915 transmission stuck in reverse

[dpegan]

For you transmission gurus;

I have a 1982 911 with a 1995 3.6 and 1984 915 with LSD. I need help troubleshooting a problem with my 1984 915.

Last weekend we put about 150 miles on the car and started to notice difficulty getting into 5th gear. On Monday I drove to work, pulling into the parking garage and I put the car into reverse to back into a parking space. When I tried to put the car back into first to get realigned the transmission stayed in reverse.

I pulled the cover off to look at the linkage rod coupler. The Allen head screw was loose so I thought that might be the problem. After pulling out the Allen head screw I disconnected the coupler. Using the shifting rod I tried to put the tranny into neutral without success. With the shifting rod in the neutral position (but still stuck in reverse), I reconnecting the coupler and using the shifter to get the tranny into neutral without success.

Any ideas on what to try next or what could be the problem.
thanks for your response in advance,
dan

[john walker's workshop]

remove reverse light switch and pop the pin inward. sometimes it goes easy, sometimes not.

[OldTee]

Don't know if this will work or why if it does.

Rock the car back and forth.

A friend had this happen with his recently received refurbished 915 transmission. We had to transport the car (84SC) on a tow dolly. When we got to our destination the shifter popped out of reverse and we could now shift gears. I concluded that the rocking on the dolly was enough to jiggle the internals enough for it to begin to behave.



But this does not sound like your problem. The coupler may have slipped on the shifter (the one with the 13mm nut and bolt). Try adjusting this first.

[dpegan]

thanks All;

I'll try John's trick this weekend before I have my baby towed home.
Let you know how it turns out eitherway.
cheers,
dan

[LUFTMAN]

Push clutch in and drift car forward a good distance if possible then start car up (clutch pushed in ) and release clutch and drive backwards for a bit see if it will come out while you move car be careful and good luck. Regards tom

[dpegan]

THANKS John Walkers suggestion worked!! This save me a whole bunch of time if not money.

Sorry for the delayed posting, but got busy with work and other things...

Anyway, I was able to get under the car and unscrew the reverse switch pretty easily. Trying to push the pin in with fluid dripping out was difficult (slippery). The pin did not want to go in at first so I tried moving the linkage a bit and then with a little pressure the pin popped in and the tranny was in neutral, problem solved.

I noticed the coupler was a little loose so I decide to spring for a Wevo. Now it shifts like a dream.

I think the root cause was the loose Allen head screw which made the shifting sloppy and caused the shifting forks to get into a position that locked the gears in reverse.
Lesson learned is to fix the linkage as soon as it feels the slightest bit sloppy.

[Walt Fricke]

When you put the shifter in the 5th/reverse plane in neutral, it rotates the shift rod to where a "finger" drops into a shallow slot milled across the shift rod in just that orientation. Then when you pull or push on the shift lever, the finger follows and selects reverse or 5th.

If you pull the lever hard out of reverse, especially if you are not at a standstill and perhaps don't have the clutch all the way in, it is possible for the finger to pop out of the slot and ride on top of the smooth part of the rod. Now the rod won't move the 5th/reverse selector, because the finger is just sliding along on a smooth rod.

Doesn't seem to happen when in 5th.

John's nifty trick pushes the selector (and its finger) back toward where the neutral position is, so with some wiggling it can pop back into where it belongs.

Why just pulling the shifter back into reverse won't do the same is a mystery to me. If the shift coupler is worn or the grub screw loose, that's an easy call - you aren't moving the tranny shift rod all the way, so the reverse light rod completes the job for you when you push on it.

Otherwise, it is a mystery. But who cares if there is an easy fix.

Walt

[roy gray]

Walker's forgotten more about 911's than most people think they know,and no attitude whatsoever,theguy's a treasure.