New owner, and MORE (MAJOR!) problems!

[supasuprase]

Well, let me start by saying that I have a 2000 blk/blk M6 S4 with 46k on the clock. Since I've bought the car, I've had to already fix more shit in a thousand miles than I have ever had to in any other previous car that i've owned.

I bought the car with 44k, and since I've owned it ive boosted it hard maybe two or three times, I've babied this car since the day i owned it. Yesterday i was coming from a stoplight and smoothly slowly shifting and when I went to go slowly into 5th at around 40-45mph, my shifter went completely limp. The shifter won't go into any gear except for 3rd and 4th at this point. If you try to go into any other gear, it automatically goes into 3rd (ie- if you were trying to go into 1st and 5th) and if you try to go into 2nd or 6th, it takes you to 4th automatically and the shifter just moves all over the place.

This is bullshit, I don't understand how a transmission goes bad on a 46k audi that's been babied.

ps- Apparantly this goddamn thing has already been replaced and/or rebuilt in it's lifespan, how many thousands of dollars did I just waste this time?

[S4-ORCE]

Should've gotten a TIP

[BurnAll4S4]

its not a transmission. sounds like a bad linkage. have someone who knows what they are talking about look at it.

[Overboostin]

sounds like your car had some prior issues if it has all these problems and the tranny has already been rebuilt. check the alignment, it might be off.

[supasuprase]

I mean, the car slides into gear perfectly, Its just the fact that I don't have an option to go into any other gear other than 3rd or 4th. I mean it goes into ANY gear fine, but it just acts like its in 3rd or 4th always. Reverse doesn't work.

Really don't think its transmission? Id do anything to hear it wasn't the transmission itself.

[BurnAll4S4]

well you said that the shifter itself is loose and limp, sounds like a bad linkage, or a relate linkage problem.

[damnthemansam]

buy JHM upgraded linkage and short shifter = problem solved

[BurnAll4S4]

buy JHM upgraded linkage and short shifter = problem solved

ummm no. he should first get the car inspected to see what is wrong

[davenew]

I mean, the car slides into gear perfectly, Its just the fact that I don't have an option to go into any other gear other than 3rd or 4th. I mean it goes into ANY gear fine, but it just acts like its in 3rd or 4th always. Reverse doesn't work.

Really don't think its transmission? Id do anything to hear it wasn't the transmission itself.

I would pull the shifter cover up and see if one of the two linkage bolts are loose. Pull upward on the rear edge of the shifter boot cover.. it will pop off. Maybe someone had a short shifter in there and removed it before the sale, and left bolts loose. If you can only select 3&4th it sounds like your shifter isn't working side to side. It could be a loose bolt at the shifter, or the linkage at the tranny came loose.

[The_Jerbel]

^^2nd. Either the bolt holding the linkage to the selector rod on the tranny came loose, or the bolt on the shifter came loose, allowing you to pull/push it into gear, but laterally, it just spins without moving the rod.

[ms4cd]

Pull the shifter boot and the cover with 2 bolts. Than look at all the bolts while shifting, something must be loose down there.

[thebigchu]

^^2nd. Either the bolt holding the linkage to the selector rod on the tranny came loose, or the bolt on the shifter came loose, allowing you to pull/push it into gear, but laterally, it just spins without moving the rod.

^^3rd.
Just pop up the cover under the shifter boot, remove the dust cover and take a look. You'll need a 10mm socket and a 6mm hex socket. Sounds to me like one of the 2 6mm hex bolts is loose.
Look at JHM's .

For a step by step to what we're talking about take a look at the B5 installation video @ JHM Motorsports website:

http://www.jhmotorsports.com/videos/

[supasuprase]

Thanks so much guys. It's very obvious at this point that my problem is most definitely the linkage.

What all do i need to buy? I'm taking my car into the shop today... Is the JHM upgrade the only thing i need to buy?

Thanks so much for the help everyone!

[The_Jerbel]

You may just need to tighten a bolt. Have them look at it and then figure out if you need to replace anything

[thebigchu]

Thanks so much guys. It's very obvious at this point that my problem is most definitely the linkage.

