough that I could work it out. I imagine I would have set nearby things on fire if I had been obliged to do it with the tranny still in the car.
I had had to take the tranny out to replace the clutch and rebuild the motor: Dropped valve seat in cyl #4.

First time I had to remove it, had trouble getting my speed sensor out as well. Found that twisting while pulling helped to free it.

One thing you have to be really careful about is not overfilling the transmission. Doing so in hot weather, (liquid expands,) blows the seal in the speed sensor, allowing the speedometer to siphon fluid out to the passenger compartment. When you do fill, account for expansion and put even less in there if you do really high-speed travel on highways.

If you do put too much in there, it is worth sucking any excess out with a large turkey baster.

Also, I've tried the transmission breather vent solution with no success. Didn't make any difference. Still get fluid pumped into the passenger area. The speed sensor has to be replaced, regardless. (but perhaps pressure just has to first be relieved via disassembly in order to break the siphon???)