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First newbie question...shifter issue

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Old Dec 21, 2009 | 05:36 PM
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Default First newbie question...shifter issue

I did a search and all that i really came up with was C5 related as far as I can tell. Here goes:

It seems that I have an issue getting the car in the correct gear. What I think is 1st is 3rd at times. It feels to me like the shifter has an adjustment issue. The trans feels fine, clutch feels great. It just seems to not want to go far enough to the left to catch 1st? Can somebody point me to a fix for this? I did see one post where the person talked about an adjustment under the shift boot using a 1/8 inch pin. Was not sure if this was C5 or C6 related. Thanks for the help!

Tracy
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Old Dec 21, 2009 | 06:40 PM
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Originally Posted by beerbarrel
I did a search and all that i really came up with was C5 related as far as I can tell. Here goes:

It seems that I have an issue getting the car in the correct gear. What I think is 1st is 3rd at times. It feels to me like the shifter has an adjustment issue. The trans feels fine, clutch feels great. It just seems to not want to go far enough to the left to catch 1st? Can somebody point me to a fix for this? I did see one post where the person talked about an adjustment under the shift boot using a 1/8 inch pin. Was not sure if this was C5 or C6 related. Thanks for the help!

Tracy
They are all basically the same, with some minor differences.

Does the shifter want to return to the 3-4 gate? If not then it may just be wore out. The stock shifters have no adjustment to them at all other than placement of the stick in neutral by moving the base on the torque tube.

Anthony
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Old Dec 21, 2009 | 06:49 PM
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Yes, it seems fine other than the fact that it has issues getting the shifter over far enough to go into first gear. It feels like it is going into first but as soon as you let out the clutch your come to the realization that you are in third. When it goes into first everything works as advertised, normal shifts into second, third, and fourth...etc. A normal push on the stick takes you from 2nd straight into 3rd...no problems. It just seems going into first is the only issue at times...

Am I clear as mud here?



Originally Posted by Anthony @ LGMotorsports
They are all basically the same, with some minor differences.

Does the shifter want to return to the 3-4 gate? If not then it may just be wore out. The stock shifters have no adjustment to them at all other than placement of the stick in neutral by moving the base on the torque tube.

Anthony
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Old Dec 21, 2009 | 07:51 PM
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Some more info, plz. Is this a used car? Did you just buy it? How many miles on it? When did it start? Have you changed the clutch reservoir fluid recently? Have you been to a tech recently? How has the car been driven? What's changed on the car, either add on parts or overall performance, before or since this started?
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Old Dec 21, 2009 | 08:19 PM
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Used car 29K...just bought it at Carmax. Don't know how long it has been going on. At first, I thought it was just me not being used to the car. Had the car 2 days. Car was a one owner and is stock. Don't really know that history drive wise but the car is in overall very good condition.


Originally Posted by AORoads
Some more info, plz. Is this a used car? Did you just buy it? How many miles on it? When did it start? Have you changed the clutch reservoir fluid recently? Have you been to a tech recently? How has the car been driven? What's changed on the car, either add on parts or overall performance, before or since this started?
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Old Dec 21, 2009 | 08:24 PM
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Hmm, I'll assume that's 29K miles on it when bought. Do you have a Corvette shop familiar with late models nearby? I'd go there first. I don't want to hazard a guess at an expensive problem. You do have a right of recision with CarMax, right (used to be 3 days under fed law)?
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Old Dec 21, 2009 | 08:35 PM
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Yes 29K....the return is 5 days....also they offer a bumper to bumper warranty for the first 30 days. I bought their additional warranty for 4 years or 48K. I really like the car and this seems to be the only issue. The warranty will let me take it to whomever I feel comfortable with and has a 75 dollar deductible. I was hoping that it was just me or the shifter adjustment. It shifts through all the gears fine with no noise other than the going into 1st gear issue which is intermittent.
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Old Dec 21, 2009 | 08:46 PM
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Altho this MAY not be the issue, it's a good place to start since I doubt if the car's ever had a clutch fluid reservoir change. And Ranger is the definitive expert on this. Here's his methodology. http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...-and-cure.html

If you find your own, competent, tech shop in wherever might be your hometown, you might ask them what might cause your issues. If they don't know about the above method, they might be slightly suspect as to their knowledge base, imo.

