01e Shifting issues, advice greatly appreciated

[AudiSethB8]

How’s it going guys? I just completed my six speed swap 1k miles ago and everything has been amazing. Yesterday evening I went to upshift into fourth gear and missed the shift (I’m still learning I guess). I left it in neutral and eventually shifted down to second gear. I get the the light and when I put it into first it’s sort of hesitant but goes in, shifting into second is the same ordeal sort of a weird feeling but goes into second no issues. Shifter just feels heavy now I guess. Also neutral is very notchy, as if it’s getting caught on something… just sorta sticky I reckon. I’m going to attemp to realign the shifter. Have I f**ked up my 1-2 collar or synchros shifting into 4th !? Or is it possible I’ve thrown the shifter out of alignment or broken something on the linkage? Any help is greatly appreciated! I’m also going to get under the car and have someone else shift through the gears while I do my best at looking up and watching. Thanks guys


Sent from my iPhone using Audizine Forum

[VR6Bomber]

Do 1 and 2 grind going into gear?

[AudiSethB8]

VR6Bomber - they are not grinding at this time


Sent from my iPhone using Audizine Forum

[VR6Bomber]

1 & 2 shift collar would be grind-y

Make sure the linkage isn't hitting the interior side of the tunnel that it resides preventing the gear engagement.

[AudiSethB8]

Thanks I’m going to check exactly what you’re saying. Would the cross stabilizer bar be culprit?


Sent from my iPhone using Audizine Forum

[VR6Bomber]

Observe the shifter rod from the interior as you select gears.
See that it isn't hitting the left side of the tunnel when selecting R,1,2.

[CELison]

You can mash your 1-2 by clipping the gate in other gears. I did it lol. If that’s what happened, your best bet is to just row it back and forth 1-2 a shit ton of times to wear the burr down then change the fluid. It will come back around a bit until you can rebuild it.

[AudiSethB8]

Thanks both vr6bomber and CELison for the response! I’m hoping it’s something on the linkagebroke. Any idea why nuetral is notchy as he#L?


Sent from my iPhone using Audizine Forum

[CELison]

You have to dig in there and see what’s going on.

[AudiSethB8]

Update - so I got under the car and had my girlfriend shift the gears and move side to side in neutral. There’s a lot of slop in the selector shaft. The cross rod seems to be there still. It’s very hard to see anything and I can’t get my hand up there with the Mount in the way. I’m wondering if the nut on the selector shaft has worked itself loose. Either way I reckon I’ll be pulling the trans back out soon to figure it out. The jhm kits look promising. Always something with this car lol. Seems like I get a good 1-3k miles and booom something else wrong. Is there any other suggestions for things to check before I pull it out? Thank you all greatly. Seriously appreciate it


Sent from my iPhone using Audizine Forum

[VR6Bomber]

The shim/wedge is in the shifter gear selection arm on the trans?

[AudiSethB8]

Yes it certainly is. I made sure of it as ive heard of people tracking down shifting issues to no avail, because of this. I’m wondering if the nut has backed itself off though.


Sent from my iPhone using Audizine Forum

[AudiSethB8]

I would also like to note that when I’m second gear there is 6 inches of front to back play. Something surely had to be loose, missing, or broken, right?


Sent from my iPhone using Audizine Forum

[CELison]

You have to look. Anything else is just a guess.

[AudiSethB8]

So things are very sloppy all through the linkage. However, I believe the issue to be an internal one. When under the car, gearbox in neutral, if I push the shifter in and out, I can hear a clicking sound. I did what you ( CELison) recommended and went from 1-2 about 100 times and it’s way easier now. Looks like a rebuild is in my future. I’m pretty excited about this actually lol.


Sent from my iPhone using Audizine Forum

[cu52]

For the sloppyness: Do you have a short shifter? I just did a swap and grabbed my spare shifter (short) and turns out all the slop I had was due to the short shifter being loose between the pivot at the adjustable section. Check that it is still a tight assembly.