VD 1:1 shaft spins in Neutral?

[Marko]

My Velvet Drive 1:1 on my F26 (318) is spinning forward thrust in Neutral!

This after replacing a popped freeze plug on rear of 318 that required pull tranny, bellhousing, flywheel to get to .

Upon reassembly, a tranny issue appeared (jiggle VD splines in to damper plate was a bear):
- starts and new freeze plug fine,
- Velvet Drive 1:1 in neutral and upon start, shaft spins with forward thrust!!
- Shift to Forward thrust stays,
- shift to Reverse requires 1200 rpm to not kill engine.

Any ideas! Tranny shift fine before remove to replace freeze plug.

-Mark O
1981 261, single 318, VD direct drive.

[prowlersfish]

It sounds like the forward clutches are badly dragging/sticking. Did you need to force the trans in? Did you run it with very low fluid after the installation. Does the shaft turn while cranking before it starts?

Normally you see this when the trans slips momentarily and welds the forward clutches together.