So I have a 90 Legacy LS 5-speed, and today while leaving work the transmission decided to get "stuck" in 1st gear, finally I pulled into into a parking spot and turned off the car and tried to shift it out of first into other gears and nothing, then i got it into what I believe was neutral but still i could not shift it into any gear but 1st and that was no easy task. Finally I gave in and thought my tranny was a goner and decided to limp home in 1st gear when after 10 feet lo and behold, I was able to shift perfectly into all my gears as if nothing ever happened. Anyone have an idea as to what happened? Also my shifter has a lot of play side to side, and when i checked the tranny fluid levels it was overfull. Thanks in advance.

Edited September 11, 201213 yr by Goobysoobs

You answered your own question sort of. The bushings in your shifter linkage are shot, an easy fix.

Ah, are those the bits that keep the shifter from not having so much play while in gear?

Ah, are those the bits that keep the shifter from not having so much play while in gear?

 

Yes, that is correct. Replace the bushings, and you won't believe how smooth it is to shift gears in your car.

Ah, are those the bits that keep the shifter from not having so much play while in gear?

 

Yes, that is correct. Replace the bushings, and you won't believe how smooth it is to shift gears in your car.

yes i know fixed thiss yesterday on a 98 forester the rods for the shifters lay in the bottom of the case when they move on a downhill any crap in trans gets pulled into the rod and jams it up take very little materail to do thiss tiny bit of meatal or dirt the rods are the lowest point the way to fix it is to park on realy steep uphill forward facing and work the shifter 1rst to second many many times till it moves freely thiss will spit out any bitts that are traped and hopfully move them down towards magnet then change fliud have fixed at least 4 of them 2 had to pull cases apart to get unjamed was dirt in rods both times

Duplicate message.

Wow thanks for the great info, I was sweating thinking my tranny was on it's way out. So this easy fix, does it require the tranny being dropped? or can you access it from the the hood? Also is there a write up somewhere?

The bushings are a bit of a pain to get to, but nothing crazy. You can access them from under the car. I personally recommend spending the extra pennies and going with kartboy bushings. $65 a set, but it will feel as crisp as a new STi.

Also is there a write up somewhere?

 

Use advanced search--enter "shifter bushing" and go to New Gen. Tons of threads.