Sometimes, I can't shift my car into gear without first running it through the pattern. If it's first I can't shift into, then I need to take it from third to second before it will go in. This is very, very rare, but often times it won't go into reverse without me putting it into fifth or sixth.

Is this the synchronizers? What about fluid with manual transmissions? I have never checked it and don't even know how. Does it ever need replaced? How do you do that? Would flushing it out help? When do these transmissions need rebuilt? Who should I take it to if it does need rebuilt? Any tips or things to remember when doing so?

My car has 110K hard miles on it.

 

Take the side plug off of the tranny. You should be able to stick your finger in the hole and feel fluid. If not you are low. I have 163K on my motor, and I use the high mileage ATF fluid from Valvoline. It sounds to me like your synchronizers are giong out. Usually the 1st or 2nd gear sync's go out because people down shift alot and it puts stress on them. Hope this helps you out.

 

Downshifting puts stress on them? Should a person downshift?

 

I have never heard of a problem caused by downshifting, but if someone knows more about this please chime in. As far as the transmission not going into gear, I think I can help you. I have experienced this myself, and after some experimentation I figured out what I was doing wrong. When you are driving down the road and shift from 2nd to 3rd, the parts inside the transmission are turning, which means that eventually the 3rd gear syncro will do it's job and allow you to change gears. However, if you are at a stoplight and have the trans in neutral with your foot on the clutch(disengaged), and you try to shift into first, chances are the internal parts of the trans have stopped spinning. If this happens I would say you are lucky to get it into gear. The same goes for reverse. Next time you are driving and this happens, release the clutch to get everything inside the trans spinning, then depress the clutch and shift into 1st or reverse. It should work fine. I hope this solves your problem.

 

Thanks! I'll try that!

 

Down shifting at higher speeds. Like putting it in first when you are going 40 MPH. Not good on the syncros. I screwed them up in my Blazer doing that too much because I liked the way it sounded.

 

Oh. "Mid-shifting." I've done that once. I slammed it in second when I meant to put it in fourth. Ouch.

 

Yeah, I can see how making the parts in the tranny spin twice as fast as they were designed to could put some undue stress on the syncros. Man, I hate it when that happens. However, I don't think normal downshifting wears the tranny out too much, at least not enough to significantly decrease it's life.

Hey Sharpe, let us know if your problem still persists. We're here for ya.

 

Or when my GF shifted from 2nd back to 1st AT REDLINE!
I can still smell burned clutch in my car

 

change the fluid

 

I tried Izzey's suggestion and it works. Thanks.

 

I've had the happen a couple times when at a stoplight. I just assumed it was because of what izzy said. Other than that my tranny shifts pretty smooth.

 

I think reverse doesn't have a syncro, so it helps to shift into 1st or another gear first.