The potential other possibility is the first gear synchro. And that's expensive.

Wanna share what town you live in---it could be you might want to post a "what's the best Corvette tech in ____" in the regional forum attached to CF.
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Old Dec 21, 2009 | 09:13 PM
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No problem...I'm in Warner Robins, ga....15 miles south of macon. I'll start a thread in the other forum to see what pans out. When I get time, I will probably swap out all fluids. That was a very interesting video. I'll have a look at the clutch fluid tonight. Thanks for your help.

Tracy
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Old Dec 21, 2009 | 10:31 PM
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WEnt and took the car for a spin a few minutes ago. Have not had much time to drive it. I can get the car to go into first about half the time. All other times it goes into 3rd. It feels as it you pull the shifter hard to the left it will go all the time. Another thing that I have found is if you are in first it will go to fourth even if you try to go to second. I don't know if this is a function of the skip shift thing or issues with it going into first and second. hmmm....might be time to return it to Carmax.
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Old Dec 21, 2009 | 10:34 PM
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If you still have problems, I would take it to MTI Racing in Marietta, GA. I know it's a little drive for you. But I wish I lived close to them, I would have them mod my car.
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Old Dec 21, 2009 | 10:44 PM
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Thanks...sent them an email.

Tracy



Originally Posted by Rphvette
If you still have problems, I would take it to MTI Racing in Marietta, GA. I know it's a little drive for you. But I wish I lived close to them, I would have them mod my car.
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Old Dec 21, 2009 | 10:52 PM
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Originally Posted by beerbarrel
I did a search and all that i really came up with was C5 related as far as I can tell. Here goes:

It seems that I have an issue getting the car in the correct gear. What I think is 1st is 3rd at times. It feels to me like the shifter has an adjustment issue. The trans feels fine, clutch feels great. It just seems to not want to go far enough to the left to catch 1st? Can somebody point me to a fix for this? I did see one post where the person talked about an adjustment under the shift boot using a 1/8 inch pin. Was not sure if this was C5 or C6 related. Thanks for the help!

Tracy
Are you familar with 1st to 4th lock out? You might be experiencing this and not be aware of it.
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Old Dec 21, 2009 | 11:06 PM
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Yes, I have read about it a little bit. As a matter of fact, I saw that someone had a lockout kit to do away with it? If part of my issues are the 1-4 lockout it has to go. I like to shift normally between all gears. I really did not buy the car for fuel economy....


Originally Posted by chazc6
Are you familar with 1st to 4th lock out? You might be experiencing this and not be aware of it.
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Old Dec 21, 2009 | 11:14 PM
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Well, let's explain it for what it is. The 1-4 lockout works when you only partially push down on the accelerator pedal in 1st gear. It will guide you to 4th gear. You CAN rearrange the shift pattern to get it into 3rd, but it's not easy. When you accelerate hard, the 1-4 skipshift is deactivated (or not activated) and you can shift normally from 1st 2nd and then 2nd to 3rd. Also, I don't remember the exact speed, but above about 22 mph in 1st and even if slowly accelerating, you will not encounter the 1st-4th skipshhift.

But if your problems are from a stop, or near stop and you're still having trouble getting into first gear, that is a problem not associated with the 1-4 skipshift. And yes, the skipshift can be deactivated a couple of different ways.

