Well, its no biggy but its weird. Well, I got a 83 GSL with manual tranny. The problem: Sometimes when I put the car in reverse, clutch all the way down, the car will not backup, I can feel it not locked with the gear or something. So, i'll take the shifter out of reverse, go through the gears and retry, sometimes it will clunk right in reverse and go straight back. Sometimes it doesn't go back and sometimes when clutch all the way down and I try and go back it will grind?? This is only in reverse. Everything else, gear wise and with the car is fine. It's no biggy, but sometimes im trying to get it to go in reverse for like 10 seconds. What could it be???

Oh ya, my buds 84 GS does this sometimes too, he said its normal, he has had his for 4 years.

 

Yeah that's pretty normal. My 83 does this too. Still makes me cringe when it slams and grinds LOL

 

1st gen's transmission does not have a synchro for reverse, just put it in 1st before you shift to reverse.

 

Yeah, my 83 has a tendency to not fully engage reverse, at times. I make sure I keep my hand on the shifter, while letting up the clutch. It will usually finish engaging without grinding. If I don't keep my hand on the shifter, it will grind occasionally.

 

Ok, cool... just making sure. Yeah, I do put it into first, then reverse. Thanks guys.

 

Actually, 2nd Gear works better...

 

Its not normal. I never had any problem with any of my trannys even in my son's learner FB with stock clutch but it is new.

 

I'm with Wacky on this one guys. I have never had a problem with this. I have had the standard notchy shifter feel in cold temps that was corrected with using synthetic gear oil.

I would try re-bleeding the slave cylinder out and see if that helps. Next time you attempt it instead of moving the shifter from different gears to reverse, pump the clutch pedal a bunch of times and see if that helps.

 

Ok, well, if it happens to msot people then some got lucky and what not i guess. whatever, thansk for the info guys

 

Its not called "luck" there is a problem with your clutch and/or hydraulic system period.

 

Not nessecarily. There is nothing wrong with my system, other than a little funny wear on one or more of the reverse gear set.
I can usually feel when it doesn't fully engage.

 

I have new clutch, master cylinder, slave cylinder, and new line. I am sure i bled it properly.

 

Nothing wrong with the system. There's just no synchro for reverse as stated and if shifted into reverse from neutral it will sometimes do this. Putting it in 1st or 2nd and then reverse, it will aleviate the issue. Sometimes I put it into reverse from neutral and sometimes it does it. It's never done it from first or second to reverse

 

Checked it out again... still does it sometimes. I tried the pump clutch thing still grinded. But only sometimes this happens. I do the first and second gear then reverse and does it sometimes. Other times not. Maybe need to change out the tranny/gear oil. What do you guys use??

 

Redline synthetic works great.

 

Every Jap car I've owned was like that. As stated above, reverse does not have a synchro. The procedure is just like he said; clutch in, shift into 1st then into reverse, clutch out.

However, based on your description, I'd guess that you still have a bleeding issue on the clutch. Bleeding the clutch can be tricky. Sometimes you have no choice but to use a vacuum bleeder to get it right.

 

Yep, i know it has no synchro. Its just somtimes but, when it happens it like cmon, jsut go in gear. The cltcuh pedal has good feel to it and as far as I know theres no problem with the system... could be wrong. Where's trochoid??

What oil do you guys use in the tranny?? Redline, ??

 

I use a 50/50 mix of standard gear lube and automatic tranny fluid. The ATF gives plenty of lubrication, but also has a lot of detergents which helps clean the crud out of the synchros. Works great. I learned this from "How to hotrod and race your Datsun", but should be applicable to any older Jap tranny...

 

No need to spend buckoo bucks on a redline. Just buy any synthethic gear oil at your local partshouse. 2 quarts Or buy a gallon so you can do the same on the diffy oil.

 

Ok, Thanks. I'll change it out soon jsut for the heck of it. I searched some more about the grind in reverse and read to put in 5th then reverse. No grinding yet for me... plus i have the rpms lower now.