Car won't shift!

dschrier · Feb 15th, 2003, 08:11 PM

I have had serious problems shifting my car the last year. The problem is sporadic and happens off and on. Wether I am driving or at a stop light, I cannot get my car into gear, and when I finally do, the engine bogs down like it is going to stall. This makes me think that the clutch isn't completely disengaging. Somedays it shifts fine and others it doesn't. It happened in the summer too, so temperature doesn't have anything to do with it. Could it be the clutch cable? I have tried adjusting it and it doesn't seem to help. I was also wondering if it could be the throw out bearing. Any other ideas guys?

LittlebittaContact · Feb 15th, 2003, 08:33 PM

If thiers no response ill try and get you the 1 800 number for autospecialty. they'll have the answer.

Ive got a list of tech lines i can call and usually i have the right number to call

rice rocket (soon) · Feb 15th, 2003, 08:40 PM

it could be that your clutch is not alingned properly this happened to my friend in his isuzu trooper. he had the same simptoms that you are listing, does this normally happen in stop and go traffic?

dschrier · Feb 15th, 2003, 10:09 PM

I had my clutch replaced at 112000 miles and I have 153000 now. That was 4 years ago. It only started recently, well within the last 6 months it's been doing it off and on. Some days it will work fine, even in stop and go traffic, and on other days I had to literally push with all my might to get the thing into gear. It is extremely frusterating.

rice rocket (soon) · Feb 16th, 2003, 12:16 AM

that it would be
did they replace the bearings when then did the clutch?

dschrier · Feb 16th, 2003, 10:08 AM

I have no idea, I will have to find my receipt to see if it is listed.

LittlebittaContact · Feb 16th, 2003, 09:10 PM

usually it is just as cost effective to buy a 'clutch kit' so it is more likely that he replaced the disc, the pressure plate, and the throw-out bearing.

dschrier · Feb 16th, 2003, 09:11 PM

Well if it isn't the throw out bearing what else could it be?

LittlebittaContact · Feb 16th, 2003, 09:21 PM

clutch cable?? i dunno

dschrier · Feb 18th, 2003, 08:30 AM

Alright, I've been doing some more reading and have found some possible causes, do any of these make sense?

1) Engine Idle is too high: Even if it is, once the clutch is disengaged shouldn't I be able to shift? Or are the synchros bound to the engine speed?

2) Shift linkage needs adjustment: Where is the shift linkage and is it something I could do on my own or something that a mechanic would need to do.

3) Could use a transmission fluid change: Could there be some bits of gears or synchros jamming stuff up in the transmission? I have had the transmission fluid changed within the last 40,000 miles, so it should go longer than that. Could I try a lighter fluid? Does nissan have different weight gear oils? I usually get my changes done at jiffy lube.

Crazy-Mart · Feb 18th, 2003, 10:03 AM

engine idle to high... nope that doesnt make sense... if so you wouldnt be able to shift from 6000rpm to the 4500 on the other gears....

shift linkage... hum that one is tricky... a bad engine mount (the one behind the engine) could cause you to not be able to shift from 1-3-5 or the other one 2-4-R.... this thing happened to me when the bolt broke from the tranny ... you got a swinging engine then....

tranny fluid... alot of grinding in tranny would cuz some flakking inside it get it flushed it s your best bet... you can do it yourself also !!... see if the gear oil is contaminated with metal flake... if so, poor in some light oil just to flush it (both caps open) like 15w40 or such.... then refill it with some good 70/75w90 gear oil and drive it out to see the change...

dschrier · Feb 18th, 2003, 10:19 AM

I think the tranny fluid change would be the cheapest thing to try right now. Last night my car wouldn't shift at all, and then like 10 seconds later it was shifting perfectly. Maybe there are some flakes floating around clogging up stuff.

SuperSentra4203 · Feb 18th, 2003, 08:02 PM

You may have a bent shift fork. Sounds far fetched, but that is the most likely cause for a car not wanting to shift. Another possibility is crankwalk. Very unlikely, but if your other diagnosis were not it, i'd look into these. I would definitely look at the gear oil. If your TOB was bad, you would be able to shift without using the clutch. First thing you should do is adjust your clutch. The cable can actually stretch quite a bit. Do you have any grinding while trying to get in it gear?

dschrier · Feb 18th, 2003, 08:39 PM

I only have grinding while going into reverse, obviously because there is no synchros. Any other gear, it either won't go in unless I push my whole body into it, and it doesn't grind, and other times it shifts smooth as silk. Also, how hard would it be to change the gear oil by myself without a jack? From what I see in the haynes manual there is only a drain plug and a fill plug correct?

Crazy-Mart · Feb 19th, 2003, 01:14 AM

yap those too... put a pan underneat it and crack it open

... with a 3/8 torque bar (i broke 3 ratchet on those ... ya 3 !!)... if there not moving at all... use a torch and get them red hot an trow some water imidiatly afterward... it will break it loose...