Last edited by AORoads; Dec 21, 2009 at 11:17 PM.
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Old Dec 21, 2009 | 11:21 PM
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Originally Posted by beerbarrel
Yes, I have read about it a little bit. As a matter of fact, I saw that someone had a lockout kit to do away with it? If part of my issues are the 1-4 lockout it has to go. I like to shift normally between all gears. I really did not buy the car for fuel economy....
I have to admit i had my car for two weeks before i read the manual and found out, i thought somethimg was wrong as well. Hopefully that's all it is, if i'm correct there's a fuse that controls 1st-4th that can be pulled until you tune it or buy the delete kit.
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Old Dec 21, 2009 | 11:27 PM
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As far as the skip shift goes, that is exactly what it feels like it is doing. Shifting from first al normal driving speeds it goes into fourth like second does not even exist. It feels like a completely normal function. Eventhough it seems a little weird to me...

But, I don't know enough about it to make an informed decision as to whether it is part of the same problem that is causing the hard to get into first gear.

I'm not sure that "hard to get into gear" is the proper terminology. It will slide into gear but you don't know if it's first or third. It seems as if you have to pull extra hard to your left and then push up to get it into the proper gear. It feels as if the shifter will not move to the left far enough. I know it sounds kinda screwy. That is the beat way I can describe it.

SEnt that email btw...thanks!


Originally Posted by AORoads
Well, let's explain it for what it is. The 1-4 lockout works when you only partially push down on the accelerator pedal in 1st gear. It will guide you to 4th gear. You CAN rearrange the shift pattern to get it into 3rd, but it's not easy. When you accelerate hard, the 1-4 skipshift is deactivated (or not activated) and you can shift normally from 1st 2nd and then 2nd to 3rd. Also, I don't remember the exact speed, but above about 22 mph in 1st and even if slowly accelerating, you will not encounter the 1st-4th skipshhift.

But if your problems are from a stop, or near stop and you're still having trouble getting into first gear, that is a problem not associated with the 1-4 skipshift. And yes, the skipshift can be deactivated a couple of different ways.
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To First newbie question...shifter issue

Old Dec 22, 2009 | 06:23 AM
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Your welcome. It sounds unusual, but it could be something is binding, maybe in the shifter itself. Let's hope it's something simple.

Originally Posted by beerbarrel
As far as the skip shift goes, that is exactly what it feels like it is doing. Shifting from first al normal driving speeds it goes into fourth like second does not even exist. It feels like a completely normal function. Eventhough it seems a little weird to me...

But, I don't know enough about it to make an informed decision as to whether it is part of the same problem that is causing the hard to get into first gear.

I'm not sure that "hard to get into gear" is the proper terminology. It will slide into gear but you don't know if it's first or third. It seems as if you have to pull extra hard to your left and then push up to get it into the proper gear. It feels as if the shifter will not move to the left far enough. I know it sounds kinda screwy. That is the beat way I can describe it.

SEnt that email btw...thanks!
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Old Dec 23, 2009 | 02:26 AM
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I've had trouble with my 05 not wanting to go into gear at a stop. I talked to one of the main design engineers at C5/C6 Bash this year aabout it and here is what his explanation was. When you go from neutral to first you engage 2 gears and they are like cogs on a wheel and the ends of those cogs where squared off flat and sometimes instead of sliding into the slots they will set on the flat spots. He told me to just leave it in neutral and let the clutch out quick and it will bump them in to the slots where they belong and then they will engage like they are suppose to. I can see in my head what I'm trying to say I hope it came out right. I don't have anymore problem when it sticks by doing what he said. He also said they fixed that problem by making those flat top teeth into pointed ones so they can't catch and slide together like they're suppose to.
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Old Dec 23, 2009 | 07:25 PM
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1st gear is NOT straight forward from neutral, while the car is at rest and the shifter just sitting in neutral. To put the car into 1st, it is a conscious effort to move the shifter to the left and forward. If you think that all you have to do is push it up/forward, you are wrong.

The best, by far, way to eliminate the "skip shift" is by the "blown LED fuse" method. No wiring harness system is better, or easier. Do a search on it, please, and see how easy and effective it is!
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