User 52121

Was nice this morning so I decided to drive the 951 to work.

Left early (really not feeling well), make it two blocks from the parking garage, sitting at a light. Car in front pimps me (sits at a stale yellow for so long, I couldn't go through myself) so I go to stick it in reverse (to back up out of the crosswalk, downtown Chicago) and can't find it. So I stuck it in neutral and took my foot off the clutch... And the car stalled.

That's odd.

So I wait, light goes green, have a hard time finding 1st. Find it, let up the clutch, feels more like 3rd, and lots of racket coming from the trans. Get the car through the intersection and have lots of noise. Pull off on a little alley way, stop.... And can't find any gears. Shifter has gates, feels "normal" except that the usual gates for 1st/2nd are locked out.

Now the car won't move at all. Trans is locked.

Called a tow truck. Waiting now. While sitting here, some ******* tried to parallel park his Camry in front of me by using my bumpers.... No speaka da English... *steam* Tow truck gonna have a hard time getting the car out since Camry driver is 1/4" off the front bumper and the car won't roll....

Any ideas on what failed?

It's a used S2 trans but I had it completely gone through (all new bearings and syncros, everything else inspected) before installing it. Doesn't even have 300 miles on it yet.....

Dougs951

Linkage came loose? Mine did that and had some of the same symptoms.

86 951 Driver

Exactly what I'm thinking.

Dougs951S

3rd vote on linkage. Mine ate the pinch bolt on the shift rod that goes into the trans and it worked its self out while I was driving. At first I couldnt find 1st, then it got locked in 2nd gear and I stalled it at a light when I let the clutch out in what I thought was neutral. Didnt make any noise that I recall though. I hopped under the car, saw the rod dangling there, and popped in into neutral so I could push it off the road. I had a buddy deliver a battery dremel tool and a new bolt which I cut into the proper conical shape right there, bolted it back up with lock washer and went on my way.

Paulyy

4th on check linkage. mine wasn't tight enough and i couldn't get 1st and 2nd on the way to work. had to take off from 3rd..

User 52121

Well aside from 1st and 2nd I had a full H pattern 3/4/5/R. In that there were pronounced gates. But the car wouldn't move, Trans was locked. Like its between gears.

Dougs951S

Same thing when my linkage failed, car felt totally normal on the shifter 3/4/5/R. Seriously go jack your car up and look! Its probably not stuck between gears, but rather stuck IN a gear, maybe 2nd or 3rd. That is what happens if the linkage fails while the car is in gear.

User 52121

Interesting. Ok. Well I just had it towed to my buddy's shop (same guy who rebuilt the trans). Will see what he says in the morning.

My other buddy who came to pick me up (while laughing and taking pictures because what are friends for) just posted some pics on FB and it looks like my reverse lights are on. Hmmm.

Well I hope you're right and its just linkage. I am confident to take apart anything in a car except transmissions. To me they are just magic boxes.

Dougs951

On my car I was locked out of 1/2 when the rear most bolt wasnt tight enough and came loose. I had to drive home from an autoX using 3/4 the whole time.

Dougs951S

^ I bet your clutch loved you.

zeusrotty

Hey I will give you my 86 trans for 200.00 if you want to come get it. I'm in Bolingbrook. Its in excellent shape, and you can just swap the gears out, or throw your LSD into it.

Dougs951

It was my S2, 3L's can start in 3rd rather easily.

Black51

There's a first for everything.

chrenan

Did you safety wire the linkage bolt on the top of the transmission? If not I bet that's the culprit.

reno808

Good luck