So the other day i drove 140 miles back to my parents for christmas; ALL is well at this point. Almost 2 hours roll by (motor cools down a bit) and then i hopped in it, started it up, gently put it in first and cruised down the road. Came to a stop sign a mile later. Saw the road was all clear and decided to get on it. When I hit second the tires gripped pretty well and heard the normal strain on the drivetrain. Attempted to slap third and it wouldnt shift. Left it in nuetral and pumped the clutch a couple times and then i went into gear with a little extra force then normally needed. Ya of course I've missed 3rd plenty of times, we all have, but I wasnt shifting fast enough to have missed it. Shifted fine down the road through 4 5 and 6 until i came to a stop an then it wouldn't shift into 1 2 3 4 5 and 6 and it wouldnt even slide over horizontally to attempt reverse so i went to second but i had to force it in second way to hard. Clutch still felt fine and function perfect when in gear.

Currently, got her parked in the driveway and planning on checking out everything tomorrow. Just to put it out there, I had mightyvac'd the reservior a day before this happend due to the fact fluid was so dirty. But Im pretty sure that wouldnt have changed anything. IDK. I have the stock clutch, slave, and master. Clutch feels completey normal like every other day. I changed the tranny fluid about 5 months ago and have been driving it almost everyday. Tranny has a 150K on it. Shifts well for how many miles. Ever since i bought it 9 months ago the shifter has always felt notchy. I have never had any tranny problems with my T56 before this.

Not sure what's the issue whether the slave? clutch reservior? jammed linkage?


So in conclusion, WHAT CAN CAUSE MY SHIFTS TO FEEL GATED EVEN WHEN THE ENGINE IS OFF?
Suggestions please!

Thanks!

 

The same thing happen to my 01 SS. Haven't had time to check it out, since I'm working out of town at the moment. Let me know if you find out what the problem is.

 

Help us out T56 guys! Any comments, ideas, or questions are Welcome!

 

Sounds like a clutch issue. (Your fluid change may have done something.) Check your fluid level first.

 

Flushed the clutch reservior again and st. A buddy recommended taken apart slave and cleaning it up? Said it worked for his clutch disengagement issue.

Tranny fluid is fine and clean. Flushed this morning with a little bit of seafoam trans tune.

I played around with it in the driveway this morning with the motor off. It doesnt want to go into 1st or slide over for reverse. Any idea it is doing this with the motor off!

Appreciate the comment WSSIX99!

 

could be different things but maybe the synchros? or engagement teeth not wanting to line up? i had a weird problem with my tranny so i currently have it torn apart for a rebuild but my issue was unrelated.

 

Hmmmm. I'd expect that syncros wouldn't be an issue if the motor is off.

Do you know anything about the shifter? Is it stock?

Have you checked the transmission fluid level lately?

 

make sure you dont have air in the system, sounds like your clutch is not disengaging.

 

You may have damaged the plastic socket that the shifter fits into in the trans. This is especially true if you have an aftermarket shifter...they generally have a poor fit to this socket & can damage it over time.
You can check by pulling the shifter......a 4 bolt attachment at the extension housing. Peer into the shift tower and the socket should be epoxy-bonded to the offset lever. if the socket is loose or otherwise damaged,it must be replaced. Do NOT get some aftermarket piece! Order the socket for a T5 trans. This is the only way you can get a loose piece. Buy some 3M scotchweld 2-part epoxy, clean the socket location well and re-bond the new socket in place. Do NOT put a new socket( even the aftermarket brass crap) in without bonding it in place!
Reattach the shifter with new RTV and thats it.
Other than this, only a poor clutch release or its system can affect ALL the gears ,as you have reported.
It is also possible that you damaged the master. Over pressurization( actually its the vaccuum) can invert the seals . Rebuild/ replacement of the Master is the fix.
If you have not done the drill mod to the feed line, it should be done as well.

 

Spook99maro sounds about right. I just took it for a spin a few hours ago and after starting it (what do ya know) slides over for reverse nice and smooth as it if were brand new but first would only half-*** engage. Something obviously isnt lining up right inside the gearbox correctly.

My stock shifter looked like **** when i bought the car so i got a cheap ebay short throw(looks just like the B&M but its all black). The ebay shifter has done terrific after installed it about 7 or 8 months ago. It shifts the same as stock just not such a large throw. I have the console currently off and had taken the shifter off this morning to flush the tranny.

All seems well. I have examined the shifter and it seems to line up fine as when i had installed it the first time. The PLASTIC SOCKET piece that CALHOON is referring to seems fine and undamaged.

