transmission
 

I own a '88 rx7 10th AE and i was wondering if anyones first and second gear are straight up and down.

My tranny is weird and even Jason from the rx7store said hes never drove an rx7 tranny like this. First is straight up, second straight down, third is like over and up and really difficult to find. Fourth and fifth are easy. Its almost like my shifter is mis-aligned or something. Not sure which shifter i have either.

How is your guys' gear pattern?

Jeremy

I used to have an 87 TII which had the same parts (when stock). The shift pattern is totally normal/average.

My advice is to start by checking your shifter bushings (do a search on that).

B

im sure it could use new bushings but i still dont think thats the problem. Like most gear patterns 1st and 2nd are not straight up and down, they are over a bit and then up. from neutral position you can push straight up to 1st gear.

Jeremy

Had the same issue when I bought my TII. First striaght up and down, third hard to find. If you shift in a positive manner (fast, but not powershift fast) do you get fifth instead of third?

yea sometimes...

Do you know if your return spring is in good condition? When you move the shifter side to side in neutral, does it return to center, or does it stay where you leave it?

stays where its left.

I have identical symtoms. My bushings were shot, so I figured changing them would help the shifting to third issue. I bought a mazdatrix shifter instead, since it came with bushings and heard nothing but good things about the shifter itself. While installing the shifter I noticed pieces of the return spring floating around under the shift linkage, that could possibly be why our first and second is straight up and down. If I align my shifter to third/fourth it is tilted a little bit, but perhaps that's normal?

I can't explain the thrid gear issue. I'll blame mine on a worn tranny (approaching 200k) The mazdatrix shifter helped quite a bit, but if I still shift fast it always grabs fifth and occasionally when trying to get into third it feels like it gets stuck as if it's trying to engage thrid and fifth.

I'm putting in a new clutch next month, so while the tranny is out hopefully I can inspect a few odds and ends to explain why this is happening.

hmm yea im guessing my tranny has quite a few miles also. I do plan on getting a new shifter though.

thanks for your help bro. I havnt really went to hard into 3rd yet but hopefully before the snow falls!!

Mines the same way. however my pass engine mount is also shot and the whole engine leans over, jack up the pass motor mount and the shifter will be fine

in short, check your passenger side motor mount, might be broken and engine leaning that way

How would you replace the Center/Return Spring. I had a done a NA to Turbo conversion and could not get the the spring set even with the Tranny out.