Just installed rs4 clutch, now i dont have reverse!

[sCeRaXn]

So i just got done installing Vasts rs4 clutch with upgraded organic disk, but when i went to do a test drive i realized that i have no reverse. Itll go into 1-6 easily, but it acts like there isnt even a reverse gear for it to grab. It doesnt grind or hit a wall...theres just nothing there. I adjusted the linkage from all the way forward to all the way back in tiny(1-2mm at a time) incriments but it didnt help. I checked the transmission end of the linkage as well and everything seems normal. The large ball/socket is good, as well as the smaller one on the stabilizer rod that goes across the trans. I made sure the wedge was in the linkage when i installed it onto the shift rod in the transmission, so i know that isnt the problem. The SAC mechanism was way out of adjustment when i got it, so i had it set back to zero before installing it...but i dont really see how that could be the problem. Im basically lost at this point...so any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

Heres a list of things done to the car while it was down.
-RS4 clutch with upgraded organic disk
-Resurfaced stock flywheel
-New TOB and needle bearing in FW
-JHM shifter bushings
-Redline mt90
-New Sachs slave cylinder

Thats about it as far as the clutch/trans is concerned. Nothing else i did would have any affect on the way it shifts. Any ideas?

[ILoveT]

Sound like a misaligned linkage but you already checked that. Hmmm

[AMC]

yea u have to realign teh linkage and ull be fine

[sCeRaXn]

Ive adjusted it every way possible with no success. Theres no play in the linkage at all...well theres a tiny bit of play but no more than when the car was driving fine. Im stumped.

[MiniRS4]

Ive adjusted it every way possible with no success. Theres no play in the linkage at all...well theres a tiny bit of play but no more than when the car was driving fine. Im stumped.

it def doesnt have anythign to do w the clutch.

its all in the shifter linkage/bushings/etc, not the clutch. also, maybe you re-installed the shifter wrong...

im not sure... but just offering you my 2 cents. def not the clutch for sure.

let us know.

[Matt@JHM]

Give Jason at JHM a call, he will most likely be able to diagnose it over the phone. He's heard them all.

[The_Jerbel]

Try moving the shifter just a little to the left relative to the shifter rod when you adjust the linkage and give that a try. I've run into that same problem before and it's just a case of a mis-aligned shifter.

[sCeRaXn]

Yea i know it isnt in the clutch, and most likely has nothing to do with the trans. Ive moved the shifter every way possible and it hasnt changed anything. I was trying to feel if it was even getting close to hitting reverse so that id know where it needs to be moved, but its like theres nothing there. The shifter box and linkage stayed in the car when i took out the transmission, so it couldnt have been an installation error(as far as the shifter itsself is concerned). Im gonna go mess with it more when i get off of work and see what i can come up with. Im gonna do what Jordan said and move it to the left slightly, then try adjusting it fore and aft again to see if it will catch in its new position.

For some reason...i dont think i installed the washer on the nut when i put the shifter on the gear selector rod. This could have caused it to be slightly loose and just added to teh problem, so im gonna check thatas well. The ONLY other thing that i can think of is that the linkage is hitting something thats keeping it from going in gear, but im pretty sure i checked and it was clear of everything. Keep the ideas coming, its helping me narrow shit down which will save me some time when doing the troubleshooting. Ill give Jason a call if i cant figure it out today, but id rather that be the absolute last resort because im sure hes got better things to do than answer my stupid questions lol. Thanks again guys!

[The_Jerbel]

It's a problem of left-to-right adjustment, not for-to-aft...Start off with the shifter pointing straight up with the tranny in neutral and fine-tune from there.

[b5s4tt]

u need the washer on the piece. and theres a half moon shim that may be missing as well

[ThirdStrike]

i had the same problem. after adjusting the linkage i was able to remedy it. id put my car into reverse and be in first gear lol

[sCeRaXn]

It's a problem of left-to-right adjustment, not for-to-aft...Start off with the shifter pointing straight up with the tranny in neutral and fine-tune from there.

