94 TT - AWD 6spd - Won't go into reverse - 3000GT/Stealth International Message Center

McDale · 03-27-2008, 08:36 PM

Hi all,
I just got my car back on the road after nearly 2 years. (I had to change the clutch and then I broke my foot and couldn't work on it etc...)

Anyways, last week I finished the last of the things I needed to do for the 60k service, and then we trailered the car down to Vancouver to get a custom exhaust system built and put on it. Everything was working fine and it sounded and ran great after it came out of the shop. (wow, power!) I ended up driving it around Vancouver for two days. I ended up driving the car home from Vancouver instead of trailering it. (It sounded so good!) We stoped for dinner in Merrit after about 3 of the 4 hours of driving home.

After dinner, I went to back out of the parking spot and it would not go into reverse. At all. Previously it had grinded a little bit going into reverse and sometimes I would have to hold the handle back to make sure it didn't pop out, but it had never not gone in. This feels absolutely different. Like something mechanical is jamming the linkage solidly from moving on the inside. We checked the linkage around the transmission and the counterweight and shift shaft was deffinately clearing everything, so there was no issue with that. Also, all 6 forward gears work fine without a hitch.

Looking on hear, I see that numerous people have had problems with the reverse lockout jamming up on the shift shaft. So, I took that out tonight, and low and behold it looks completely different than the other pics I've seen. The other picture must have been of the older 5 spds.

Could someone help me out and let me know how the lockout works on these transmissions? I have a few pics here to attach to show what I am talking about.

Thanks a lot in advance for any help! I'm really wanting to get this car back in action!

lawdogg · 03-28-2008, 04:58 AM

First I would suggest making SURE your BOV isn't blocking the 6spd linkage under the intake bubble -- mine did and locked me out of reverse, I thought i needed a new tranny until I discovered what the deal was.

Second, if it still doesn't engage in reverse, if you shift it to 1st then reverse, will it go in? What if you turn your car off, then shift into reverse?

vr4gixxer · 03-28-2008, 08:43 AM

I would bet $ its the lower radiator hose hitting the trans linkage. Have someone hold it out of the way and then try reverse. I know that happens to alot of people that do work on there 6spd the hose has to be almost perfect on how its routed by. Good luck and let me know

McDale · 03-28-2008, 05:34 PM

I will double, no triple check this again.

However, when it first happened, we were under the hood watching the linkage and it was deffinately clear of the BOV. I'm almost certain that it was clearing the rad hose as well, but I would have to put everything back in to find out for sure.

I was even using the linkage and counterweight itself to try and put it in gear. It felt like something was binding it internally. Something mechanical and hard, not soggy and soft like a rad hose.

Does any one know about how the internals work for the reverse lockout???

(All I have seen online are pictures of the 5speed one and how it sometimes gets jammed)

McDale · 03-28-2008, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lawdogg

First I would suggest making SURE your BOV isn't blocking the 6spd linkage under the intake bubble -- mine did and locked me out of reverse, I thought i needed a new tranny until I discovered what the deal was.

Second, if it still doesn't engage in reverse, if you shift it to 1st then reverse, will it go in? What if you turn your car off, then shift into reverse?

I thought maybe it was the syncros at first as well, so I tried exactly that. (trying first then reverse etc... No luck) Also no luck with the car off, same deal. Again, all 6 forward gears are working fine. I did have trouble with 6th when I first put in the BOV but I ended up modifying the mounts and tying the BOV up higher to clear that.

I will put everything back in tomorrow and try it out again; double checking that everything is clear. I'd still like to hear from anyone with ideas regarding the lockout?

McDale · 03-30-2008, 02:27 PM

OK, here's the deal. With everything off and clear, just using my hands on the shift select shaft, I can easily engage every forward gear. For reverse, I can lift it into the reverse alley with no problem, but can only turn the shaft to engage the gear a tiny bit, then it hits solid.

We also tried lifting the car up and turning the tires slowly to get it to a spot where it would engage, but no luck.

I had always had issue with the reverse syncro ever since I bought the car, so I wonder if the last time it went in and ground a bit it actually chipped a tooth or the sleave or ring of the syncro which then fell in between the gear and the syncro and is now jamming it from engaging the reverse gear?

Arg... I guess this means drop the tranny and rebuilt time.

...Or can you get the end plate off the back of the transmission to get at reverse with it still in the car?

McDale · 04-04-2008, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McDale

Arg... I guess this means drop the tranny and rebuilt time.

...Or can you get the end plate off the back of the transmission to get at reverse with it still in the car?

Bump...????

lawdogg · 04-04-2008, 12:09 PM

Man, it's been a while since I've rebuilt a 6spd. I forget which end reverse is on!

Can you remove your shift linkage and inspect the reverse block out? I'm trying to think of easy checks and fixes before you have to pull & rebuild.

Apache · 04-04-2008, 12:39 PM

Hey, I actually had this exact problem last September with my 6-speed too. I assumed it was just fork becoming jammed possibly. Still don't know what it was to be perfectly honest. I had bad synchros for 1st, 2nd, and I thought reverse too. I just bought a new tranny and I'm running that one right now. I've still got my old one sitting in the shed though waiting for a dog setup from Supercar Engineering in the next year or so. But I know exactly how you feel. My 1st gear got to be that way toward the end too. It almost feels like there is something in there that doesn't want to move that direction.

