first real problem with SHO!

[Brian Smith]

Ok, time to take a deep breath and try to explain everything as best I can. I was driving down the road at about 35-40 and downshifted into second a little rough, but not too hard. I did a nice second gear pull then shifted into third. Then I tried to shift into fourth. Nothing doing. It wont shift out of third, even into neutral. I pulled over and stalled the car out by accident. I coasted into a parking lot and jacked the car up. No excess of tranny fluid on the underside...yay! I dont think the tranny is "ventilated". It was too dark to see where the rod shifter attaches to the transmission, but I took the shift boot off. Everything seems ok at the shifter end. Also I started the car and I can drive in third slowly, so the transmission seems to still be "transmitting"; well not seized up I mean. Also, i felt the transmission and it seemed to be a little warm. I have heard they run at around 150F? Where do I go from here? Is there anything to check tommorrow in the daylight? Any easy solution? Please say there is... Anyway. I hope I dont have to pull the transmission! If it comes to that: Is there something to look for inside the tranny?
This weekend I had a 500 mile trip planned and I had just gotten done some maintainance last night (new tie rod ends). *sigh* always at the worst times .

An addendum: is there anyone in the Maryland area that might have a spare tranny they could let go of for a reasonable price?(if it comes to that)

 

[Ferendon]

Sounds like a linkage problem. Makes sure everything's physically tight, and not just visually. I've spent hours trying to find the cause of my friend's SHO stuck in 3rd, and came to found out that it was a worn out pushing on the tranny end of the left cable (It's a stock 90). Couldn't see it for the life of me. We pulled the whole damn cable to replace it and found a worn bushing. siliconed the ****, crammed it on there, frapped it with copper wire, and no problems. Took the wire off after it set, and still no problems. That was about a year ago, and everything's fine. Trannies don't just suddenly loose a gear. If you're stuck in a gear it's most likely linkage, as it can pop apart, but gears don't just decide to hide.. (At least I hope not!)

 

[Brian Smith]

Thanks Ferendon. My first inspection tommorrow will be of the rods (my shifter is the rod style). Has anyone had experience with the rods of a rod shifter binding in place?

 

[ckinart]

Broken Weld

Thanks Ferendon. My first inspection tommorrow will be of the rods (my shifter is the rod style). Has anyone had experience with the rods of a rod shifter binding in place?

I broke the weld on the shifter bar at the transmission end in my '94 which was simply rewelded.

 

[AutoSHO]

Check to make sure the long bolt through the stabilizer is in the transmission and snug.

I had a similar problem with my previous car, turned out to be a broken shift fork. Hope that isn't your problem, but it sounds familiar.

 

[Brian Smith]

Whoa! Panic attack over. I knew I didnt beat on the tranny too hard!

One of the rod end connnector pieces came loose at the tranny end of the rods! This was not allowing me to shift out of third and because I was in third I was unable to move back into second or fifth areas. I pushed the link piece back onto the rod which goes into the tranny and it immediately began working normally again. I believe this link might be missing a cotter pin which is why it worked loose in the first place. I will find a more permanent solution tommorrow after the rain stops.

Meantimes, an administrator might want to move this to engine and drive train as it may help a future searcher find out why their car wont come out of gear.