What all do i need to buy? I'm taking my car into the shop today... Is the JHM upgrade the only thing i need to buy?

Thanks so much for the help everyone!

Dude, before you have it towed to the shop, take a look yourself... again, this might be something that needs to be tightened. It'll take 10 minutes to take a look.

[Boris]

+1 , its not hard, you will be able to see with your eyes whether its loose, hopefully it jsut that! and your tranny is fine hopefully!

[Chknkatsu]

ummm no. he should first get the car inspected to see what is wrong

yea do that first, he's just gonna end up buying a short shifter and shifting into 3rd and fourth haha.

sounds like the tranny it self is fine.

[supasuprase]

Thanks.

I took the car to IPS motorsports for them to get a quick glance, and we removed the 10mm bolts and played around and looked at the shifter, but still couldn't tell exactly what the problem is.

I dont exactly know what to look for SPECIFICALLY, so I still don't know whether I need to just tighten a bolt or not.

Is the shift linkage UPGRADE from JHM for $189 the piece I need assuming that the linkage disconnected from the shifter to the tranny?

I'm still quite frustrated as to what to do, I currently CANNOT drive my car, period. I tried to yesterday to get it down to the shop and it was a terrible idea. To make things worse i couldn't even leave it there and had to drive it home...In rush hour.

[The_Jerbel]

Well, it's probably one of three bolt that came loose. Under the shifter surround there is a 6mm (IIRC) hex bolt that is in the middle of a slotted rod, holding the rod in place. There's another one below and to the left of that one.

Then the last one you won't be able to see very easily unless you pull the trans, but it bolts the shift linkage to the selector rod on the tranny housing. If you indeed broke something, then yes, the upgraded shift linkage is the kit you would want to buy, but chances are it's just a loose bolt. I'm betting that it's the bolt on the selector rod on the tranny, happened to me one time too.

[ms4cd]

The stock ones do not break, they just get sloppy. I would make sure what the problem is before going out and buying new stuff.

To me it sounds like what Jerbel is talking about. Similar thing happen when I did not tighten the bolt after a new shifter install.

[supasuprase]

Thanks a lot guys, hopefully you saved me 200 more dollars! I'm having an audi specialist look at in on Thursday, I refrained from buying any parts until then.

I'm so praying this is just a loose bolt, and im willing to bet you guys are right again.

Thanks, anyone else with input feel free to chime in!

[AMC]

yea if the place you brought it to doesnt know much about audis then it doesnt do you any good. when aligning the shifter its a PITA i kno it took me a while till i got every gear in, you probably just moved it out of place its no biggie as long as you dont hear a grinding noise or anythin out of the ordinary...its highly unlikly you blew all your synchros besides 3-4 dotn worry about it you should be fine, if i were you i would check to see if you have any tranny fluid in the car, if not just drain it and refill it so its fresh and just play with the shifter when loosening one of the bolts (out of 2) mainly the one on the bottom and loosen it then tighten and check to see if it goes in, if not keep doing it untill it does...that should honestly fix it , if not good luck

[jeproks]

Thanks.

I dont exactly know what to look for SPECIFICALLY, so I still don't know whether I need to just tighten a bolt or not.

These bolts.

[AMC]

These bolts.

yes play with the bottom one first once you can shift into gears but not clearely then play with the top one


good luck

[WMi_S4]

do you have your stock shifter still?

[The_Jerbel]

There is a 3rd bolt that is just as likely to be the culprit, but it's tucked up between the chassis and the top of the tranny.

The top bolt in the pic above should be at about the middle of the slot. The bottom is the one to adjust if you want to adjust your shifter.

Here is the 3rd bolt I'm talking about...

[supasuprase]

Thanks for the pictures.

UPDATE:
Well, i took everything apart in my garage a few minutes ago and the two hex bolts were very easily identifiable, just as you guys mentioned. They were firmly in place and were seemed to be fitting snug. I also tried to tighten both of them, and they seemed as though they didn't need any tightening.

Again, im taking the car in tomorrow, i was just taking a shot in the dark for an easy fix.