Can't Find Reverse??

[mooney265]

I've been noticing that Reverse has been getting harder and harder to find. Today, I lost it... Had to push the car backwards to get out of the parking spot. Was able to drive home [in forward gears] easily.

Background:
1. Transmission fully rebuilt about 7k miles ago. I think it's still in great shape.
2. Changed the shifter bushings at bottom of shifter and in the shifter rod which attaches to transmission [whatever it's called] about 5k miles ago. I did this because reverse was getting to be a pain. When i disassembled, I noticed the bushings were shot. When I replaced the bushings, the problem was immediately fixed.
3. All forward gears shift smoothly and easily. Absolutely no complaints when selecting and shifting to all forward gears.

Bottom line: Reverse is LEFT then UP. I cannot get the shifter to move to the Left far enough to engage and move Up into reverse. I'm not hearing that "click" when moving to the left. What I mean is it just doesn't seem to move over to the left.

Possible causes:
1. The bushings have come loose? or, are already shot?
2. Something needs to be adjusted in the shifter? at the transmission?
3. What else???

Thanks, Shannon

[Akila]

Check the simple first. The shift shaft coupling is located on the transmission bump in front of the back seats. Remove the cover & check to see if it has moved.

[Tt surgeon]

^ what he said!

[TT Gasman]

Coupler

[mooney265]

Ok. Will check the coupler. Am going out of town for week, so will checkout next weekend. Thanks for the advice! Shannon

[lee88]

Indeed, start w/ checking if coupler is misaligned. Then check your bushings again as next step. Should last more than 5k miles but they can wear down pretty quickly.

[mark houghton]

Can't find reverse, huh? Trust me....it's in there somewhere.

That coupler is held to the shaft with an allen head bolt, tapered at one end to fit into a detent. If if comes loose it will become misaligned. Had that happen to me once; just had to snug 'er down.

[mooney265]

Thanks guys. I'm pretty sure the coupler is the culprit. When i get the inspection port opened and access the situation [next weekend when back in town], I think I'm going to use that opportunity to go with a new WEVO shifter, coupler, etc...

Will try to get it ordered next week and report back when I have it installed. Thanks!

[Jeff NJ]

Originally Posted by mooney265

Thanks guys. I'm pretty sure the coupler is the culprit. When i get the inspection port opened and access the situation [next weekend when back in town], I think I'm going to use that opportunity to go with a new WEVO shifter, coupler, etc...

Will try to get it ordered next week and report back when I have it installed. Thanks!

I have been eyeing up a Wevo shifter and coupler, so please be sure to report back on the differences from the stock shifter/coupler as well as how the installation went. Good luck!

[mooney265]

Originally Posted by Jeff NJ

I have been eyeing up a Wevo shifter and coupler, so please be sure to report back on the differences from the stock shifter/coupler as well as how the installation went. Good luck!

Will do, will order on monday. maybe get it all in by weekend. Then, install next weekend, [or, the following week]. Shannon

[cellison]

Shannon did the new bushing fix it? my 930 shifting has been sloppy and yesterday i could get it into reverse. i plan to replace all the shifter bushing, but for the coupler , should i get a new coupler or just get new bushings and press them in the old coupler (not worth time)?

[onboost]

Originally Posted by cellison

yesterday i could get it into reverse. i plan to replace all the shifter bushing, but for the coupler , should i get a new coupler or just get new bushings and press them in the old coupler (not worth time)?

Charles, new bushings should do you fine. Before you remove the coupler, run a thin sharpie line on the shift rod at the edge of the coupler, and another mark north south from the coupler onto the rod. After bushing replacement this will allow you to get the coupler in the exact spot and eliminate fooling with adjustment.

If you're also doing the cup bushing at the shifter.. don't forget to check the collar bushing for the rod.

Good luck!

[mooney265]

what Onboost said. The coupler was the culprit and I changed it out to a wevo.

make sure you mark the splines [both sides] exactly. As being off by just one spline will make a huge difference.

I had to do it a couple times [mate both ends up] to get it right.

[Maxx1]

It's that one gear in the back .... oh wait!

Yeah, the coupler came loose on mine and I couldn't get the car out of the garage. Luckily it happened in the garage!

[cellison]

Well after much delay, I just now finally replaced all the bushings. The shifter / linkage is nice tight and more precise 1st thru 4th gears, but it still will not go into reverse. Before taking the coupler out, i scribed it as suggestedand when reinstalling it i got it back to where the scribe marks are. the coupler does not appear to have moved and it is still nice tight and the alignment apears to be good. Any thought? I have not driven it since June 7th and was hoping to take a drive this weekend.....darn it.

[Alan L]

try moving it on the splines in the direction that will give you plenty of room to get reverse. That will make 4th hard to get - but this is just an experiment - to make sure you can actually engage reverse. If you can, then it is an adjustment issue in the linkage, which is easier to solve than a g/box issue. If you still cannot locate reverse, then it may be a g/box problem.
Alan

[onboost]

Originally Posted by Alan L

try moving it on the splines in the direction that will give you plenty of room to get reverse. That will make 4th hard to get - but this is just an experiment - to make sure you can actually engage reverse. If you can, then it is an adjustment issue in the linkage, which is easier to solve than a g/box issue. If you still cannot locate reverse, then it may be a g/box problem.
Alan

That's the procedure.. as Alan describes. Sometimes you can just loosen the coupler enough, move the shifter a bit, and retighten. See what you get.. it can be time consuming as you find what the small increments provide.

[cellison]

Thanks Alan and onboost. i will tinker some more.