87 Shifting problems
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
87 Shifting problems
In the last couple of days, I have had problems getting the trans into reverse without a lot of gear grinding. Although I have only owned the car a week now, it is just now happening and seems to be getting progressively worse.
I've always made it a practice to put a manual trans in a forward gear before engaging reverse. That worked fine till yesterday. The linkage will now want to bind up and be very difficult to get into any forward gear only after trying reverse. Once it is in a forward gear, the shifter works just fine going to any forward gear up or downshifting. At a light, it will go into 1st with no problems even after leaving it neutral with the clutch out.
Got the car up on a rack and there does not appear to be any fluid leakage at the cylinder at the bellhousing (we pulled back the dust cover) and the fluid level is at the top mark. The clutch assembly is a new Centerforce unit. I know the history of the car since the engine and clutch was professionally installed and there have been no prior problems.
Could this be a problem with the slave unit at the bellhousing? The location of the friction point at the pedal has not changed when letting the clutch out and otherwise seems to shift fine going forward. :confused:
I've always made it a practice to put a manual trans in a forward gear before engaging reverse. That worked fine till yesterday. The linkage will now want to bind up and be very difficult to get into any forward gear only after trying reverse. Once it is in a forward gear, the shifter works just fine going to any forward gear up or downshifting. At a light, it will go into 1st with no problems even after leaving it neutral with the clutch out.
Got the car up on a rack and there does not appear to be any fluid leakage at the cylinder at the bellhousing (we pulled back the dust cover) and the fluid level is at the top mark. The clutch assembly is a new Centerforce unit. I know the history of the car since the engine and clutch was professionally installed and there have been no prior problems.
Could this be a problem with the slave unit at the bellhousing? The location of the friction point at the pedal has not changed when letting the clutch out and otherwise seems to shift fine going forward. :confused:
Pro
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 515
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From: Everett WA
Re: 87 Shifting problems (atotalnincompoop)
maybe your trany is getting old? (the reverse part)
another idea, i read about replacing that little metal pipe that goes down the middle of the shifter. i dont have any idea what it does, but i think theres a tech-tip on it....
another idea, i read about replacing that little metal pipe that goes down the middle of the shifter. i dont have any idea what it does, but i think theres a tech-tip on it....
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,770
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From: Construction Sucks! MI
Cruise-In V Veteran
St. Jude Contributor '03 & '05
Re: 87 Shifting problems (c4cruiser)
Mine does the same thing every once in awhile. I've just kind of lived with it. When I park it, I just turn off the engine before I put it in reverse. If I'm backing in to park, I just slowly put it in reverse to make sure they don't grind, I also make sure that the clutch is down to the floor.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Re: 87 Shifting problems (atotalnincompoop)
atotalnincompoop: Idle is at 700RPM; not sure it that is spec or not as the car has a ZZ3 cam in it.
NightRyder: The car only has 63K on it and the original owner was a lady who never abused it. The guy I bought it from I know personally and is not the type to be hard on a car. The people who did the engine and clutch (a local Corvette shop)do excellent work. I'll check the tech-tips for the shifter, thanx!!
From what I have experienced in the past with manual clutch linkage 4-speeds, if the tranny grinds while going into a gear, it is usually a bad clutch or is mis-adjusted. The clutch is new and I'm assuming that there is no adjustment possible on hydraulic clutch systems.
More suggestions appreciated!! Thanks guys! :cheers:
NightRyder: The car only has 63K on it and the original owner was a lady who never abused it. The guy I bought it from I know personally and is not the type to be hard on a car. The people who did the engine and clutch (a local Corvette shop)do excellent work. I'll check the tech-tips for the shifter, thanx!!
From what I have experienced in the past with manual clutch linkage 4-speeds, if the tranny grinds while going into a gear, it is usually a bad clutch or is mis-adjusted. The clutch is new and I'm assuming that there is no adjustment possible on hydraulic clutch systems.
More suggestions appreciated!! Thanks guys! :cheers:
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Re: 87 Shifting problems (c4cruiser)
Here's a strange update to my reverse problem. Took the car out this morning for a short errand and it went into reverse without so much as a whimper!!
The problems from the couple of days before were after a 20-30 mile run on the freeway. Is there a possibility that heat has something to do with it?? :confused: :confused:
The problems from the couple of days before were after a 20-30 mile run on the freeway. Is there a possibility that heat has something to do with it?? :confused: :confused:
