Maxima.org,

Just recently I've been having some problem with my transmission. The shifting is ridiculously sloppy. There's no grinding and it will slide into every gear with the clutch engaged, and the clutch is not slipping.

However, it's incredibly hard to actually get into gear. It feels like there is a lot of slack/play in the shifter, making shifting a task.

Any suggestions or ideas would be appreciated. I figured it may be the bushings or a linkage issue, I will need to check today, so beforehand I'd like some .Org insight.

Thanks.

 

I had a similar issue, I would have to jiggle the shifter to put it in first gear and it felt very, very sloppy when shifting into any gear. I pre-emtively bought some polyeurathane to fill the bushings in the linkage. But when I crawled underneath the car to check it out there was a bolt that was about 1/4 to3/8" loose! I tightened it and it was good for a week, then became loose again. The second time I used loctite on the threads and it has held up for the last 3 weeks....the bolt was located above the subframe, where the linkage bolts to the trans, passenger side, bit of a tight fit with headers in the way. I used a 6 inch extension, 14MM socket to get to it.

Hope this helps!

 

I know on my 6MT, I had one of the clips that holds the linkage to the transmission pop off when I first bought the car. The shifter felt sloppy, and it would only go into 1-4. 5,6 and reverse were unreachable. That might be worth checking, too.

 

I'll check both. Where are those clips at, Brett?

 

does the clutch disengage fully? check your clutch fluid.

Check on courtesyparts for diagrams of the shifter linkage. 5 spd and 6 spd is completely different. 6spd uses cables whereas we use big rods. get under neath the car, take the heat shield off above the catalytic converter and check the connections.

Maybe your return spring connecting the two rods snapped.

 

Moncef, I know you just had some engine work done. I'm assuming it was out of the vehicle. Check your bolts/nuts at the support control rod(17) and rod control(24). A little play in those fasteners can really screw up the linkage alignment. Just diagnosed a friend's 4th gen with the same problem after a tranny rebuild. Got underneath, found the loose fasteners, tightened them up, and presto! Shifting was restored. 15 and 26 were his problem areas.

 

Text has been sent.

 

This^, 6 speed is a whole different animal, the two are not comparable.

^^ Ding ding, that's what I was going to suggest as well. Sounds like something just came loose or the bushing lost tension, not uncommon, especially with so many linkages, they wear out over time obviously, and if they haven't been replaced you may want to consider it. may as well put on a true STS while you're at it if worn bushings are suspected or evident during your checks.

Sloppy or loose bushings are really easy to spot, its pulling the heatsheild without wreckiung anything that is the hard part. Definately check it at the tranny first before you pull the heat sheild.

 

I had a similar issue on my 6speed, it was a displaced bushing. My friend took the shifter apart and put it on properly for me. Before, i had trouble putting it in first, Good luck man!

 

 

Sorry guys. My input is useless.

 

Yall were right. One bolt was loose and one bolt fell out. Tightened/replaced and all is well. Thanks for the help.

 

I love it.

 

Now to find time to get it tuned.

 

Nice glad to hear she's off and purring again, until the next thing

LOL

I assume that the problem was at the tranny?

 

Yeah. Bolts must have worked themselves loose because of how fast my DEK is.

 

Moncef what bolt(s) was it? #15 is what was loose on mine

 

Bahaha

 

Both on that bracket - 15 & 27.