Well i did adjust it left to right some...but i didnt adjust it for and aft everytime i moved it left to right. I put it dead center(front to back) and tried adjusting it left to right with the same for to aft adjustment. Now im gonna adjust it left to right and try moving it for-to-aft in each left to right incriment.

[sCeRaXn]

u need the washer on the piece. and theres a half moon shim that may be missing as well

Im gonna check and see if i put the washer in, if not ill throw it in there and see if it helps. What half moon shim are you referring to? I dont remember removing a shim like that. I know of the "wedge" shim thats inside the shift knuckle that connects to the selector shaft, and i made sure it was in there when i re-installed it.

Thanks for all the help people. I feel like im finally getting somewhere lol

[Audi S4 Turbo]

Let us know...

[sCeRaXn]

OK i got anxious to mess with it so i took the afternoon off lol. I went and put a washer on the shifter knuckle...but it didnt help at all. It still has the same amount of play in it that it had before. Im really confused now.

Jordan...when you said to move it from one side to the other did you mean the whole shifter assembly? I think i was mis-reading what you wrote(im always in too much of a hurry lol). It seems like moving the whole shifter assembly would help things out, but i couldnt find a way to do that. The whole assembly is mounted solid from side to side.

[AMC]

for some reason my shifter isnt level, everytime i try to align it dead level i cant get reverse, try moving it towards the right it should get into reverse

[The_Jerbel]

Sean,
I meant to adjust the shifter-to-shift rod setting. If the wedge is in place in the linkage, then you should be able to play with the shifter adjustment from left to right until you find the sweet spot. I always start with the shifter straight up when I screw with them, and then go from there.

[sCeRaXn]

Well i wasnt mis-reading afterall lol Thats the adjustment that i tried...in fact ive tried every single one of them with no luck. Ive tried side to side, front to back on the selector rod, and front to back on the stabilizer rod. Ive seriously tried every adjustment possible in the shifter box. Now im starting to think that my problem is elsewhere, but i just cant figure out where.

When i installed my JHM bushing i put that fat part down(thats what my buddy told me to do). Should the fat part of the bushing face up? I dont really see how that would make this much of a difference though.

[sCeRaXn]

Come on people...i need some help here. Ive almost reached my breaking point with this piece of shit. Its been one thing after another since an hour after i bought it. If it isnt on the road by this weekend then im gonna throw a for sale sign on it and be rid of the headache for good. This isnt what i really want to do, but its whats gonna happen if i cant figure it out. I knew it would be a money pit and a headache...but this is just absolutely ri-god damned-diculous.

[The_Jerbel]

No, you did it correctly. Have you adjusted the stabilizer bar in the shifter box? The bolt should be about in the middle of the slot...

[sCeRaXn]

Yea ive adjusted everything in the shifter box atleast 50 times now. The only thing thats out of ordinary is when the car is in reverse the shift knob sits further forward than it does when tis in 1st, 3rd, or 5th. I cant remember if it was like that before, but it just seems sorta odd.

It takes alot to get me even slightly upset...but this thing has managed to piss me off to no end. Im starting to think that it isnt worth all the hassle. Ive owned it for exactly 72 days, and ive only gotten to drive it for a total of 19.

[The_Jerbel]

Dude, it is worth MORE than the hassle, believe me. I've literally replaced damn near every possible part in my car that can be separated from the chassis, and I still love my car to death. You just need some stage 3 power to bring the smile to your face even when she pisses you off.

So, the linkage is properly bolted to the gear selector rod with the wedge in place, the stabilizer rod is centered and tightened down correctly, and the shifter has been adjusted all over the place. Can you put the tranny in gear by hand if you loosen up the shifter from the connector rod, go underneath and grab the selector rod with your hand?

[sCeRaXn]

I can put it in every gear except reverse from the linkage under the car. The only reason i cant get it in reverse is because i dont have anyone to push the shifter down while i try to change gears from under the car. Ill have to try again tomorrow if i can get someone to come over and help me.

I dont really see how, but could it be a problem with the transmission itsself? Like i said...it doesnt grind or hit a wall...it just acts like theres nothing there.

