C5 Corvette Odd Rear View Shifting Behavior
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 307
Likes: 50
C5 Corvette Odd Rear View Shifting Behavior
Hello all,
I am a proud owner of a 2001 corvette I purchased recently. The car shifts very smoothly and I don't think anything is wrong with the clutch. However, I put it in reverse today for the very first time, it went into the position for reverse but I heard what sounded like a strange grinding or weird noise and when I hit the gas the car didn't reverse. I took it out of reverse tried again and it worked which was very odd with no grinding noise. Later I tried again in the day, it did the exact same thing only oddly the shifter moved on its own while it's in R almost further back and the reverse worked completely on its own but as i was reverse it popped back suddenly and went to N? I've never experienced anything like this on a manual. I read online suggestions about a fork or a solenoid but I am not sure I am experiencing the exact same issue here. Any advice would be great.
Thanks all.
I am a proud owner of a 2001 corvette I purchased recently. The car shifts very smoothly and I don't think anything is wrong with the clutch. However, I put it in reverse today for the very first time, it went into the position for reverse but I heard what sounded like a strange grinding or weird noise and when I hit the gas the car didn't reverse. I took it out of reverse tried again and it worked which was very odd with no grinding noise. Later I tried again in the day, it did the exact same thing only oddly the shifter moved on its own while it's in R almost further back and the reverse worked completely on its own but as i was reverse it popped back suddenly and went to N? I've never experienced anything like this on a manual. I read online suggestions about a fork or a solenoid but I am not sure I am experiencing the exact same issue here. Any advice would be great.
Thanks all.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2023
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Pro
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 563
Likes: 201
From: Montgomery City, MO
Side note, what's happening here is the synchro slider isn't engaging the dog teeth on the reverse gear fully. Then when the clutch is released and the countershaft starts to move the dog teeth push the slider completely out of engagement.
This is a common problem with the t-56 and can be caused by a worn out (sloppy) shift linkage or by the reverse shift fork either being bent or simply not being shimmed correctly.
I think if the reverse lockout solenoid isn't retracting fully that could also cause the same symptom.
This is a common problem with the t-56 and can be caused by a worn out (sloppy) shift linkage or by the reverse shift fork either being bent or simply not being shimmed correctly.
I think if the reverse lockout solenoid isn't retracting fully that could also cause the same symptom.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 307
Likes: 50
Side note, what's happening here is the synchro slider isn't engaging the dog teeth on the reverse gear fully. Then when the clutch is released and the countershaft starts to move the dog teeth push the slider completely out of engagement.
This is a common problem with the t-56 and can be caused by a worn out (sloppy) shift linkage or by the reverse shift fork either being bent or simply not being shimmed correctly.
I think if the reverse lockout solenoid isn't retracting fully that could also cause the same symptom.
This is a common problem with the t-56 and can be caused by a worn out (sloppy) shift linkage or by the reverse shift fork either being bent or simply not being shimmed correctly.
I think if the reverse lockout solenoid isn't retracting fully that could also cause the same symptom.
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Pro
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 563
Likes: 201
From: Montgomery City, MO
Find out which one(s) is/are causing the problem and resolve them.
Easiest to look for would be a loose pinch bolt on the shift shaft in the tunnel, and that the upper shifter box cover bolts are tight and the mount bushings aren't disintegrated. This can be accessed from the top by removing the console.
Removing the reverse lockout solenoid from the transmission might be possible without dropping the driveline. Probably not a lot of fun, but I think possible.
The other two are going to require dropping the driveline and possibly disassembling the gearbox EDIT: which if you've gone that far you might as well anyway.
Whatever the case, if you hold pressure on the shifter in reverse while releasing the clutch it might help.
Just out of curiosity, do you still have the stock shifter or something aftermarket?
Easiest to look for would be a loose pinch bolt on the shift shaft in the tunnel, and that the upper shifter box cover bolts are tight and the mount bushings aren't disintegrated. This can be accessed from the top by removing the console.
Removing the reverse lockout solenoid from the transmission might be possible without dropping the driveline. Probably not a lot of fun, but I think possible.
The other two are going to require dropping the driveline and possibly disassembling the gearbox EDIT: which if you've gone that far you might as well anyway.
Whatever the case, if you hold pressure on the shifter in reverse while releasing the clutch it might help.
Just out of curiosity, do you still have the stock shifter or something aftermarket?
Last edited by spfautsch; Mar 29, 2024 at 07:40 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 307
Likes: 50
Find out which one(s) is/are causing the problem and resolve them.
Easiest to look for would be a loose pinch bolt on the shift shaft in the tunnel, and that the upper shifter box cover bolts are tight and the mount bushings aren't disintegrated. This can be accessed from the top by removing the console.
Removing the reverse lockout solenoid from the transmission might be possible without dropping the driveline. Probably not a lot of fun, but I think possible.
