Speedometer gear fell inside muncie

[dalekerr]

Ok I screwed up I could not get the speedometer cable off so I pulled the gear housing. I was attempting to change to the right gear to make the speedometer correct! Speedometer gear fell into the transmission M2. i tried for two hours to fish it out laying on my back, no sucess.
I installed a new gear and drove it home about a mile.

Suggestions please?

Can the plastic gear just stay in the trans?

[z28z11]

Possibly, but you don't want it to interfere with the reverse gear selector, either. I broke and lost the clip underneath the tailshaft speedo gear once, locked the trans up in reverse (i liked to have never made it to the station where I worked), had to remove the tail housing and put a new clip under the gear to get everything back to normal.
Suit yourself, but I wouldn't leave it long term.

Regards,
Steve

[BULLITT65]

 Hmm, with the car jacked up, can you just pull off the side cover, get the gear out and pop the side cover back on?
I have done it outside the car pretty easy. Not sure how hard it is to do with the trans still in the car. You just have to make sure the shifter forks go back in the slides when re-installing.

[dalekerr]

Thanks

Do I need to put the trans in 2nd gear? I need to change the shifter seals I can do all this at the same time? Any tips to keep me from bigger head aches?

Do I need a new gasket for the side cover? 

[bcmiller]

The loose speedo gear is in the tail housing, not the main case.

[dalekerr]

Can it be fished out from the side cover?

Since it is plastic or nylon should I just not worry about it?

[BULLITT65]

Gear is probably in the tailshaft, not the main case.

Well I thought you would be able to fish it out from going through the main case. Going through my pics of munches, I think the rear main bearing would prevent access to get to the tail shaft. Could you just remove the tail shaft, and re-install?
(might have to drain, and refill some of the trans)

[bcmiller]

In my opinion the fastest way, pull the trans, remove the tail housing, remove the loose gear, then reinstall the tail housing.

[cook_dw]

Steve and Bryon are correct.  Pull the trans/tailshaft and remove gear.  BTW you can't access the tailshaft area through the side cover due to the midplate. 

Point proven again.

[dalekerr]

Pulling the trans and splitting it apart is more than I want tackle any time soon.I read several post on other sites today and many have left the speedometer gear in the transmission. I think I will take my chances.
If this does not work out I will update this post for others with this issue.

Thanks for the responses, I appreciate the help.

[bcmiller]

It’s up to you, take a chance and you may get lucky, or not.

[BULLITT65]

Steve and Bryon are correct.  Pull the trans/tailshaft and remove gear.  BTW you can't access the tailshaft area through the side cover due to the midplate. 

Point proven again.

Hmm same thing I said in my previous post. Seems a bit redundant. But nice of you to chime in.

Also not so much the just the mid plate as the rear bearing (#30) being in the way of access, also as I stated above, but thats OK if you missed it. I guess since the mid plate somewhat holds that bearing in place you could say both prevent access.

[bcmiller]

If you have one of those very small inspection cameras with a built in light, you MIGHT be able to see where it is. If it’s not all chewed up, you MIGHT be able to get it back out the same hole. But you might also just be wasting your time.

[cook_dw]

Lol Austin you are too cute..

Keep up the EXCELLENT work..