McDale · 04-04-2008, 07:53 PM

Its been a long time since I've dove into a transmission. from what I can see from the rebuild manual, the 6th gear is on the end of the intermediate shaft on the end away from the motor. I wonder if I take the end of the transmission off if everything will just fall out though?

Apache, what it seems like to me is like something has come apart and is jamming the gears from coming into contact for reverse? Maybe the syncro ring split, or a tooth broke off?

03-28-2008, 04:58 AM	#2 (permalink)
lawdogg Here for the tuna. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Williamsport, PA Drives: The Speed Limit Trader Rating: (60)	Re: 94 TT - AWD 6spd - Won't go into reverse First I would suggest making SURE your BOV isn't blocking the 6spd linkage under the intake bubble -- mine did and locked me out of reverse, I thought i needed a new tranny until I discovered what the deal was. Second, if it still doesn't engage in reverse, if you shift it to 1st then reverse, will it go in? What if you turn your car off, then shift into reverse? __________________ 2002 WJ -- 1994 VR-4 -- --Canon Rebel XTi Green Cars FTW

03-28-2008, 08:43 AM	#3 (permalink)
vr4gixxer Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Hartford, CT Drives: 94 VR4 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: 94 TT - AWD 6spd - Won't go into reverse I would bet $ its the lower radiator hose hitting the trans linkage. Have someone hold it out of the way and then try reverse. I know that happens to alot of people that do work on there 6spd the hose has to be almost perfect on how its routed by. Good luck and let me know

03-28-2008, 05:34 PM	#4 (permalink)
McDale Muscle Car Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: BC, Canada Drives: '94 R/T TT, '69 Cuda Trader Rating: (0)	Re: 94 TT - AWD 6spd - Won't go into reverse I will double, no triple check this again. However, when it first happened, we were under the hood watching the linkage and it was deffinately clear of the BOV. I'm almost certain that it was clearing the rad hose as well, but I would have to put everything back in to find out for sure. I was even using the linkage and counterweight itself to try and put it in gear. It felt like something was binding it internally. Something mechanical and hard, not soggy and soft like a rad hose. Does any one know about how the internals work for the reverse lockout??? (All I have seen online are pictures of the 5speed one and how it sometimes gets jammed)

03-30-2008, 02:27 PM	#6 (permalink)
McDale Muscle Car Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: BC, Canada Drives: '94 R/T TT, '69 Cuda Trader Rating: (0)	Re: 94 TT - AWD 6spd - Won't go into reverse OK, here's the deal. With everything off and clear, just using my hands on the shift select shaft, I can easily engage every forward gear. For reverse, I can lift it into the reverse alley with no problem, but can only turn the shaft to engage the gear a tiny bit, then it hits solid. We also tried lifting the car up and turning the tires slowly to get it to a spot where it would engage, but no luck. I had always had issue with the reverse syncro ever since I bought the car, so I wonder if the last time it went in and ground a bit it actually chipped a tooth or the sleave or ring of the syncro which then fell in between the gear and the syncro and is now jamming it from engaging the reverse gear? Arg... I guess this means drop the tranny and rebuilt time. ...Or can you get the end plate off the back of the transmission to get at reverse with it still in the car?

04-04-2008, 12:09 PM	#8 (permalink)
lawdogg Here for the tuna. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Williamsport, PA Drives: The Speed Limit Trader Rating: (60)	Re: 94 TT - AWD 6spd - Won't go into reverse Man, it's been a while since I've rebuilt a 6spd. I forget which end reverse is on! Can you remove your shift linkage and inspect the reverse block out? I'm trying to think of easy checks and fixes before you have to pull & rebuild.

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04-04-2008, 12:39 PM	#9 (permalink)
Apache Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Billings, Montana Drives: '97 3000GT VR-4 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: 94 TT - AWD 6spd - Won't go into reverse Hey, I actually had this exact problem last September with my 6-speed too. I assumed it was just fork becoming jammed possibly. Still don't know what it was to be perfectly honest. I had bad synchros for 1st, 2nd, and I thought reverse too. I just bought a new tranny and I'm running that one right now. I've still got my old one sitting in the shed though waiting for a dog setup from Supercar Engineering in the next year or so. But I know exactly how you feel. My 1st gear got to be that way toward the end too. It almost feels like there is something in there that doesn't want to move that direction.

04-04-2008, 07:53 PM	#10 (permalink)
McDale Muscle Car Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: BC, Canada Drives: '94 R/T TT, '69 Cuda Trader Rating: (0)	Re: 94 TT - AWD 6spd - Won't go into reverse Its been a long time since I've dove into a transmission. from what I can see from the rebuild manual, the 6th gear is on the end of the intermediate shaft on the end away from the motor. I wonder if I take the end of the transmission off if everything will just fall out though? Apache, what it seems like to me is like something has come apart and is jamming the gears from coming into contact for reverse? Maybe the syncro ring split, or a tooth broke off?