Car won't stay in gear, Keeps popping out... Options

[6gsillyca]

My car won't stay in gear for some reason. I can get it into first (for the most part) but going into 2, 3, 4, 5, r it won't stay. It pops back into neutral. I pull shift knob back into 2nd, and it just won't stay. If I wiggle/jiggle it a few time in and out I can manage to get it to (somewhat) stay in, but it doesn't seem to be in gear very good. Like when I am able to get it into gear the SLIGHTEST bump on the shift knob will knock it back out into neutral. Usually you can push the knob with a bit of force before the tranny will "pop" the gear back into neutral. Clutch fully depressed doesn't help either.

1st and 3rd are able to go in but dont stay very well (come out easily). 2nd is hit and miss (haven't found a way to "jiggle" it in). 4th needs to be wiggled around to get it in (while pulling back, can't pull back straight, need to wiggle and pull back to get it in gear), and reverse is hit and miss.

Idea's?

[bccentaur3]

sounds like all your synchros are screwed.

[6gsillyca]

Wouldn't synchro's just make the car grind going into different gears? You should still be able to get into/stay in gear with worn synchro's, but it wont be as "smooth" as it should be.

I would guess its something to do with the clutch, but I have no idea what could just fail on me so suddenly, as this just happened on the way home. Driving fine. stop at light. start to go again, and can't get past 1st. Car just no-load rev's when it should be in gear...3 and 4 dont engage/stay in gear either. Pull over. turn car off. start back up, same problems. play with shifter a bit, get it into 2nd, 3rd, 4th. start to drive again, and car won't stay in gear anymore.

[bccentaur3]

I doubt its your clutch. This happened to my civic but this was 5th gear only. No matter what I did my 5th gear would keep poping out. I thought it was mt clutch too but it wasn't. it was my tranny the hole time.

[bindertch]

sounds like all your synchros are screwed.

Check you linkage. It wouldn't be synchros because it would grind and only for one gear. If you do grind your gears you could have worn the "dog teeth" that the synchros spline to and that would cause your trans to jump out of gear but only one gear. Linkage would be the best place to start.

[BigAl_UK]

Sounds like the infamous rubber bushes on the gear linkage to me - cheap and easy fix - you can get metal ones on ebay that make the shift slightly clunkier but don't fall appart every 10-15 years

[Bitter]

a bad mount can cause this also, the engine/trans will shift around enough to cause it to jump out of gear, but the mount has to be just about totally gone for that to cause this.

[6gsillyca]

posted this up on a local forum and majority of people say its my shifter forks...

either way, nothing sounds like an easy fix (linkage, mounts, forks etc), so I guess the car has to go...

This post has been edited by 6gsillyca: May 25, 2007 - 12:06 PM

[Red94Celica]

Shift linkage IS a easy fix. I wouldnt give up on the car just yet

Edit--
Straight from my Haynes manual


This post has been edited by Red94Celica: May 25, 2007 - 6:04 PM

[bccentaur3]

Yeah don't give up.

[bindertch]

It won't be your forks causing it because 1st and 2nd are on the same fork and 3rd and 4th are on the same fork. Start with the first things. Linkage and then the motor mounts. Deffinately a reason to give up. One way to test the linkage is to shift it with the engine off. Try to tap it like before and see if it jumps out of gear. Also look at the bushings in the engine compartment they do go bad causing your problem. The bushings are almost straight down from the throttle body inlet. Just give it a chance.

[bccentaur3]

This same thing happened to my passenger side axle. Took a hard turn and hit a snow pile. I really do think its your axle.

This same thing happened to my passenger side axle. Took a hard turn and hit a snow pile. I really do think its your axle.

BIG OOPS accidentally posted this in the wrong thred. Sorry guys.

[6gsillyca]

with engine off, the shifter still doesnt want to stay in gear, and when it does go in, it seems like its "not in enough" like the gear is only halfway in (and this is why I think its the forks too)

[BigAl_UK]

The bushes on the linkage wearing cause that problem too - easiest and cheapest swap so start there