CAN'T SHIFT CAR TO REVERSE...DOHHH

[Danner1981]

Stupid 1996 Escort ( 5-speed manual trans) won't let me shift it into reverse...the stick itself is really UP & DOWN loose & dosn't seem to be mounted the way it should but i pulled it up to where it should be & still won't shift down... will go into 5th gear ok but the last time i drove the POS it kept popping out of 5th gear & ground up when i tried to hold it in the gear, im guessing something is bent since it has to do with both 5th & reverse gear, wondering if anyone would know of a few things to try ...=D

 

[LubeDude]

Re: CAN'T SHIFT CAR TO REVERSE...DOHHH

Open hood, remove the radiator cap, Drive a new car under it. <br /><br />Sorry, couldnt resist posting a smart A$$ remark for the first post of the day. <br /><br />As to your real problem, I dont have a clue.

 

[Danner1981]

Re: CAN'T SHIFT CAR TO REVERSE...DOHHH

Thinking about chopping the top off, taking out the back seats & all & sticking a turbo charged 350 big block(yes in a ford!!!) in the back & turning it into a rear wheel drive....but that would cost Time & money I don't have so im trying to just wing it for now =D... any one else?

 

[TexomaAv8r]

Re: CAN'T SHIFT CAR TO REVERSE...DOHHH

If it doesn't seem to be mounted like it shoud be, it probably isn't..sounds has if the shifter has come loose....shimmey under and have a look

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: CAN'T SHIFT CAR TO REVERSE...DOHHH

Welcome aboard Danner. Seems like you are going to need another tranny. If its grinding, there are pieces parts bouncing around in there breaking stuff. Manuals are usually easy to find out of the junk yard. I would try them first. Good luck. I've pulled trashcourt tranny's before and I know it isn't any fun.

 

[PierBridge]

Re: CAN'T SHIFT CAR TO REVERSE...DOHHH

Sounds like a Clutch problem.......

 

[Danner1981]

Re: CAN'T SHIFT CAR TO REVERSE...DOHHH

I've heard from a local place that does transmission work that it may possibly be a clutch release prob, well it was recently replaced but heck, dosn't mean it was done properly i guess. Its a ford escort, lol , im not a "fast & the furious" dork with putting 100lb. tires on my car with a half inch of tire to wreck my $5,000 rims from hitting a pot hole type idiot with the big garbage can sounding muffler without cold air & other engine mods..why the hell do people do that with a 4 banger is beyond me...Im just looking for a cheap way out of having someone else tell me (& charge up the crack) ..." oh it's just a loose bolt, that will be $200 by the way ".. lol , thanks for all the help everyone =D.. im gonna drop it at the tranny place & let them check it out for free. I'm sure it's hard for you's to say exactly without checking it out in person but im guessing im going to have to replace something.. DOHHHH thanks alot to all though !

 

[beezee28]

Re: CAN'T SHIFT CAR TO REVERSE...DOHHH

Definitely a clutch problem...

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: CAN'T SHIFT CAR TO REVERSE...DOHHH

5th & Rev use the same shift gate, doesn't sound like a clutch problem to me, sounds like a shift mechanism problem. Either way - the box needs to be removed and torn down <br /><br />Aldo

 

[sangerwaker]

Re: CAN'T SHIFT CAR TO REVERSE...DOHHH

Yup. Sounds like perhaps a bent shifting fork. I'm no expert on this, but have experience in this area from my 79 Capri. Had a toilet installed for a tranny by accident I think.

 

[Danner1981]

Re: CAN'T SHIFT CAR TO REVERSE...DOHHH

When you say the box to be removed and torn down (dunaruna)-- do you mean the stick and two rods themself that goto the trans, or the trans itself pulled out? preferably with no garage I'd rather self job the stick part, I'll take some pics with camera & stuff them on my webspace with a link, maybe that would help give ya an idea.... again thanks for all yur help =D <br /><br />lol also the exhaust pipe bolts were stripped so i cut those off with angle grinder... CRAP, now i have to replace those too..oh well

 

[PierBridge]

Re: CAN'T SHIFT CAR TO REVERSE...DOHHH

Originally posted by Dunaruna:<br /> 5th & Rev use the same shift gate, doesn't sound like a clutch problem to me, sounds like a shift mechanism problem. Either way - the box needs to be removed and torn down <br /><br />Aldo

Yes I think you are on the right track a mechanic friend of mine said there is a plastic piece in there that wears out....

 

[Danner1981]

Re: CAN'T SHIFT CAR TO REVERSE...DOHHH

Coolness, where abouts would this plastic peice be? any idea what it's called? where its located? <br /><br />I spent all day in the library looking in Haynes & Chilton's books....didn't find Jack-SH*T-SAC

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: CAN'T SHIFT CAR TO REVERSE...DOHHH

This is what its like on the Aussie models, may not be the same as yours:<br /><br />At the bottom of the gearstick where it goes inside the box is a plastic bowl shaped piece, if that wears it allow too much free play when selecting but you also have another problem, as previously noted you now have crunchy bits floating around inside the box.<br /><br />Aldo

 

[Danner1981]

Re: CAN'T SHIFT CAR TO REVERSE...DOHHH

lol crunchy bits, nah i didn't notice it , that's just something someone said may of happened...I ripped apart my counsoul ( however the hell it's spelled ) and looking right at the part that the stick & ball thingy connects to the two rods...hmm but yeah i'll rip the whole thing apart tomorrow ! thanks

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: CAN'T SHIFT CAR TO REVERSE...DOHHH

Whats on the end of the ball?

 

[Danner1981]

Re: CAN'T SHIFT CAR TO REVERSE...DOHHH

honestly there's a crap load of grease when i look at the ball of the stick shifter itself... i have the inside of my cousoul stripped. (spelled it wrong again im sure)but yeah that im looking at the bare floor of my inside of the car & where the stick should be nicely mounted is a stick leading to a ball that has a crap load of grease around it, i tried WD-40 on it but no luck.. honestly it's fricken cold & don't feel like going underneath to rip stuff apart yet if i don't know if it will work or not but FEB 24th 2005 about 1pm EST Standard time U.S.A. I will be putting it back together and saying the hell with it for now!!! I just got a job paying $18.00/hr (US CURRENCY) as a computer tech at a library on an air force base (im ex-military), so that should be able to pay for a mechanic to check it out & fix it but my lifetime goal within this other company that im in that is blowing up right now (even in Australia), i plan to be totally retired within 2 years with enough time to just sit around & build cars all day ( starting with my fiero-->dialbo 2001 GT project) with a handsome small block turbo charged chevy or northstar engine/HP trans installed....I want to build it from scratch...that way i'll appreciate & understand the car more (ESP if something goes wrong i'll know what it is)... in the meantime, this fricken Ford ordeal is pissing me off!!!!.. I really appreciate all the help everyone's given so far however. let me know if any of you are open to making alot of money outside of what you do (legally), Cause im 23 & plan to be retired by 25.... my lifetime goal again is to sit & just work on cars all day... if not then i'll see you around online when i have an issue with cars =D...

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: CAN'T SHIFT CAR TO REVERSE...DOHHH

I'm thinking that if you run you fingers through the goobs of grease you will feel whats left of the plastic bush.<br /><br />Good luck refitting your console.<br /><br />Aldo

 

[Danner1981]

Re: CAN'T SHIFT CAR TO REVERSE...DOHHH

lol opps i put some WD-40 in there =o ...

 

[papasage]

Re: CAN'T SHIFT CAR TO REVERSE...DOHHH

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