A833 problems and questions! First timer!

[Desmond73RRT]

Hey everybody, first post and I'm excited to be a b-body owner. I have an iron case 4 speed, date codes to 1976, bought out of a shed for $250. shifted through all the gears just fine out of the car and the internals looked very nice. put it behind my newly rebuilt 360 and went for a test drive.. 1st to 2nd to 3rd went fine.. downshift ed into 2nd and it stayed there unable to get out. pulled it out of the car again and found a broken shift strut key.

My questions- is this a common occurrence?
Reason why this may have happened??

Already ordered 3 new ones with new springs. will this be easy enough to replace? thank you for reading, I'm tearing into the tranny regardless this weekend! I have photos I'll try to upload later.

 

[hashmaker]

With a 1976 date is it a 4 speed over drive trans.? They would have been building them for 2 years by then, they look the same but are very different than the regular 4 speed. The OD gear is in the 3rd gear position which makes the cluster gear turn all the time. That subjects most parts to more wear and tear. I have one in a car, the OD part is great for mileage.

 

[Desmond73RRT]

It must be an overdrive unit if I dated it right. it's a 23 spline input and a 30 output.

 

[dvw]

I've broken one strut key, same result. Mine was the 3/4 , stuck in 3rd. I pound this thing HARD
Doug

 

[Desmond73RRT]

Ok, good to know it's happened to someone before. have you replaced it yet and if so is it a pain in the nuts?