Mxrider52

iTrader: (8)

I have been expericencing my 1st and reverse gear locked out every now and then. Maybe one of them locked out once in a blue moon. It not so bad where I cant use that gear at all. It just takes about 5-6 times of shifting from neutral to 1st or reverse. After about 5-6 times where it wont budge into the gear no matter how much pressure you apply it will just slide into gear like normally.

Like 2-3 weeks ago I was sitting at a redlight and I go to put it into 1st and it wouldnt go after 5-6 tries it finally goes in. Then today when I went to back out of my driveway it wouldnt go but after 5-6 tries it went in.

Is this the sign of the trans going soon?? I hope not it drives perfectly. This problem only happens when it sitting,

MaximaSE96

iTrader: (8)

reverse is normalish...i dont want to say normal but every 5spd i have owned reverse can be a pain at times....just put it in neutral let off clutch then try again....1st only when rolling like 20 mph its touch...then i just rev match and goes in....but if ur at a stop doing it sounds like ur clutch isnt fully engaging to allow u to get into gear

975spdmax

i get that a lot too when i try to leave my house. i just throw it in a different gear real quick and then go back and then it goes in.

Mxrider52

iTrader: (8)

I have only had the first gear thing happen one time the reverse has happened like 3-4 times. So I guess this is all normal just was making sure my trans wasnt on the way out or something since I was about to buy some mods.

MaximaSE96

iTrader: (8)

i wouldnt worry too much about it....

BigLou93SE

iTrader: (10)

I get that with reverse probably every other day. I don't let out the clutch, but put it in first, and then reselect reverse and it usually goes in. I would try to put it in 2nd gear if you have that problem with first...may help ease that bish in.

Maxima-4DSC

iTrader: (1)

something obviously wrong if its geting stuck it should go in and out like butter. check the internal shafts (requires removing trans) they do get worn after a while and they make the shifter stick. this happened to my 3rd gen where i was getting stuck in reverse but i was able to get it out then one day it just got stuck permenantly.

BigLou93SE

iTrader: (10)

He doesn't have a problem with getting stuck IN gear, it's getting stuck OUT of gear and not allowing it go in...

Maxima-4DSC

iTrader: (1)

reading > me damn phonikz

Duckman540i

iTrader: (12)

Try putting it in 2nd before you go to reverse, for some reason it helps the syncros, it's always easier to get into reverse when I do that, and it will never grind either, even if I do it fast.

96blkonblkse

iTrader: (18)

my tranny use to do it id say every other time. eventually my tranny blew. i just put it into neutral let off the clutch and most of the time it wnet into reverse. althought at times it was hard. first got hard to get into eventually, i noticed some times id have to almost force it in, then it started popping out of 1st while off the gas, then my tranny went maybe 1 month later?

99se5speed

iTrader: (8)

just curious what you mean by popping out of first? Do you mean just randomly while accelerating or while you switch gears with the clutch fully in?

NYC32798

iTrader: (3)

I've had 2 different trannys and both did the same thing in 1st and reverse. I remember reading somewhere that someone replaced the shifter bushing with a urethane bushing and that cured the not going into 1st and reverse problems and also made the shifting feel much better. I'm gonna pick one up as soon as I can get my hands on one and hopefully that cures the problem.

dgeesaman

iTrader: (10)

It's when the tranny balks at going into other gears (2-5) that should be concerned.

R is a common thing - it involves gears physically sliding and meshing to make the shift, so if the teeth line up exactly it won't go. Just go to Neutral, Clutch out, then try for reverse again. Use the same technique for first, too, just be careful not to force the shifter too hard along the 'left side' of its motion when you try to get it in gear.

Dave

axmax96

When that happens to me , i usually just put it into a different gear and then try 1st/reverse again and it goes in perfectly. It is annoying tho

nismos14

iTrader: (56)

For reverse make sure your at a complete stop, and make sure the clutch is down fully, also if it won't go drop it into 4th and then into reverse. Alot of times if you're on a hill or slight angle 1st and rev will be biotches to get into.

DR-Max

iTrader: (3)

Here's my trick...pump the clutch pedal twice, it should go into 1st gear like butter. Get in the habit of doing that and the problem will never come back. Also, make sure that you are pulling the shifter towards you as you are putting it in 1st. As for reverse, while clutch is disengaged, rev the engine then push the clutch pedal all the way in. Then shift to reverse, it should go in like butter.

99se5speed

iTrader: (8)

I just installed that bushing. I haven't had this problem in the last couple of hours lol. I'll update you on this is a couple of days.

Mxrider52

iTrader: (8)

Thanks for all the help guys. Nice to know it more of a common thing. Yea I am gonna get that bushing to when it time for my new exhaust.

DR-Max

iTrader: (3)

Actually, its not a bushing. They call it bushing but its actually called shifter support rod mount. If you look at the part circled in red below, its actually a bracket with a rubber piece that runs across it. The support rod mounts onto this. The pic below doesn't show it clearly but I have seen this part myself as I had replaced it in my car. This is the same part described in this thread. The thing is, replacing this piece doesn't really eliminate the hard shifting. It did in the beginning probably because the rubber is stiff when new. But as the rubber is broken in after a few thousand miles, the stiffness goes away and the hard shifting comes back. Basically, what it boils down to is how you shift the car. Each car are different. Manual transmissions have its quirks depending on the car that it is in. Shifting a tranny on a Civic is very different from shifting a tranny on our Maximas. So you just have to learn how to adjust. In addition, when you change out your stock shifter to a short throw shifter, shifting becomes more difficult and notchy.