troubles with transmission/shifter

[e1_griego]

So, my car is experienceing transmission problems which I don't think are actually related to the clutch. Earlier this afternoon on my way home, my car refused to go into 5th--double clutch didn't work, nor did force. However, the other 4 gears and reverse were fine. 5th, of course, worked fine this morning.

I got home and started messing around with it, and even with the car off the shifter didn't want to go into 5th. Then, it stopped wanting to pivot to the right (which normally allows you to get into 5th and reverse). Plus it started 'sticking,' and not wanting to come out of gear.

I drove it over to a friend's friend's house--who is apparently a mechanic--and he told me that it was the 5th gear synchros and that ultimately I would need to replace the tranny. I think that's bs. I don't think synchros go out in a day and on the drive home from this guy's house, the car was shifting just fine into all gears (still sticking a tiny bit in 3rd, but not enough to not go in). I know the tranny is also low on fluid since the boot at the shifter are pretty torn up and there's oil around there, but I couldn't get the fill plug unscrewed, so I'll try again tomorrow morning. I intend to get it filled--but 'mechanic-dude' said that even with the tranny low rowing the gears with the car off shouldn't be a problem.

So now, I come to Zilvia seeking further insight or problem areas to inspect. I'll fill the fluid tomorrow morning (hopefully), but if that doesn't change anything, where else should I be looking? Shifter forks? Or is something fubar'ed inside the tranny? Thanks for any help you can provide me.

Alex

[Ugly_s14]

Manual transmissions are pretty basic in their design. There are not a whole lot of things that can malfunction inside the transmission. If you can shift properly into all gearshift positions with the engine off, but not with the engine running, then you've probably not got a transmission error. I would look into pulling the inspection plug out of the bottom of your transmission bellhousing and getting a light on the release fork and bearing while a friend pumps the clutch for you. If there is good movement then your 'mechanic-dude' may be right in his half-assed diagnosis of the 5th gear synchro. To my knowledge synchros work perfectly right up until the point where they don't - it's not likely, but possible that they could take a dump on you overnight.

If I were you I would forget about attempting to further diagnose what's wrong with your 15+ year-old s13's transmission and get another one. You can pick one up online for fifty bucks; people are doing SR installs ALL the time. Just my two cents. Start with the basic stuff like clutch hydraulics and release bearing operation.

[Vatche]

so you say that if the engine is off and you can put it in all gears its not a transmission problem. is a syncro problem a transmission problem? like when i shift from 1st to 2nd and i get a lil bit of grind...but it doesnt do it when i downshift from 3rd to 2nd, and it doesnt do it when car is off or at stop. only when there is high rpm's and load maybe it happens...so thats a syncro going bad right? lemme know what you think

[NIK90s13]

I went through the same crap. Wont shift this time force it than it shifts fine. I had just gotten the car, so I changed the fluid for piece of mind. I haven't had the problem yet. You can try it, if you haven't serviced your tranny it probably could use it.

[Vatche]

i have a leak from the shifter, and i have ran low on oil and i added oil it got better now its worse again, im sure if i fix my leak and add the oil it will get better, it just doesnt go away.

[jdm_s14_zenki]

5th gear synchro is bad, better to replace tranny then to open the case and spend more $$ on labor and rebuild. S13 trannies are super cheap.

[e1_griego]

Well...I guess it's all fixed now (mostly on its own). i couldn't get the fill plug loose, so I went to some friends' shop and we threw the car on the lift. It was shifting fine all morning long through every gear and reverse, btw. Anyhow, got the car up, took out the fill plug and oil came out---motor oil, of the 10-30 watery variety. Dumped all the fluid out and refilled with mt-90. Shifts smoother now, for sure, and have yet to experience any of the problems of yesterday. So, I'm driving it until it breaks. Thanks for your help, suggestions. It's very mysterious.

Alex

[jdm_s14_zenki]

one time my shifter got stuck in 5th gear. would not come out no matter what i did. somehow it popped back out, and it never happened again.

[e1_griego]

Yeah, I think this was somewhat of a fluke. The tranny seems fine other than yesterday's episode. Bah, if it breaks, it breaks. I'll deal with it then.

Alex

[breakindrifts]

For future reference, when changing your trans fluid it's much easier to unbolt the shifter and fill it from there, this way you dont need to get a pump in that small place just need to pour it in.