6 speed transmission won't go into 1st.

[trojanfight]

i have a 2003 6 speed manual 350z. drove it home just fine last night. this morning when i started it up it wouldn't let me place the shifter into 1st. or any other gears really. its like somethings blocking it from going into gear. i did figure out that when the car is turned off it will shift into the gears without problem. i was able to place it into first gear start it up and drive in 1st gear...just couldn't shift out of it...so any ideas?

from some of things i looked up its common in manual transmissions...something inside the transmission. but not the clutch. and not the transmission gears themselves. so not sure. its doesn't have even 80k miles so wouldn't think its clutch.

where i live a lot of the repair shops are notorious for trying to repair something that doesn't need repair. if i only need some minor part of transmission they will try to replace whole thing thanks in advance for anyone who can help

 

[outofyourmind]

Probably has a hydraulic clutch.
Check the fluid level for that.
If it's low or has completely leaked out, you wont be able to shift into gear.


That's probably not it if you can shift it into gear while the car is not running, but I'd do it just as a starting point in any case.

 

[JuiceTheGator]

^ That. Fluid or whatever pumps it.

 

[trojanfight]

In a strange turn once it got towed to the repair shop it shifted just fine. They are going to replace all the fluid but very strange case

 

[fordman84]

on a manual transmission? That's odd. If you could shift while driving but not while stopped I'd say clutch is bad, but the reverse. That's crazy. Do you know if it is hyudraulic or linkage clutch? check those fluid levels. Had my hydro go out once, line snapped. Sucked, but could start the car and towed home in neutral.
That would be about the only fluid they could change. Could check the gear oil, but that wouldn't affect shifting. Hope you don't have a synchro going out, but again shifting while car off is odd. Was it while off, or just while stopped?

 

[JuiceTheGator]

The only time this happened to me was in high school in my MGB. Those were so simple...couldn't imagine why the shifter was stuck in neutral. Turned out a dime had gotten under the shifter boot somehow and worked its way down and lodged itself in the linkage...was really stuck!

 

[Chewbaccer]

While we're on it, my buddy has a 94 Jeep Cherokee(that I sold him) with an automatic transmission. The transmission doesn't slip ever, and it goes through the gears fine, but sometimes it doesn't downshift when stopping. You can put it in low gear or third with the lever, but sometimes it won't downshift on it's own.

Any clue what might be causing that?

 

[ckhokie]

Probably has a hydraulic clutch.
Check the fluid level for that.
If it's low or has completely leaked out, you wont be able to shift into gear.


That's probably not it if you can shift it into gear while the car is not running, but I'd do it just as a starting point in any case.

Could be that.

My first thought would be a synchro going bad.

 

[JohnRandle]

Could be that.

My first thought would be a synchro going bad.

That would be my guess too.
Check fluid in clutch reservoir, then synchro.

 

[fordman84]

While we're on it, my buddy has a 94 Jeep Cherokee(that I sold him) with an automatic transmission. The transmission doesn't slip ever, and it goes through the gears fine, but sometimes it doesn't downshift when stopping. You can put it in low gear or third with the lever, but sometimes it won't downshift on it's own.

Any clue what might be causing that?

Not sure on a 94. Is there any mechanical linkage for the kickdown? Might be all electronic by that year. If so, no idea. Sounds like an adjustment issue though.

 

[BTHOtu]

I have a 6-Speed Manual and the Reverse is next to 1st. It incorporates a Reverse Lock Out device which is spring loaded and can be adjusted with a bolt on the side of the shifter If this bolt is worn or has slipped out of adjustment it can inadvertently lock you out of 1st and/or 2nd. I know that my Ford MT-82 shifter is sloppy and sometimes misses 3rd under hard throttle so I'm replacing it with MGW shifter.

Linkage would be the simplest thing to check, hydraulics and syncros could end up costing some money.

 

[outofyourmind]

While we're on it, my buddy has a 94 Jeep Cherokee(that I sold him) with an automatic transmission. The transmission doesn't slip ever, and it goes through the gears fine, but sometimes it doesn't downshift when stopping. You can put it in low gear or third with the lever, but sometimes it won't downshift on it's own.

Any clue what might be causing that?

Have you checked the TV cable

 

[outofyourmind]

did Trojanfight get resolution to the problem.
or was he just pimping us

 

[trojanfight]

did Trojanfight get resolution to the problem.
or was he just pimping us

stated above that once i took it to a transmission shop they said it shifted fine. haven't had any problems since..strangest thing I've ever seen

 

[outofyourmind]

stated above that once i took it to a transmission shop they said it shifted fine. haven't had any problems since..strangest thing I've ever seen

so they found nothing wrong.
that is weird.