Joe, I'll bet going into third first and then to reverse with no grind has more to do with the lag time than with aligning anything in the trans. There are no syncros for the reverse gear. That's pretty much why they grind. It's also why they wear out. Also why it's a good idea to replace the reverse gear any time you tear one down. You just have to give it a second to stop spinning so the gears will mesh better. Just from my limited experience rebuild one.
