3rd and 5th gear problems!
3rd and 5th gear problems! Hi guys, i have a 1989 Nissan 240SX with a LS1 swapped into it. The tranny and motor were picked up as a whole and dropped into the car. Because of fitment issues, I cannot reach the bleed screw on the transmission, instead i have been vacuum bleeding from the wilwood master cylinder I am using. here is my problem though : when cold the car shifts fine, but after a bit of driving, the car doesnt go into 3rd or 5th gear, which doesnt make any sense at all. Could this be a hydraulic issue still? or could there be something wrong with the clutch / tranny? Thanks for the space. 
TECH Regular
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 443
Likes: 3
From: Kansas City, MO
If it's only 3rd and 5th then it's probably the synchros. If it still goes into reverse fine then the clutch is probably not your problem. Make sure the shifter is making it's full travel. Could it be hitting the floor?
I could see if the sychros were bad, and the car didnt shift, however when the car is cold it shifts fine? Also arent 3rd and 5th on a entirely different gear column all together? Could BOTH the synchros on 3-4 and 5-6 be bad? At first I thought it was a hydro problem but that doesnt explain the other gears engaging either. I am almost sure that its a tranny / clutch problem, anyone else have this kind of problem?
If I come to a stop and shut it off it will go into 3rd and 5th just fine and will move with the car in gear. any more help would really be great
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On The Tree
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
From: kansas city MO
you sure its just 3rd and fifth? this is what i was talking about
http://www.msperformanceonline.com/21008.html
its just one i found doing a search, sorry if there is a sponsoring vendor looking at this, hehe
http://www.msperformanceonline.com/21008.html
its just one i found doing a search, sorry if there is a sponsoring vendor looking at this, hehe
I had problems grinding with 1,2,3,4, reverse (didn't try 5/6) when I first got my swap running... was sure I had clutch problems. Turns out I had broken 3-4 slider keys, a bent 3-4 fork, and the 1-2 slider keys had fallen out.
Shifter doesnt have stops does it? I had a problem with my 6th gear popping out because my shifter stops were too close.
Have you tried double clutching (going to nuetral letting out clutch pushing it back in then going to 3rd of 5th)? Have you tried RPM matching (reving the engine up to the rpm the engine would be in in that gear at the speed) this will work without ever even stepping the clutch in on any transmission ever made.
As for the temperature operation, air expands as it gets hotter which would cause clutch operation to be affect at different temperatures. My LT1 has this same problem only an LT1 system cannot be bled. it's almost impossible for me to get it into reverse at times.
Have you tried double clutching (going to nuetral letting out clutch pushing it back in then going to 3rd of 5th)? Have you tried RPM matching (reving the engine up to the rpm the engine would be in in that gear at the speed) this will work without ever even stepping the clutch in on any transmission ever made.
As for the temperature operation, air expands as it gets hotter which would cause clutch operation to be affect at different temperatures. My LT1 has this same problem only an LT1 system cannot be bled. it's almost impossible for me to get it into reverse at times.
TECH Regular
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 443
Likes: 3
From: Kansas City, MO
I could see if the sychros were bad, and the car didnt shift, however when the car is cold it shifts fine? Also arent 3rd and 5th on a entirely different gear column all together? Could BOTH the synchros on 3-4 and 5-6 be bad? At first I thought it was a hydro problem but that doesnt explain the other gears engaging either. I am almost sure that its a tranny / clutch problem, anyone else have this kind of problem?