[The_Jerbel]

Loosen the bolt so that the shifter isn't connected to the tranny anymore. Then try and do it from underneath...

[sCeRaXn]

I didnt even think about that until you wrote it on your previous post. Ill give it a try tomorrow. I need to cool down a bit before i go mess with it again lol.

Keep the guesses coming!

[sCeRaXn]

Ok im about to go out there and do what Jordan suggested. Can anyone think of anything else i should look for? I REALLY wanna get this pos back on the road...maybe then ill remember why i fell in love with it in the first place. Right now id rather torch it than have to crawl under it again lol

[MiniRS4]

what type of shifter is in the car?
make sure it is re-installed properly. not back wards upside-down etc. also if it is a tanoga or something else, that is prolly the reason.

GL!

[sCeRaXn]

Its the stock shifter and it was never removed. Could it be a problem with the shifter? I dont really see how because it travels the full distance. The only thing odd is, as i mentioned before, when its in reverse the shift knob sits further forward than it does while in first. When you push down on the shifter to put it in reverse does the linkage actully move up in the front or is that just for the reverse lockout?

Im really stumped now. I called Jason at JHM but he hasnt called me back yet. Hopefully hell have some insight on this whole mess.

[nateS4]

Man, I really want to install an RS4 clutch this summer on mine with 120k stock clutch. I hope it's not going to be this much of a bitch. Good luck bro.

[sCeRaXn]

The install really wasnt that bad. Its pretty straight forward if you have the tools and decent mechanical knowledge. The only bitch was actually getting to everything that needed to be removed. I honestly think that Audi designed these cars to be so much of a hassle to work on that youll eventually give up and bring it to them..its all a scam i tell ya lol. But in all seriousness...it wasnt that bad. I dont think my situation has anything to do with the clutch...its just a by-product of the install lol. Dont let this sway you from getting one...and when you decide to get it then PM Jordan and hell give you a really good deal.

[sCeRaXn]

Well i just recieved a call from Jason with some shitty news. Appearantly...the transmission has to be pulled again and torn down. I had a friend of mine fill the transmission for me while i was test fitting my dp's and marking the spot for the relocated 02's...well he undid the wrong bolt which caused the reverse lever to fall out inside the transmission. This is what i get for not paying attention to my friend while he does work on my car...especially with his history of fucking things up. But in all fairness...i wouldve never guessed that this would be the outcome of taking that bolt out either. I know thats the bolt he used to fill it because there was fluid all around it.

So the bad luck continues. Now the question is...do i keep it or get rid of it? At this point i dont know if i can justify making payments on a car thats been sitting for months, especially considering the small amount of time i actually got to drive it before this started. And i honestly dont think i have the will power to do it all over again. I shouldve gotten the M3 like i originally planned lol.

[yellow]

The install really wasnt that bad. Its pretty straight forward if you have the tools and decent mechanical knowledge. The only bitch was actually getting to everything that needed to be removed. I honestly think that Audi designed these cars to be so much of a hassle to work on that youll eventually give up and bring it to them..its all a scam i tell ya lol. But in all seriousness...it wasnt that bad. I dont think my situation has anything to do with the clutch...its just a by-product of the install lol. Dont let this sway you from getting one...and when you decide to get it then PM Jordan and hell give you a really good deal.

hey, i will be leaving ny on wednesday or thu morning. if you want my help let me know? im going to va for a couple days. i can make a stop at your shop or house if you want me to take a look at it? let me know.

[jaybquick@JHM]

Glad we could speak on the phone today.

After more thought I am 100% positive it is the torx bolt on top that you guys removed to fill the gear oil is the problem. That bolt holds the reverse pivot arm in place. So you must tear the front of the tranny apart to get it back in place. My video would cover more detail on the tranny and taking it apart. But it should only need the front reomved and then just reach in there and put it back in place then bolt it back up.

Item 11 in this pic is the bolt that you removed to fill the oil and item 10 is the lever that engages Reverse gear.

Hope this helps.



Good luck.


P.S. I have heard of others doing this as well so don't feel bad.

