Festiva Transmission Woes...

[SiliconSoul]

Hello all,

So, managed to cause some damage to my 5 speed 93 Festiva Transmission. Always kept it topped up with fluid, and changed it when I first bought it. No leaks, ran good overall except for the occasional grinding into second gear.

Lately, it had been acting a little strange when I would shift into fifth or third. It would act like it was hitting the edge of the gate (I don't know if I am using the terminology correctly here... I still don't quite understand what gates are.) instead of going into gear. I would bring it back to neutral and then push it back and it would usually go into gear. Well, I ended up having it fail completely driving home a few nights ago. I went to shift into Fifth gear and it just wasn't there. It felt like it was go to far to the left as well. Almost like it was going outside of it's normal channel of travel? Third gear also refused to engage. I could get it almost in gear, but it would grind and I just couldn't get it to stay. Fast forward the next morning, I could seem to get it to go into gear in third, and if I played with it just right it would finally go into fifth. But for the most part, fifth is pretty much gone. It almost feels like it isn't going far enough forward into gear? I looked underneath and all my linkages are good. I even unbolted the arm that connects the transmission to the engine (with the bushing... can't remember the name of it right now) and tried to see if it made any difference, but same issue. It also started to give me some real problems that way. I had a hard time getting it out of gear occasionally, and it wouldn't go into gear then suddenly it was fine.

Anyone able to tell me what they think I have done? I don't think it is synchro's based on what I have read about them, especially two gears seemingly effected at the same time. Are these the gates going bad? Is anyone able to point me anywhere that has some more info about what these are and how to fix them? Thanks very much for your time.

[tooldude]

Check all your shift linkage for a lot of play or deteriorated rubber bushings. There may be too much travel to get it into gear, as you said it feels like it's not going forward enough.

[SiliconSoul]

Thanks for the answer, but I don't think that's it. I replaced the bushing before, and I even disconnected the linkage bolt on the tranny completely to see if it allowed me to push it ahead any further. Still seem to be hitting something inside the transmission that is making it stop short.

[sketchman]

I know from my experience with Neon trans that the forks that actually push the gears in and out can wear down and then you get more and more shifter travel(hand movement) with less movement of the gears. Eventually they stop going in at all and can cause what you're describing. For instance when you say it stops short. Does it actually stop sooner than it should or does it still go as far as it should and bottom out but still not push the gear in?

What fluid do you use? I know everybody has their preference, but I also know from experience that ATF SUCKS in a manual trans. No matter what anybody says. I know it does. I have seen the damage it can cause from not lubing properly. I know people will say they've used it and had no problems, etc. I only know what I've personally seen inside several manual trans using ATF. And several that have exploded from diff pin failure from not being lubed adequately while using ATF. I would use gear or motor oil before I used ATF.
/end rant.

[sketchman]

Here's what can happen. Not a Festiva part, but gives you an idea. Could be a broken fork/s too.

[SiliconSoul]

Thanks for the reply Sketchman!

Your not kidding about the debate here about using ATF / Gearoil. In the end I went with ATF because of all the official documentation that said that was the correct fluid to use. Hope that didn't help cause an early demise for my transmission. Pretty sure spirited driving was the bigger factor.

It feels like 1st, 3rd and 5th are all not going in all the way. (5th definitely isn't now! ) I really was hoping something was off on the linkage, but everything is right.

When it went bad I was shifting into fifth from fourth around 120 km/h. After I put it in fifth and dropped the clutch is when it lost fifth gear. I'm still wondering in the back of my mind if it is the synchro's, but why would third seem to be effected as well? On top of that, synchro's don't just outright fail in a stock car do they? It would be more a gradually grinding that gets worse, right? I have noticed now that if I try very gently I can get it into fifth, but I need to catch it just right. It's like it is not sliding into a straight line anymore. I can now move it way to far to the right like it's got a sixth gear I'm trying to engage. If I do that, no fifth. If I'm careful and push it in with pressure to the left and slowly hold and push it in while I release the clutch it will sometimes go into fifth or grind. Oh well... I guess the only way I will find out is to open it up.

[drddan]

Hey Sketch, you know that Festys came stock with ATF, right? And many have gone 300-400 thousand miles using ATF.
Both ATF and Gear Oil will work, but you will lose gas mileage with oil. Its too thick. The enemy of a tranny gears is heat. ATF cools better than oil, and gives better mileage, and why it is used in tranny's now.
Just my 2 cents.

SilconSoul, have you looked at the linkage lately? The way you describe the "sixth" gear thing does sound like linkage to me. I dont believe a tranny going bad would cause the sixth gear feel.
Have you also checked the shifter itself? There are 2 tabs that hold the linkage up to the floor mounting area. Have you looked at those tabs to see if they are still in good shape?

Good luck with your investigation!

[sketchman]

Hey Sketch, you know that Festys came stock with ATF, right? And many have gone 300-400 thousand miles using ATF.

Yes, I know. Chrysler spec'ed and rolled it out in Neons too. It was a cost cutting move. Issued happened. To each his own.