can not shift into 5th gear and reverse
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From: Lancaster Pennsylvania
can not shift into 5th gear and reverse
Hello everyone, so I am new to the rotary game and I have a few questions. But the first and most important one is why can't I shift into 5th and reverse especially reverse without truly forcing it. I just bought the car and it does have a short throw shifter. But I am not sure what to look for. Can anybody direct me please!!
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Joined: May 2001
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From: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
I found myself completely locked out of the 5-R gate after a botched attempt to shift to 3rd.
What happened was, the plunger in the shift tower that prevents a 5th to Reverse shift had rotated. Popped it all apart, put it back together correctly, and all was well again.
You have to unscrew a large bolt/plug from the rear of the tower, and then remove the plunger by removing the plate that holds it in from underneath (two 10mm headed bolts). The notches in the plunger face towards the large plug. There is a spring and a ball that go into the large plug.
The shifter is centered by a combination of a hairpin spring on the shifter block (what the shift lever works on) centering in one direction, and that plunger centering you to the other direction. You can actually remove the plunger altogether but then the shifter will not center, instead preferring to sit in the 5-R gate. This makes 2-3 and 3-4 shifts less than fun. I wonder if something happened in yoru case and the spring for the plunger is overtensioned. That, or the shirt shifter may be binding in the shifter block.
What happened was, the plunger in the shift tower that prevents a 5th to Reverse shift had rotated. Popped it all apart, put it back together correctly, and all was well again.
You have to unscrew a large bolt/plug from the rear of the tower, and then remove the plunger by removing the plate that holds it in from underneath (two 10mm headed bolts). The notches in the plunger face towards the large plug. There is a spring and a ball that go into the large plug.
The shifter is centered by a combination of a hairpin spring on the shifter block (what the shift lever works on) centering in one direction, and that plunger centering you to the other direction. You can actually remove the plunger altogether but then the shifter will not center, instead preferring to sit in the 5-R gate. This makes 2-3 and 3-4 shifts less than fun. I wonder if something happened in yoru case and the spring for the plunger is overtensioned. That, or the shirt shifter may be binding in the shifter block.
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Smiths Falls.(near Ottawa!.Mapquest IT!)
Quick suggestion,just for the hell of it.
Try loosening off the 3 bolts that hold the shifter to the trans(about a 1/2 turn or so),just to see if shifting is easier.
Some shortshifters tend to squish everything together and make the shifter seem real tight and sometimes it hinders function.
Try loosening off the 3 bolts that hold the shifter to the trans(about a 1/2 turn or so),just to see if shifting is easier.
Some shortshifters tend to squish everything together and make the shifter seem real tight and sometimes it hinders function.
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Joined: Oct 2014
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From: Lancaster Pennsylvania
I have an 88 rx7, that is 5spd.
I have taken apart the short shifter to find that the previous owner did not install the shifter correctly. After I put it back together the right way, No more sloppy shifter. But after more research I found that I'm missing that insulator bushing that I believe goes at the end of the shifter plus I did not feel that clip that everyone talks about. Can that be way it is hard to shift into 5th and reverse? ?
I have taken apart the short shifter to find that the previous owner did not install the shifter correctly. After I put it back together the right way, No more sloppy shifter. But after more research I found that I'm missing that insulator bushing that I believe goes at the end of the shifter plus I did not feel that clip that everyone talks about. Can that be way it is hard to shift into 5th and reverse? ?
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