83 944 Manual.

I cant figure this out. For awhile my car hasnt wanted to go into reverse. Some dya sit would others it wouldnt. Lately it hasn't wanted to at all. I adjusted the shift linkage as some of you guys suggested, and I also replaced the gear oil. Still no go. 1-5 work great, the things shifts like a champ after the oil change, but no reverse. I need to get this figured out ASAP because I dont want to bring a car to 944fest with no reverse. Please help me.

if it comes down to the point where I need a new tranny, does anyone have a good one they could sell me pretty cheap, also anyone who would be willing to assist me in putting it in? Im in Louisivlle.

 

Tried going into first then straight to reverse?

 

yes I have tried that. If I hold the thing back in reverse with as much force as I possible can I will sometimes back up a little and then it will grind like nobody's business.

:EDIT: I have also discovered that if I pull it hard right and then towads me (driver) slightly it will engage if I HOLD TONS OF PRESSURE on it, sometimes it will still grind. If I dont hold it there it wont go.

 

Nathan,
If you pull up the boot and the inner cover, you will see where the pin for the shifter rod, has been hitting the side of the opening. what has happened, the shifter itself, the pin has rounded off on the inside and the outside. The center will still be thick. Also, the c-ring that holds the shifter rod onto the pin has also probley worn down. I bet if you pull the boot up, and pull the shifter rod as tight against the shifter as you can, it will probley go into reverse while you hold the rod up against the shifter. Happened on my 84 and the 85.5 that I just got done putting back on the road.

 

Thanks for the idea but I tried it and still no go.

 

me thinks that synchro is shot for sure 83 trannies are plentiful and you can bolt any year up until early 1985 to it.

 

I have a couple of early tranny's laying around. I will see if I have one that is in good shape.

 

Try disengaging the clutch a little bit as its coming into gear, see if that helps.

 

to the best of my knowledge reverse has no synchro .

 

Reverse have no synchros for sure. Any year transmission will work for the 83.

 

Any year does, however, late model 944s have a change regarding how the speedometer is driven and the socket where the CASIS connects. I believe early cars had the speedometer driven off the front wheels. On later cars it was on the tranny. this goes for 1987 on up if I recall.

 

Believe it or not guys, reverse does have a synchro. However, even if it were heavily worn, I don't see it making shifting into reverse impossible. But if this synchro has fractured into pieces, that might do it. Actually, pulling the gearbox from the transaxle case (to get to reverse gear)isn't terribly difficult. But I wouldn't try it without the factory shop manual.

 

Agreed.

No one has mentioned the linkage/bits on the tranny (in the back). When the bushings wear out, it does make shifting difficult sometimes. Also, in the front of the system, where the shifter is, there is a plate/cap that has some adjustment fore/aft (the nylon ball bushing is under it, it looks like an inverted bolo hat). If this is off, it may cause issues with going into first or reverse. It may be worth loosening the two bolts that hold it in, and move it toward the aft of the car in the slots, then tightening.

 

Ill give it a shot, I really think it may be some sort of linkage problem.

 

Try to get it into reverse with the car off. (not running)

If that doesn't work, try inching forward maybe 1-2 inches, and then try to get it in reverse. If it has something to do with where the output position is, that may help.