Can't get in reverse [5spd]

[functionchaos]

ok i'll give as much info as possible here, in hopes of someone being able to help me with this or atlest tell me what to do to check it...

Ok i'm driving home on the highway, not driving hard or fast, i get off the exit ramp and it won't come out of 5th gear... first time it's ever done that... so i pull hard and it comes out, then it does the same thing again... so i go in and out of 5th to hope in loosening it up, so it does, i then i'm home and i try to back up into the driveway and it just act's as if theres not a gear there... no grinding no noise, so i try and mess with it add oil to the tranny just to make sure, and still nothing, can't go in R, i drive around a few miles just to see if that helps, and still nothing... i'm not very good with trannys engines and wiring is fine.. but i haven't a clue here...

thanks for any and all help you guys can give me

[Bill Roberts]

A thread on this quite recently, although I don't think the owner took the tranny apart to verify what I think has happened.

When you pulled really hard to get it out of 5th, the reverse fork got dislodged ...now the fork has nowhere to go since it is no longer sliding gear cogs back and forth on the shaft. The tranny will need to be taken apart and the fork put back.

Hopefully the fork did not break in half..if it did, I am sure it would have got caught up in the gears.

If I recall, their is a pin that keeps the fork and shaft together. If it dropped out, then the fork is doing nothing...just sliding on the shaft.

Not scolding...but when a shifter gets stiff, dont pull it and force it...just tap it a number of times while working the clutch and jolting the car...you would not believe the force you have (leverage) with the shifter on the forks..it is something like 14 to one your advantage. You can litterally break a fork..as they are cast iron with machined pinnings for the shaft pilot grooves.

Time for a pullout and look-see.

BTW, all this is internal.


Do it before you drive much futher, all you need is a pin to get between the gears and waste your tranny..or part of a fork to ket crunched up and pulverized (ruining gears).

[functionchaos]

damn, thanks for the Reply though, anything else it could be? that wouldn't require taking out the tranny =) so i have to pull the tranny apart and check everything? or just not have R anymore?

[Bill Roberts]

Cannot sAy that their is...read my post again, I added a few things in edit.

BTW, trannys can be had cheap. Ask anyone doing a swap what they will sell their old one for (someone doing an SRDET swap) and get one.

Install the used tranny, (confirming it shifts and works) then you got time to put yours' back together.

If you take yours somewhere to get it "checked" you may get raped.

I wish I had a place and a lift to do tranny repairs..something like that, a regular shop would be 250 for the R&R (remove replace) and 200 for the repair..all in about 2 hrs max with the proper tools (plus cleaning and new fluid)

At this point, 2 hrs and 450 to 500 would get it right I suppose. A rippoff INHO...but for your car driving down the road and backing...people pay much more.

If I had a shop, I would charge 200 + parts...but I don't.


Nothing at all I can think of to allow you to get it in rev./ but if you drive it like it is, you take a huge chance on something getting between the gears.

If you want to drive on it anyway, drain it out and see if their are any nice silver hunks of steel in the fluid. Brass shavings are ok..that is normal syncro wear.

Good luck dude.....

[functionchaos]

ok, i've put over 100 miles on my car, and it still won't go in R, but every other gear is fine... ideas? also, would it be easier to fix if indeed it is the fork, or just buy a used one for around $100... thanks

[kandyflip445]

Well if it's going into 5th then it's not the fork being loose on the shift rod...I think Bill is talking about the thread that I posted that and some pics from the FSM. Does the shifter go all the way back? If it doesn't just put the car in neutral, let the clutch up and rev the engine. Then try it put it in again (while pressing the clutch like normal). This will get the gear cluster moving giving the syncros time to do their job.

Where in KS are you? there are a couple ppl in KS including myself that could maybe help you out.

[functionchaos]

i live in Olathe and work in Ottawa if someone could help me that'd be freaking great... i haven't a clue to what's wrong.. i goes in every other gear just fine... just no R.. i had to push it out of a parking spot today =( if anyone knows what's wrong help out, it hasn't done this in the 2 years i've owned the car, and neve had a problem in the 3 years i've owned 240's... help?

[kandyflip445]

I live in the other corner of KS. If it's still doin it in like a month maybe I could make a trip up there if you had the resourses(money) for parts and some tools and then I could go shopping somewhere.:D Goodluck with it though.

[Muzzy]

oh oh i know!!!

ok if its 5speed all u have to do is adjust the throw of the clutch.
look at the clutch pedal you'll see a screw attached to the back of the pedal(arm) and a nut on it. loosen the nut and back the screw out on the pedal. it will adjust the point of engagement but it will cure this problem..unless u have a leak somewhere..check your fluid level

[kandyflip445]

If he can get into all of the other gears then it's not the clutch pedal adj.

[functionchaos]

yeah, i'm just not sure what it is since i can get in and out of every other gear just fine... do you come up to the KC area much? or would this be a trip for you? i'm not sure what the problem is, and if i should just get a new tranny, for around 200[used] or if i should fiddle with this one... i kind of want to know what is wrong with it...

[Muzzy]

well i had a similar prob first and second were my prob not the rest of hte gears and thats wut cured it

[functionchaos]

well, if anyone has any other ideas you're more then welcome to tell me =) i really need to get this fixed, be it buying a new one... =( or just fixing this one,.... whatever is wrong with it... so to recap..

Every gear works except Reverse...

[functionchaos]

OK, so here's what i've found out... it will go in R aslong as it's in N and moving backwards... but as soon as it goes in 5th again, it won't go in R... if anyone could help with this... please give me some ideas =)