In my 01 coupe with 28k on it I was at the grocery store. there was a guy next to me telling me how nice the car was. He also mentioned to watch out since I am so close to the curb that if I roll forward any I might bump it. I replied "Oh no problem, it takes a little practice but I am kinda used to it now". I start the car up with a big smile on my face, put it in reverse, let out the clutch and the car rolls forward with a big old S_C_R_A_P_E as the nost went over the curb and the transmission G_R_I_N_D so bad it would make your stomach turn. Real cool. I held it in reverse to get it to back up. When I got it home, I put it in nuetral and then reverse and you really have to push hard to get it in reverse. Put it in any gear first and it will go into reverse no problem. Just when you go from nuetral with the clutch out, then put the clutch in and put it in reverse is it that hard.

That said, I am taking it into the dealership tomorrow. It wouldn't surprise me if they told me that that was normal to have to put it in gear first or something like that before reverse. The car is still under factory warranty. I have seen posts on this before but don't remember what the deal was. My first question is whether or not there is an adjustment for it or is it a synchro or something? I want to be armed with info before I drop it at the dealer in case they try to get out of rebuilding the trans. All help appreciated.

 

IMO, i wouldnt bother dropping it off at the dealer. I always put it in gear first to stop the forward syncros and it goes into reverse all the time. just do that and your fine.

 

Well if it is a problem that shouldn't be there that may get worse, I want to get it taken care of while it isn't going to cost me anything.

 

Especially if you start the car in neutral with the clutch pressed in. I always let the clutch out (in neutral) for a second, and then push it in again and it goes right into reverse without any problems. I guess the syncros have to spin up first.

 

And, remarkably, they would be telling the truth This is especially true if you have a short-throw shifter. Personally, I keep the clutch in, stick it in 4th and then into reverse.

 

Hi Rick, If you do take it in let us know what happens. Good Luck.>Save the Wave.>George

 

Well everybody that had responded so far says that it is normal! Will have to think about what to do.

 

nice to see they are still making them the same way after 50 years! Been standard procedure forever; engage 1st gear (or any other) before going into reverse!

 

I park mine in the garage in first gear. When i start just push in clutch. After start I go from 1st to reverse no problem.

 

I haven't noticed any problems. Most of the time I leave it in reverse when the car is off anyway..

 

I agree with the above posts. When I drive mine to work, which is not very often because of the aggrivating location, my jobsite is on a busy street and front scrapes pretty hard if I go into the site in forward. I have to pull past, throw it in reverse, and back in. I thought mine had a problem because I would try to throw it into reverse real quick and it would be hard to shift into reverse. Kind of embarrassing when there's alot of people standing on the sidewalk waiting for me to back in and I'm frantically shifting, struggling to get the car in reverse. I figured out if you put it in neutral, let off the clutch, stop, then engage the clutch and shift into reverse, it's much easier. I just think it's the way our cars work.

 

Well, just an update. The dealer did as I suspected and simply called it normal. They said without them being able to reproduce the major grinding there was nothing they could do with it. He said that the standard Vette 6-spd does have a synchro in it. The forward gears have a 3 cone, the reverse has a single cone. I did finally get all of the warranty work finished in the same trip so the time wasn't wasted. I have just always felt like this dealer is always looking for a way to get out of having to do any work. Unfortunately, they are the only dealer within a reasonable driving range. I had them mark it in the record as being concerned about it in case it starts up later popping out or something. Bottom line, most people agree that it is normal thing to have to find a forward gear before the reverse.

 

I drive every day and sorry to say that putting it into reverse is problematic. Indeed with my C4 I put it in reverse to pull the key and that became a habit since the emergency brake was useless. With the C5 putting it into reverse isn't like with the C4 I actually found with the C5 it would overnight pop out of reverse and the car would roll into the garage door. Really almost no slope to the garage floor but enough. (Internal friction of the C4 didn't let it roll but the C5 rolles easier). I now use the emergency brake. Now to the point. When going into reverse after it appears to be inreverse with the clutch depressed apply slight pressure to the shifter as you slowly raise the clutch in idle. If it is really in gear everything will be fine. If not you will feel the gears bounce eachother. At this low speed I trust no damage but then it will engage. (sort of like the feel you get when changing the gear speeds on an engine lathe). Once engaged then it obviously will not grind.

I hope this experience helps. Be good all.