Lost 5th and 6th gears. Need help
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 615
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From: Glenwood Springs Colorado
Lost 5th and 6th gears. Need help
Hi guys.
Last weekend I took the Vette with my kid on a 900 miles trip to Kanzas City. On the way there everything went smooth (other than a speeding ticket). Sixth gear with the cruise control engaged at 90mph (I know, I know, but that is for another thread).
On the way back we did not need to make time so the cruise was set at 80mph - five over the limit. About 450 miles from home while cruising my RPM all of a sudden hit the limiter. I immediately tapped the brakes to disengage the CC and shifted out of gear. I thought that sixth just jumped out of gear for some reason. So I tried to shift back in sixth. The shifter felt like normal, but the transmission acted like it was still in neutral. I then tried to shift in fifth with the exact same results. Shift lever goes in, feeling just like normal, but the gear is not engaged.
I made it home in 4th gear. It was in the middle of the night, so temperatures were lower. Basically I drove home for 450 miles at 3000rpm with 70mph.
The car runs fine in first trough 4th gears and reverse functions just fine. Obviously something broke. What I find weird is that there was no grinding before it happened or while it happened. No "bang", no knocking, no noises. The gears are just not there. No noises out of ordinary coming out of the transmission when driving in any other gear.
So, I have a bunch of questions that I figured I can get answered on here.
1. What is the most likely cause of the problem?
2. What is the fix?
3. What would be the expected cost?
4. Could I have hurt anything else by driving it for 450 miles in 4th gear at 3000 RPM?
Thanks in advance. All your help is greatly appreciated.
Last weekend I took the Vette with my kid on a 900 miles trip to Kanzas City. On the way there everything went smooth (other than a speeding ticket). Sixth gear with the cruise control engaged at 90mph (I know, I know, but that is for another thread).
On the way back we did not need to make time so the cruise was set at 80mph - five over the limit. About 450 miles from home while cruising my RPM all of a sudden hit the limiter. I immediately tapped the brakes to disengage the CC and shifted out of gear. I thought that sixth just jumped out of gear for some reason. So I tried to shift back in sixth. The shifter felt like normal, but the transmission acted like it was still in neutral. I then tried to shift in fifth with the exact same results. Shift lever goes in, feeling just like normal, but the gear is not engaged.
I made it home in 4th gear. It was in the middle of the night, so temperatures were lower. Basically I drove home for 450 miles at 3000rpm with 70mph.
The car runs fine in first trough 4th gears and reverse functions just fine. Obviously something broke. What I find weird is that there was no grinding before it happened or while it happened. No "bang", no knocking, no noises. The gears are just not there. No noises out of ordinary coming out of the transmission when driving in any other gear.
So, I have a bunch of questions that I figured I can get answered on here.
1. What is the most likely cause of the problem?
2. What is the fix?
3. What would be the expected cost?
4. Could I have hurt anything else by driving it for 450 miles in 4th gear at 3000 RPM?
Thanks in advance. All your help is greatly appreciated.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
The referenced post details what may have happened. You have several options:
Remove the differential/transmission and send it out for repair
Disassemble the trans and repair it your self
Take the car to a qualified repair shop and have the trans repaired.
You DID NOT hurt the engine driving in 4th that far. The worst thing that you could have done was burn a little extra oil. Make sure that you check the level.
Contact Rick Kim " RKT56.com " and discuss repair price for a rebuild.
Bill
Remove the differential/transmission and send it out for repair
Disassemble the trans and repair it your self
Take the car to a qualified repair shop and have the trans repaired.
You DID NOT hurt the engine driving in 4th that far. The worst thing that you could have done was burn a little extra oil. Make sure that you check the level.
Contact Rick Kim " RKT56.com " and discuss repair price for a rebuild.
Bill
Last edited by Bill Curlee; Jun 25, 2015 at 07:39 AM.
