This is just something I've been wondering for a while...... sometimes my tranny doesn't want to go into reverse. I can either put the clutch in and out a couple times, or if I put it in 2nd gear, then into reverse it goes in easy. Are 2nd gear and reverse 'related' somehow? It doesn't work with the other gears, just 2nd.....

don't know, but we bought the car new, and I can remember having that problem for as long as my memory goes .... (I just live with it now) - I notice turning the front wheel back and forth sometimes helps too ....

 

checked the 1985 FSM diagram - they don't seem to share the same shift forks, etc so I don't know, maybe it is just a design coincidence??

Every manual car I've ever driven has never wanted to go directly into reverse. I know there's articles somewhere on the net about why (try howstuffowrks.com). I don't even try R first, I put it into 1st, 2nd, then reverse.

or if I put it in 2nd gear, then into reverse it goes in easy.

 

One of my Saabs actually had that listed as proper shifting procedure in the owners manual. After so many years of driving them, I do that out of habit in any manual car I drive now.

Reverse is different from the other gears; the forward gears are "syncromesh", meaning that the gear pairs are always meshed together and all you do is bind one of the pair to its shaft. Reverse (typically; I didn't check a parts diagram in case Subaru did something quirky) is non-syncromesh, in that the gears are splined to their shafts and are moved into contact with each other (or a movable intermediary gear which effects the direction reversal). If the gear teeth on reverse are not aligned (and not moving) then the gears can't slide together. The gears need a nudge to get into alignment, and that is what playing with the clutch (sort of like spinning the wheel of fortune; might get lucky, might not) or engaging another gear set (nudges things a little) does to make it so you can engage reverse.

It could also be if the clutch is dragging just a tiny bit -- like if it is engaging just a bit too close to the floor. When my clutch cable stretches, it becomes hard to get into reverse, and later into first, but second is usually fine. I've never tried the 2nd to reverse trick, but often had to do second before I can get it in first.

Reverse is different from the other gears; the forward gears are "syncromesh", meaning that the gear pairs are always meshed together and all you do is bind one of the pair to its shaft. Reverse (typically; I didn't check a parts diagram in case Subaru did something quirky) is non-syncromesh, in that the gears are splined to their shafts and are moved into contact with each other (or a movable intermediary gear which effects the direction reversal). If the gear teeth on reverse are not aligned (and not moving) then the gears can't slide together. The gears need a nudge to get into alignment, and that is what playing with the clutch (sort of like spinning the wheel of fortune; might get lucky, might not) or engaging another gear set (nudges things a little) does to make it so you can engage reverse.

 

He is exactly right, all manual car's i've driven do this, I never understood it until I had a manual tranny apart then it all made perfect sense.

the f-350 i somtimes operate at work requires you to shift 4 then 3 then revese the manual says it is to keep you from damaging the transmission