I have an 87 SE with a 5 speed
I just finished an engine swap and after putting
the tranny back in the dang thing wont go into
reverse. It worked fine before it was removed
and it still goes through all 5 foward gears just
fine. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

Question, did you open the tranny at all? If so, did you make sure you removed the check ***** before taking it apart and put them in last? Also, what bolts did you remove from the tranny when you took it out. When I was doing work on a 4th gen conversion, we had to open the tranny. First problem was we didn't remove the check ***** and spent a good day finding out where they came from. When putting it back together, we realized a bold on the outer casing also hold a counterweight in place, without it, it would swing out and block the shift rods. This could be your case.

S

 

I never opened it.
I removed it, put in the new engine and put it back.

 

Wierd, have you check for binding in the linkage? Have you moved the car any at all. You might need to move it slightly, or turn one of the wheels and then try.

S

 

I moved it - no good
I put it up on jackstands and ran it up to 115 - stupid, and no good
The linkage seems ok.

Are there any parts I can check from the outside?
You mentioned something about bolts and checkballs.

 

Well if you have an FSM, you can check where you can access these. If not, the next think would be to take off the cover and have a look inside.

S

 

thats odd... If you didnt drive it and put everything back exactly how it was ..it should fo into reverse, does it click when you engage reverse gear while the car is off? Did you replace that little spring that goes under the shifter? If the tranny didnt go bad.. I could only see your shift rods being ayt fault. Most likely something might be in the way making them get stuck? (exhaust shields, bolts that are sticking out...not well installed rods?)
Does it even click at all?

 

I think it might be a bad reverse idler maybe, or the shift linkage inside the tranny.

S

 

It does feel like it is being blocked but I got underneath and disconnected the linkage and shifted it by hand (on the transmission not the linkage). When I try to get it into reverse it pushed out like it is being forced into 5th from the inside. So I now know its not the linkage.

 

Yeah the ints the reverse idler :S I mean what else can It be? Hey you are in texas..not far from me. Maybe you can ride to el paso texas and we can go get u a rebuilt manual for around 120 - 200 tops. Or get yours fixed for around 200.


-HEctor