From the FSM

@Zed Head Here are two videos showing what the rod does when I move into reverse and 5th gear.  It seems to do the opposite of what you're saying it should do.

I get an error message when I try to watch the video.  You might upload to Youtube and post the link.

If it's doing the opposite then you must be seeing the other end of the indentation.  Not sure how that could be unless the rod moved.  But the striker shouldn't work correctly then.  @zKars knows more.  I'm just eyeballing the drawings and parts and moving things in my brain.

You said earlier that sometimes it's difficult to get in to gear.  Maybe that's a clue.

19 hours ago, eastcoastz said:

The only other issue I have is that once in a while it can be a little tough to get it into gear when the engine is cold but I just attributed that to being that the engine/transmission isn’t warmed up yet. It always gets better/normal once the engine/transmission is warmed up. 

 

Trying to think of things that would allow the 5/R shift rod to be out of its normal position but still have both gears working correctly. Nothing comes to mind other than the rob being bent 

@Zed Head @zKars

here are the video links on youtube

5th gear: 

Reverse gear:

 

Aha! I think I have it!  The location of that switch hole tells me that’s a 4 speed bell housing, assuming the right of the picture is toward the engine (front).  I see the ramp and flat spot on the rod in the first video, and they are forward of the hole. If the hole were ahead 1.25 I think, it would be in the right spot.

Now as to why that trans has a four speed bell housing,  this is normally done when the five speed came from a later Datsun truck/car with the engine vertical, so the bell housing clocking is wrong, so you have to get a Z bell housing and what do you have on hand but a 4 speed….

Didn’t I just do a thread on how I modify that shift rod to move the ramp in line with the 4 speed hole? Just grind down the rod and make a new ramp further back in line with the rev switch. Simple, right….

Edited September 30, 20222 yr by zKars

Oh awesome. Thanks so much for the explanation!  I appreciate it!

22 hours ago, eastcoastz said:

I purchase the transmission as a rebuilt/remanufactured transmission so hopefully it was done right. 

The videos were telling.  Looks like somebody cobbled some parts together and didn't get things completely right.

You could make your own switch up on the shift lever.  Wouldn't be too hard to do.

Where'd you get the transmission?  To zKars's point - is the front case with the switch holes iron or aluminum? WRONG!!!>>> I think that the 4 speeds were all iron.

Edited October 1, 20222 yr by Zed Head

I’m kind of ashamed to say that I got it from California Datsun. Unfortunately I didn’t know their reputation before I purchased it. 
 

That being said I’m hoping it is actually a rebuilt transmission and not just a used one that he painted to look rebuilt/refurbished. 
 

I’m not sure what the front case is made of but I think you guys hit the nail on the head that California Datsun put a 4 speed housing on it and didn’t line up the reverse switch properly. 

I thought it might be.  It's just how he rolls.  Hasn't changed.

Put a magnet on it to see what it is.  Doesn't really matter for your purpose but will confirm zKars's theory.  Actually, all he (or the guy that does his work for him) had to do is what zKars's described in his thread, posted above.  Weird how that circle got completed...

1 hour ago, Zed Head said:

The videos were telling.  Looks like somebody cobbled some parts together and didn't get things completely right.

You could make your own switch up on the shift lever.  Wouldn't be too hard to do.

Where'd you get the transmission?  To zKars's point - is the front case with the switch holes iron or aluminum?  I think that the 4 speeds were all iron.

Never seen a non-aluminum bell housing on an L series transmission.