Shifter occasionally refuses to move into 1st gear at stoplights
08-23-2002, 10:15 PM
#1
All YOUR grammer belong to me
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 7,400
Shifter occasionally refuses to move into 1st gear at stoplights
I have just recently started to have this problem. I'll be cruising in a certain gear and will wind it down for a stop light. I put the stick into neutral like normal and come to a stop. Well, I try to push it into first to get ready, and it won't go. It seems the harder I push, the more resistance I get. So I put it into second and go back in forth from N-2 trying to wiggle it loose. This usually works. Sometimes it will move into 1 perfectly, other times it refuses to! I have a brand new Pacesetter STS which is notchy and stiff, but this is a joke. Any idea's? Could it be the shifter rods or the transmission?
08-23-2002, 10:27 PM
#2
Not DAVEB the parts guy
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,555
What setting are you using with the STS? The lower you go, the more resistance you'll get. I've got mine a little above 50% and I'm getting a little resistance into 1st also. I've noticed that the resistance increases with the hot temperature. Things expand when thier hot therefore tolerances get tighter and bushings get softer.
Dave
Dave
08-23-2002, 10:44 PM
#4
All YOUR grammer belong to me
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 7,400
Dave, We set it a little shorter then medium. It is as hot here in Florida and more humid then Kansas, so wet heat is not a problem 
But have you ever had an instance like mine, where it absolutely REFUSES to move into first, and you have to play around with the shifter until it loosens up?
Miasma I forgot about reverse! Getting into reverse is a bear! Sometimes I have to tug at the damn shifter with 2 hands, sometimes it'll slip right in.
But have you ever had an instance like mine, where it absolutely REFUSES to move into first, and you have to play around with the shifter until it loosens up?Miasma I forgot about reverse! Getting into reverse is a bear! Sometimes I have to tug at the damn shifter with 2 hands, sometimes it'll slip right in.
08-23-2002, 11:53 PM
#7
i also have a problem with my first gear but not like that..when i am trying to down shift to slow down, i throw it at first when i am slow enough but it won't budge in and when i use a little force, it feels as if its going into like 2 levels before actually goin in...same with second sometimes when i'm moving a little too fast to down shift...is this common?
08-24-2002, 01:14 AM
#8
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,470
Originally posted by meccanoble
i also have a problem with my first gear but not like that..when i am trying to down shift to slow down, i throw it at first when i am slow enough but it won't budge in and when i use a little force, it feels as if its going into like 2 levels before actually goin in...same with second sometimes when i'm moving a little too fast to down shift...is this common?
i also have a problem with my first gear but not like that..when i am trying to down shift to slow down, i throw it at first when i am slow enough but it won't budge in and when i use a little force, it feels as if its going into like 2 levels before actually goin in...same with second sometimes when i'm moving a little too fast to down shift...is this common?
why are you using ur engine to slow down, any particualr reason?
new brakes = $
new engine parts = $$$$$$
08-24-2002, 07:42 AM
#10
if this is any help to you craig mack...
whenever i cant get the shifter into 1st or reverse from a standing stop i simply turn the steering wheel slightly to the left or right while applying pressure to the shifter towards either 1st or reverse (whichever gear i need to go to) and it slides right in. it seems to me that the shift in weight lets the tension off the transmission and allows the shifter to engage into gear. this works for me...hope it helps you guys out.
whenever i cant get the shifter into 1st or reverse from a standing stop i simply turn the steering wheel slightly to the left or right while applying pressure to the shifter towards either 1st or reverse (whichever gear i need to go to) and it slides right in. it seems to me that the shift in weight lets the tension off the transmission and allows the shifter to engage into gear. this works for me...hope it helps you guys out.
08-24-2002, 10:17 AM
#14
Originally posted by Craig Mack
Dave, We set it a little shorter then medium. It is as hot here in Florida and more humid then Kansas, so wet heat is not a problem But have you ever had an instance like mine, where it absolutely REFUSES to move into first, and you have to play around with the shifter until it loosens up?
Miasma I forgot about reverse! Getting into reverse is a bear! Sometimes I have to tug at the damn shifter with 2 hands, sometimes it'll slip right in.
