str8ryd

iTrader: (473)

Finally got my RHD 7 running and was just driving it around in the parking lot (No insurance yet) and noticed that it wouldn't go in to second gear. I'm not sure how I missed this before, but I guess trying to address all the other things detracted me.

Anyways, it'll probably be pulled and inspected in the next day or so and I do have a couple spare transmissions, so I'm not too concerned about down-time. I'm just hoping to gain some understanding of what this problem could be before it's actually torn down.


Basically, the car will go in every gear aside from 2nd gear. I can't even get it to forcefully go in . Anyone experience something like this before or having any suggestions as to what the culprit might be?


Thanks in advance!,
-Rizwan

BlueByrd

iTrader: (4)

Sorry to bump an old thread, but did you ever figure this out str8ryd?

I'm in the same boat right now. My FD is getting an single build/overhaul, and the new transmission I installed a few months ago (yet never drove) won't go into 2nd gear. I can get into every other gear, but not second...It is a low mileage Series 7 transmission from a reputable vendor on the forum. I never checked it since I didn't have a shifter at the time (my mistake).

I thought I had installed the short shifter incorrectly, but when I installed the shifter into the old transmission, in works beautifully. I only found the problem since i'm getting closer and closer to turning the engine over.

getgone

iTrader: (2)

"New" transmission?? Has this thing been opened up and re-built? What do you mean?

There are a few possibilities related to the fork arms I would suggest, but it depends on whether this has been worked on or not.

If you can get the vehicle on a lift, you can also crack open the box from the bottom and examine the inner-workings of the transmission from there. You will not disturb the mechanicals of the tranny by doing that. Though you will not see 5th/Rev gear, you will be able to see what is happening with 2nd gear looking from below while a buddy works the shifter.

A heads up . . . drain the tranny gear oil first before unbolting the bottom plate.

RotaryEvolution

iTrader: (30)

usually if a single gear is locked out it means the check ***** are jammed up on the shift rods. sometimes they can get stuck from simply sitting dormant unused.

some of the detent ***** can be removed, lubed, cleaned and reinstalled without removing the tranny from the car, others are between the forks and require the whole assembly to be torn down. sometimes they will work loose on their own, but not always.

getgone

iTrader: (2)

Exactly, that's why I wanted to know if this has been rebuilt and the rebuilder failed to get these ***** back into position or it is a wear issue requiring something being replaced.

BlueByrd

iTrader: (4)

A little more information on the situation:

"old" tranny is the stock 93 with approx. 106K miles and 5th gear synchro grind.
"new" transmission series 7 25-30K miles. (To alleviate synchro issue)

New tranny was has been in my possession for close to 5 years, but not installed. (had to go back to school, and then had a kid to boot. My whole life went on hold.I had to make very tough decisions about other recreation in my life to keep the Rx7 dream within my grasp.) In reality, the tranny hasn't been driven for quite a while.

8 months ago put tranny into the car along with new clutch, MC, slave, and SS clutch line. I then started on a single conversion since I got a solid deal on a used kit along the way. Thus, no driving.


Anyway, I decided to re-install short shifter into recently installed series 7 transmission, then I hand turned the engine in all the gears (except 2nd) hoping to perhaps redistribute some gear oil (not sure if this could be any help). I tried one more time to get it into 2nd gear. I was putting a fair bit of force on it, and just as I was about to stop, it slipped into 2nd gear.


So, it now goes into gear, but in takes some effort. Some due to the short shifter, and some from the stiffer detents that were upgrades on the series 7 transmission. I hope a few miles on the road, and a fresh fluid change will make it a milder shift to 2nd. Is there anything else that I should do or consider?

getgone

iTrader: (2)

Sounds like the detent ***** have sat so long that the lubricant has settled off of the *****. It may free up with time, but you may also want to gets some oil into the access holes. Problem is most of these are on the upper side of the tranny and difficult to access while mounted in the car.

RotaryEvolution

iTrader: (30)

if a detent isn't installed the result is the transmission usually getting locked in a particular gear when bench testing it and unable to get it out, not the other way around.

it's a pain to get to the detend blind plugs but it can be done by lowering the back end of the tranny off the PPF. remove, clean and grease up the 2 check ***** accessible and pump some gear oil into the holes before putting them back in.