I have a 2001 Camaro SS, 6 speed. Pretty heavily modified, but I have always had a quirk with it. It has never, in the entire time that I've owned it, allowed me to downshift from 3rd to 2nd. I always thought it was a computer lockout (either skip shift, or otherwise) I finally got tired of it because my s10 allows me to, as well as a few other cars I've had. I went to my local chevy dealership and asked the tech if it was a computer thing. He said it was, and I could buy a special wiring harness through chevy to eliminate it ($100+). But those guys...they're always looking for a buck. Is this actually the case? I'm curious because when I shift from 1st to 2nd, I push in the clutch and gently hold the shifter in the 2nd position where it hits what I call "the wall". After a very very brief moment the shifter slides all the way into position and I let out the clutch. My skip shift does work, so I know when I'm locked out of second. I've been an at-home performance mechanic for a long time, and I know when a synchro is bad...it's sorta similar...minus the grinding and throwing the shifter out of gear. When it's in second, it's solid...

so, ideas?

 

My car can shift from 3rd to 2nd just fine. Never bought a wiring harness.

 

Your 2-3 syncro is worn or the teeth on the blocker rings are shot.

 

if you want to downshift from 3to2 double clutching will help immensely. i posted a few years ago on how to do it properly. search double clutch and my user name. even if your synchros are worn this method will work

btw my trans is fine and it always was harder to do the 3 to 2 downshift

 

Sounds like something is definitely wrong with the transmission. All three of my M6 cars allowed me to downshift from 3-2 anytime I wanted without even thinking about it.

 

Well. Confirmed it from 2 more chevy techs and an independent shop. It is "normal operation" and a special part is required on my year model to downshift anywhere below 3rd. It is an electronic lock out.

 

Nope. You arent the one that modded your car are you..

 

Wrong...there is no lockout from 3 to 2. Only the cags that locks out 2 and 3 during part throttle upshifts.

 

something is a trans issue here , i downshift 3-2 all the time , did it when the car was on a stock tune and does it now procharged , sounds like a mechanical issue to me . If you rev the car up with the clutch in all the way , rev it to like 4500 -5000 does it creep or stay where it should ?

 

They are either confusing your issue with the "skip shift" feature, or have no idea what they are talking about.

 

Those, or just trying to make a quick buck by selling an un-needed part.

 

I find it hard to believe that 4 people are telling me the exact same thing. Im not discrediting you guys, but I am really confused. My clutch does need some serious work, it sticks to the floor sometimes if I dump it. I've been saving my pennies to completely overhaul it. The slave cylinder is shot and I need to bleed the lines. Problem is, I haven't had the time to unmount the tranny, and im not feeling a hole in my floorboard. I just don't feel like its a clutch issue when the only gears I can't downshift into are 1&2. Every other gear is smooth to downshift into. Double clutching (even Grimes way) doesn't change anything. It seriously feels like a lock out. Its like hitting a wall. If im slowing down I can put the shifter into the 1st position and hit the wall until I get below 10mph. Then it slides in.

 

Well like I said, I have owned 4 M6 Fbodys and they all were able to downshift to 2nd whenever I wanted. Sounds like your hydraulics need major work and that is more than likely your problem.

 

You have had a lot more than 4 people chime in a tell you that it's not cags issue. We may not be experts but we have no reason to steer you wrong. Add me to the list of people telling you it is a mechanical issue.

But if you are hell bent on believing those experts, go spend your money on that part they have for sale. Come back and let us know how it works.

I'm sure you will take this the wrong way and feel like I'm being a dick (which I'm not trying to be) but man this is pretty simple and we have given you wise advice. If you chose not to accept it just means you have to learn the hard way and pay more money for less results.

 

For one. I am the one that modded my car. I have very little experience on late model trannys. That is why I asked here.

Also, a friend of mine that owns a shop not far from me (and has driven my car) told me that it is definitely a hydraulic problem. I checked my clutch fluid while I was on break at work, its low, and black as hell. I guess that's what I get for not driving it all winter. I forget to do things...

I think my best approach is to solve one problem before another. And considering my clutch is becoming a problem, I think ill handle it first. I believed it was my clutch to begin with, I know for a fact I need to rebuild my master and slave. I started having some idiot tell me about a lockout and that it could be my syncros, so I checked into it. The idiots at my local chevy rip off joints didn't help.

Now if only there was a simple way to bleed it...

 

do you have an aftermarket shifter? I had a situation with my pro 5.0 where one of the blocker screws loosened itself up and I could not shift into 2nd, it felt like the "wall" you keep saying. I took the console off and checked it and just tightened the screw.

 

I've heard that about my shifter too. I took the boot off but ran out of time and couldn't take the plate off underneath to check...

 

http://www.tickperformance.com/tick-...to-ls1-f-body/

Works great. While you are at it, save up for the Tick Master Cylinder. The best thing I ever did to my M6 cars.

 

Try going about 40 and raising the RPMs slowly. It should slide into 2nd with no clutch at all if you keep SLIGHT pressure against the syncro. That would rule out your tranny since truckers shift without a clutch all the time but their engines redline at 2k so they can get away with it.

 

Weird thing happened last night that leads me to believe its the master cylinder...I noticed that if I move the shifter al the way to the left and rock it in between 1st and 2nd, it will slide into 2nd and allow me to downshift. I almost have the money for a tick adjustable master, so im planning on doing the swap in the next couple of weeks.