My Festy wont go into gear

[surfnk8]

I was driving my manual 91 Festiva down the freeway late one night, went to change gears and noticed that it felt like it was in neutral. So, I down-shifted...still felt like neutral. I pulled over as it slowed to a halt, tried every gear, and reverse, still feels to be in neutral.

Very strange is that it made no noise indicating a major catastrophe AND when I put it in gear and press the gas the speedometer/odometer still roll and the car does not stall. ?

What the heck could the matter be??? I've tried messing with tightening/loosening the clutch, doesn't seem to be the problem but I'm not sure. I THINK the shift linkage is still intact. I still need to block the car up and get underneath.

Could this possibly have anything to do with the newer Aspire transmission I put in it a few months ago, the new clutch I put in, or that something I put back together came undone? What might I check?


Much thanks for your knowledgeable responses!
Kate

[doylerl]

If the speedo and odo are still turning then your trans gears are still turning. If your trans gears are turning and your tires aren't I would say it's what connects the two. CV shafts perhaps?

[bhazard]

That sounds kinda catastrophic, any noise?

[surfnk8]

That sounds kinda catastrophic, any noise?

Nope, no weird noises. None when it happened and none while it's "in gear" or switching gears or any thing. It's just in perma-neutral.

[surfnk8]

If the speedo and odo are still turning then your trans gears are still turning. If your trans gears are turning and your tires aren't I would say it's what connects the two. CV shafts perhaps?

I did replace one of the CV shafts. And I replaced the spider gears (the old ones had been the problem for the car not running when I originally bought it). Perhaps something was just not put back together properly.

[Aaronbrook37]

I'd start with looking at the shift linkage on both ends, and then go from there...

[bhazard]

The speedometer counting kinda rules out any problems with the linkage. The problem is somewhere between the trans and the wheels.

Does the speedometer go up faster when youre in say...3rd than 1st? As if its actually going into those gears?

[surfnk8]

The speedometer counting kinda rules out any problems with the linkage. The problem is somewhere between the trans and the wheels.

Does the speedometer go up faster when youre in say...3rd than 1st? As if its actually going into those gears?

Yes, the speedometer DOES go up faster in 3rd than 1st.

[bhazard]

Well that pretty much rules out any shifter problems. If your axles are connected I would say you have something really wrong inside the trans. Kinda strange theres no noise...

[surfnk8]

Okay, I got under the car and the driver's side CV joint is popped out. Is there a good way to pop it back in, and without taking off the wheel? I need to go buy a properly-sized lug wrench at some point.

I also think I need to eventually exchange the cv for one with a longer shaft because of the ghetto mounting job I did to get an Aspire transaxle into my engine compartment.

Thank you much for the input!

[bhazard]

Very strange it would just pop out... must be your mounting job. Fix that.

Make sure you top off your trans fluid too.

[Festiva Time]

According to the manual, you are suppose to replace the "C" clip on the end the axle spline, everytime you put the CV axle back in. This clip holds the axle in.

[scitzz]

Last time I replaced my trans was last winter. Did the job in the middle of the night (20 degrees, BRRR!) and was also tired as heck to boot. I started to thread the bolt on for the LCA where it connects into the body (I modified it years back away from the "caged" nut,) but I somehow managed to forget to torque it down. The next night the same thing happened, popped out with no go. Coasted into a parking lot, and jacked it up to see what was wrong and spotted the problem. Gave the wheel a good shove and it popped back in. Tightened down the bolt and drove another 100 miles that night. Worth a shot, and you might want to check that mounting job...