[sCeRaXn]

Yea thanks again for helping me today. You saved me what wouldve been ALOT of troubleshooting. I talked to my friend that took the bolt out...and its definitely numer 11 on the diagram. He said it only had a little thread on the top and the rest was smooth. He also said that it had a groove around it that he thought was the fill marker. Im guessing it was the groove for a retaining clip/pin of some sort. I was pretty pissed at first but i wouldnt have known the difference either so i probably wouldve done the same thing lol

Im about to order your video so that should help me out...but is there anything that im gonna need to do this, like gaskets or anything else that i might need? If so i want to go ahead and order it so i can get it done asap. Thanks again for all the help man

[The_Jerbel]

Sorry to hear about the cause of the problem!! I know what it's like to tear down that tranny, and it's not as bad as you think! R&R of the tranny is worse than the actual rebuild in my mind...

[jaybquick@JHM]

Yea thanks again for helping me today. You saved me what wouldve been ALOT of troubleshooting. I talked to my friend that took the bolt out...and its definitely numer 11 on the diagram. He said it only had a little thread on the top and the rest was smooth. He also said that it had a groove around it that he thought was the fill marker. Im guessing it was the groove for a retaining clip/pin of some sort. I was pretty pissed at first but i wouldnt have known the difference either so i probably wouldve done the same thing lol

Im about to order your video so that should help me out...but is there anything that im gonna need to do this, like gaskets or anything else that i might need? If so i want to go ahead and order it so i can get it done asap. Thanks again for all the help man

If you only pull the front casing off to access it, just some silicone and an input shaft seal should do it. However if you are going through the headache of it all and have miles on it or some marginal synchros you may just want to rebuild the darn thing and be done with it. That way you shouldn't have to pull your trans back out down the road.

[Audi S4 Turbo]

Good luck.


P.S. I have heard of others doing this as well so don't feel bad.

Yes, from me! Haha How much is this part, Jay?

[jaybquick@JHM]

Yes, from me! Haha How much is this part, Jay?

I doubt any parts will be needed. It probably just needs to be put back in its proper place.

You won't know until you take the trans apart if the arm is damaged. The only damave it would get would be from bouncing on gears and other stuff in the trans. NOT GOOD.

[sCeRaXn]

Well it doesnt look like ill be able to mess with it until next weekend. Work is nuts right now so ill most likely end up working on sat and sun. Im just going to pull the front case off and try to do it that way. The trans was replaced with a new OEM unit around 30k miles ago(when the clutch was done by the previous owner), so im hoping itll last me a while. Im going to reuse the fluid since it only has 10ft of use on it(thats all the car moved lol). Im going to try and do this as cheaply and quickly as possible because im having problems with my DD and i dont know how much its gonna cost me to fix it. Im still gonna splurge a little for your DVD and SS though...but the shifter was gonna be my next mod anyway, this just motivated me to get it a little sooner. Thanks again for all the help man. If i wouldnt have talked to you id be under my car right now messing with the linkage while yelling obscenities like a mad man...my neighbors are thanking you as well lol!

[jaybquick@JHM]

Well it doesnt look like ill be able to mess with it until next weekend. Work is nuts right now so ill most likely end up working on sat and sun. Im just going to pull the front case off and try to do it that way. The trans was replaced with a new OEM unit around 30k miles ago(when the clutch was done by the previous owner), so im hoping itll last me a while. Im going to reuse the fluid since it only has 10ft of use on it(thats all the car moved lol). Im going to try and do this as cheaply and quickly as possible because im having problems with my DD and i dont know how much its gonna cost me to fix it. Im still gonna splurge a little for your DVD and SS though...but the shifter was gonna be my next mod anyway, this just motivated me to get it a little sooner. Thanks again for all the help man. If i wouldnt have talked to you id be under my car right now messing with the linkage while yelling obscenities like a mad man...my neighbors are thanking you as well lol!

Just make sure you stand it up on the end that hooks to the rear driveshaft (use a helper to keep it stable). This will keep the pinion shaft from coming out. If it falls out 23 little bearings will go everywhere.