Ed Petry

Hi,

Hopefully your driving season is going well.

MY 1988 NA 5-speed

I've looked in the archives and did not find an answer which may be my lack of search skills. Sorry.

First and 2nd gears are getting harder to enter. Other times it is a smooth as silk. Third, 4th, 5th and reverse are good to go. Synchro and clutch comes to mind immediately.

Before going the clutch route I wanted to ask the list for areas to check before tearing into the drive train. I've replaced the Clutch MC and rebuilt the slave. Bleed the system and it has preformed well the past couple years. Looked at the PET for wear parts but don't really see any.

My question is: what other parts can cause this issue? Are there bushing or other wear parts in the shift chain?

Thanks in advance.

931guru

Put the car on 4 jackstands (high enough for you to slide under the car) or on a lift.

Remove the trapezoidal rubber cover on the torque tube near the transaxle.

Have someone start the car, then engage the clutch pedal. The rotating driveshaft should come to a complete stop. If it doesn't, you need a clutch bleeding, adjustment, or a clutch assembly.

If it does come to a stop, it's not a clutch problem

If it's not a clutch problem, it could be worn synchronizers or sloppy linkage between the shift **** and the shift forks.

Zirconocene

I'd add to what 931guru said: you may also want to try and take a look at the linkages that are on top of the transaxle (easier said than done, I know). I'm having trouble visualizing it to think through completely but I can tell you with confidence that when I had the transaxle out and replace the stock shift linkage (made of stamped metal with rubber bushings, replaced with the only944 part) the shift feel improved significantly. Now, whether degradation of those bushings in that linkage would affect ONLY 1st and 2nd gears is where I'm having trouble with the visualization of the mechanism.

Thinking it through, one of the points that is made when installing the new shift linkage is that the alignment of the linkage is not correct, you'll have trouble getting the car into either 1st/2nd or reverse, but I think that has more to do with the lever hitting the sides of the opening to the torque tube. Still, if things are moving around back there for whatever reason, maybe that's what's going on.

I'm afraid that your instinct is right and you have a synchro issue.

KevinGross

Less likely to be a clutch issue if 3/4/5 are always okay. The best check on clutch release is to measure travel of the lever's cup at the slave cylinder through the port mentioned above. WSM has a spec, I'm thinking 12 to 15 mm or thereabouts.

Definitely check the linkage and bushings, from the shift lever back to the transmission. The stock system and parts work fine, but things do wear out. With a 1/2 issue, you should try to see whether there is a problem with the linkage binding against the car underbody etc. because of bushings, adjustment, etc. There is an adjustment in the linkage at the transmission.

Happy hunting,

Tiger03447

Is the problem on the upshift or downshift? If it's on the downshift, I'd be prone to thinking about synchros. Upshift I'd suspect clutch or linkage.just sayin..

GPA951s

Check out only944.com tha shift linkage if its stock is most likely shot... If your going to keep the car and not sell it its a great upgrade from old rubber and bent flat stock that was OEM... Little over 100 bucks all CNCed and Good Heim Joints... Then if the problem still persists... the answer is clear... Think of it a a $100 Diagnosis where you get something out of it other than just a bill...

Van

It's worth noting that a bad pilot bearing will keep the drive shaft turning even when the clutch is depressed.

Your issue is likely with the synchro rings in the transmission. If you need help visualizing them, I once made a video about the inside of a transaxle.

Ed Petry

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the help. I believe the issue is an oblonged hole in the shift rod at the gear shift. I understand the fix is to drill this round and update the to later style bushings.

KevinGross

Not following. Do you have a picture?

Ed Petry

Do not have a picture yet.

In words; the shift lever has a pivot ball on the bottom of the shifter. Part way up the shift level is a round pin sticking out. This pin goes through the shift rod. (This shift rod extends back to the transmission coupler).
The hole in this rod is by design round. Over time this hole becomes oblong. It does not hold the shift pin properly making shifting harder.

Does this make sense? Helpful?

KevinGross

Thanks for the clarifying description. I have not seen this problem before, but I guess anything is possible. Not sure about drilling it round -- is there enough material? And what would you sleeve it with? Might be easier just to find a good used rod.

Van

That pin on the shift lever will get worn and turn kind of football shaped. This causes a really sloppy feeling shifter and a vagueness in finding gears, however, it won't change *how* the gears engage in the gearbox. My solution for that is to replace the pin with a 10mm bolt and thrust bearings - there are some write ups about it.

Zirconocene

I second what Van said. I was going to do it on my car, only to discover that it had already been done, so I don't have a point of reference but, looking at the stock setup, what he describes makes a ton of sense and I love how my car shifts, and the notchiness of it. The car has a short shift kit and I upgraded the shift linkage on the transaxle and it feels great.

dr914

I would say that you have a clutch disengagement problem, maybe caused by the master slave. The lower gears are the ones that first become harder to shift into.