Dave, We set it a little shorter then medium. It is as hot here in Florida and more humid then Kansas, so wet heat is not a problem
But have you ever had an instance like mine, where it absolutely REFUSES to move into first, and you have to play around with the shifter until it loosens up?Miasma I forgot about reverse! Getting into reverse is a bear! Sometimes I have to tug at the damn shifter with 2 hands, sometimes it'll slip right in.
08-24-2002, 10:31 AM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,530
No problems with my first gear yet on either of my 2 transmissions. I've had it hang up when I'm trying to stuff it into 1st while moving though.
For reverse, you gotta double clutch it. Its a safety feature. It even states so in the owners manual.
For reverse, you gotta double clutch it. Its a safety feature. It even states so in the owners manual.
08-24-2002, 10:32 AM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,807
Man you have to double clutch it...
The reason it won't go into gear is because of the big syncronizer (sp?) that is on it. If you were to rev match it would glide right into place. Also what tranny fluid are you using, IIRC nissan recommends GL4, most stores sell only GL5. I too have trouble engaging 1st gear in the se-r unless I double clutch it.
08-24-2002, 10:47 AM
#17
Guest
Posts: n/a
Craig, since the conversion on my Maxima, I have had the same problem as well. This is what I have done to fix that.
Take out that interior dash peice that the fuse panel is on, and look up at your clutch setup. That master cylinder rod comes through the firewall and attaches itself to the clutch pedal. Do you remember seeing that little 12mm nut that is on that rod? Well, what you want to do is turn it clock-wise about 1/4 to 1 full turn or so. What this will do is make the clutch engage slightly more than before with the same amount of clutch pedal movement. What it is, since you are in neutral, the clutch is fully disengaged. When you try to pop it into first with the clutch pedal in, the clutch is not fully engaging, hence why it is so hard to pop it into first. When you do this technique I told you, the clutch will engage a little more, and might solve your problem. I have played with that little nut and I have gotten it just right (I had to perfect before my slave cylinder boot decided to "blow" on me). You can also use this adjuster nut to change where on the clutch pedal itself you want to clutch to engage. Try this, but do SLIGHT changes to that bolt. If you go to far, the clutch will not disengage when you take your foot off the clutch pedal. Good luck to you....
Take out that interior dash peice that the fuse panel is on, and look up at your clutch setup. That master cylinder rod comes through the firewall and attaches itself to the clutch pedal. Do you remember seeing that little 12mm nut that is on that rod? Well, what you want to do is turn it clock-wise about 1/4 to 1 full turn or so. What this will do is make the clutch engage slightly more than before with the same amount of clutch pedal movement. What it is, since you are in neutral, the clutch is fully disengaged. When you try to pop it into first with the clutch pedal in, the clutch is not fully engaging, hence why it is so hard to pop it into first. When you do this technique I told you, the clutch will engage a little more, and might solve your problem. I have played with that little nut and I have gotten it just right (I had to perfect before my slave cylinder boot decided to "blow" on me). You can also use this adjuster nut to change where on the clutch pedal itself you want to clutch to engage. Try this, but do SLIGHT changes to that bolt. If you go to far, the clutch will not disengage when you take your foot off the clutch pedal. Good luck to you....
08-24-2002, 12:08 PM
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,503
I had the same problem... STS shifter and i couldn't shift into first
or second... and reverse was sometimes impossible... so i changed to redline mt-90 and it helped alot... i haven't been locked out of 1st since.
that and i have a trans leak... the infamous diff carrier bearing leak... so i think the lack of oil and the old oil made my shifter mess up.
I would recommend changing your trans oil to synth, if you have already done that, i would check to make sure you don't have a leak and might be missing some oil which might be causing the problem.
or second... and reverse was sometimes impossible... so i changed to redline mt-90 and it helped alot... i haven't been locked out of 1st since.
that and i have a trans leak... the infamous diff carrier bearing leak... so i think the lack of oil and the old oil made my shifter mess up.
I would recommend changing your trans oil to synth, if you have already done that, i would check to make sure you don't have a leak and might be missing some oil which might be causing the problem.
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