When i took it for a spin all seemed well until i attempted to slide over and up for 5th. It felt blocked off or gated. I came to a stop and this time was able to put it in 1st just fine. Took off and still when it came to shifting into 5th it would go over. Not even 6th. Turn around and headed back gettin on it pretty good and attempted 5th for the third time and this time it felt like it had gotten stuck right in the center of 3rd 4th 5th an 6th. As if it were hooked or locked up on something inside the gearbox.

Rolled down the road to my house and barely in the driveway. Wiggled the shifter a **** ton(gently and not aggressively) and was able to engage 4th then let the clutch grab alil an then went for 3rd and it went in but felt alil odd. Let the clutch grab in 3rd and then rolled up a few feet more towards the garage. WHAT THE **** !!!! Then i was able to into all the gears fine!!! With THE MOTOR ON!!!

This is my first time diagnosing a tranny problem this bad so im am entirely unexperienced except for installing a short throw.

THANKS TO ALL YALL FOR THE COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS!!!

I think this cancels out the clutch but then again IDK im confused to what is going on with my tranny. This doesnt make sense why it would shift fine then mess up.

 

Could something simple have snapped off inside the tranny when i hooked up in second pretty good a couple nights ago when this all started so suddenly. Has anyone ever heard of something simple snapping off inside the tranny from hard shifting??

I dont know what to think other than something isnt lining up right with the gears.

FYI: ALL my fluids are perfect and level. I am really cautious with overfilling and underfilling all automotive fluids in my z. When filling my tranny back up this morning i made sure it was leveled and that the overfill hole had a thin line of fluid pouring out. No tranny leaks either.

I am definately getting an MGW short throw after this issue is solved. My buddy with a TA got one a few months ago and says it was the best mod he has done yet (an he's got a **** ton).

I have a buddy in Friendswood, Tx who knows some experienced tranny guys that I might be able to work something out with so I might end up doing that the day after Xmas.

KEEP UP THE SUGGESTIONS AND COMMENTS!!!

Im tryin not to go crazy with why it works fine one minute and then stiffens up with random gears.

 

when u flushed the tranny what did you find as far as metal shavings or out of the ordinary?

my tranny was low on fluid and locked up a bearing between the mainshaft and input shaft causing it to always be in 4th (direct drive lol)

 

The fluid was dirty red but other than that I didnt see any metal shavings. Nothing out of the ordinary.
Good question.

Did you flush your tranny when it locked up in 4th?? If so did you find any shavings or fragments??

Its seems my issue is along a bearing of some sort.

 

Does the car behave differently when the temperature outside changes?

Have you tried double clutching to see if that corrects the problem? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_clutch If double shifting works, its probably a syncro problem.

 

Im currently in Richmond, Tx and the temperture isnt a big issue here. I always let it warm up in the driveway before i take off down the road.
When this issue came about in between my shifts I had started it in my driveway a couple hours after I had driven 140 miles, looked at the temp gauge and it was half way to 210 so I figured it was warmed up enough to get on it alil. Cold tranny most likely didnt like my hook up in second..IDK

I did do alittle bit of double clutching yesterday evening but not the whole time. Ill take it for another spin soon and let you know in alittle bit.

 

Alrighty so i just got done sticking my hand in the drain pan i used yesterday morning and carefully felt around in it. Turns out i didnt pay enough attention when the fluid was draining. So far Ive found a FINGERNAIL SIZE piece of metal that apparently broke off from inside the gearbox. The piece isnt flat or curved. It has one side that looks like it broke off of something and it has little right angles which make up it..thats the only way i can describe it.
If you have an idea to what could have broken off from the hard shift to second let me know!!!

This is definately no bueno so it looks like im getting a rebuild done.
Time to start driving my sportbike instead lol

Thanks for all the help fbody bros!!!

Take care and Merry Xmas!!!

 

Well - you should probably try the double shifting thing to confirm. Could you possibly mess it up more than it is now by dong that? Probably not... Just don't drive far away when do you do the test...

 

Took it for another spin and even though i double shifted the whole time it is still doing the same thing. I think the syncros are all fine.
I dont hear any grinding in between gears. But when in the driveway it was parked and warming up I heard a slight/faint squeck for a split second when i was going through the gears. Dont know what that means?

This time when i took it out for another spin i was able to get it in 5th and even 6th!!! ****** weird i know

It feels like when you push the shifter over for the 5th and 6th line up it doesnt stop where it should like its missing the main notch directly in the center of 5th 6th and reverse.

**** must be scrambled up in there or something.

 

The randomness points to the clutch. Probably should try bleeding it first - to remove any air that got in there. May not be a transmission issue at all.

 

When you find a broken gearbox component you definately dont wana drive it around..then **** really gets fucked up.

I wish it was a hydraulic issue but im 85% sure it's not.