The other two are going to require dropping the driveline and possibly disassembling the gearbox EDIT: which if you've gone that far you might as well anyway.
Whatever the case, if you hold pressure on the shifter in reverse while releasing the clutch it might help.
Just out of curiosity, do you still have the stock shifter or something aftermarket?
Easiest to look for would be a loose pinch bolt on the shift shaft in the tunnel, and that the upper shifter box cover bolts are tight and the mount bushings aren't disintegrated. This can be accessed from the top by removing the console.
Removing the reverse lockout solenoid from the transmission might be possible without dropping the driveline. Probably not a lot of fun, but I think possible.
The other two are going to require dropping the driveline and possibly disassembling the gearbox EDIT: which if you've gone that far you might as well anyway.
Whatever the case, if you hold pressure on the shifter in reverse while releasing the clutch it might help.
Just out of curiosity, do you still have the stock shifter or something aftermarket?
Pro
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 563
Likes: 201
From: Montgomery City, MO
A shorter shifter will most likely make the symptoms worse and the car less enjoyable to drive because you're likely to be hunting for every shift gate.
Just another question out of curiosity, of all the vehicles you've owned, roughly what percentage were manuals?
I've only driven four or five t-56 cars. The way the shift shaft and wards are designed make them probably the worst shifting manuals in existence. Couple that with the C5's shift linkage with it's two pinned universal joints, and a shifter box that's kind of junk to start with (and doesn't age well) and you end up with meh.
My other Vette (a '95 C4) has a ZF6-400. Even though the shifter travel is almost twice that of the C5, it's far easier and more enjoyable to drive. And after 10 years I can count on one hand the number of times I've had reverse / 1st jump out of engagement due to limp-arming the initial shift.
Just another question out of curiosity, of all the vehicles you've owned, roughly what percentage were manuals?
I've only driven four or five t-56 cars. The way the shift shaft and wards are designed make them probably the worst shifting manuals in existence. Couple that with the C5's shift linkage with it's two pinned universal joints, and a shifter box that's kind of junk to start with (and doesn't age well) and you end up with meh.
My other Vette (a '95 C4) has a ZF6-400. Even though the shifter travel is almost twice that of the C5, it's far easier and more enjoyable to drive. And after 10 years I can count on one hand the number of times I've had reverse / 1st jump out of engagement due to limp-arming the initial shift.
Instructor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 196
Likes: 1
From: ct
Try doing a shifter alignment first. My ‘04is an automatic (can’t drive a manual anymore-medical) but the ‘98 that I had was a six speed. I had problems shifting into fifth gear. Did an alignment and problem solved!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 307
Likes: 50
A shorter shifter will most likely make the symptoms worse and the car less enjoyable to drive because you're likely to be hunting for every shift gate.
Just another question out of curiosity, of all the vehicles you've owned, roughly what percentage were manuals?
I've only driven four or five t-56 cars. The way the shift shaft and wards are designed make them probably the worst shifting manuals in existence. Couple that with the C5's shift linkage with it's two pinned universal joints, and a shifter box that's kind of junk to start with (and doesn't age well) and you end up with meh.
My other Vette (a '95 C4) has a ZF6-400. Even though the shifter travel is almost twice that of the C5, it's far easier and more enjoyable to drive. And after 10 years I can count on one hand the number of times I've had reverse / 1st jump out of engagement due to limp-arming the initial shift.
Just another question out of curiosity, of all the vehicles you've owned, roughly what percentage were manuals?
I've only driven four or five t-56 cars. The way the shift shaft and wards are designed make them probably the worst shifting manuals in existence. Couple that with the C5's shift linkage with it's two pinned universal joints, and a shifter box that's kind of junk to start with (and doesn't age well) and you end up with meh.
My other Vette (a '95 C4) has a ZF6-400. Even though the shifter travel is almost twice that of the C5, it's far easier and more enjoyable to drive. And after 10 years I can count on one hand the number of times I've had reverse / 1st jump out of engagement due to limp-arming the initial shift.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 307
Likes: 50
Excuse my ignorance here, a little new to manuals but, where can I get that done would any mechanic do this?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 2,466
Likes: 700
From: Clark, NJ
Reverse is like that in every t56 I've driven.
I hold the shifter on reverse and gently let the clutch pedal up an inch. The shifter clicks right in fully. If you're on a hill you can hold the shifter in reverse and let the car roll and it will fully engage reverse. You have to spin the input or output shaft for everything to line up sometimes.
I hold the shifter on reverse and gently let the clutch pedal up an inch. The shifter clicks right in fully. If you're on a hill you can hold the shifter in reverse and let the car roll and it will fully engage reverse. You have to spin the input or output shaft for everything to line up sometimes.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 307
Likes: 50
interesting, so I am guessing this is somewhat normal. The neutral wiggle trick has seemed to work perfectly so far as of now...
