LuberJack Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 Hello everyone. I'm new here, and figured I'd start out with the first issue I noticed my car had. I got it last June, and the guy a bought it from told me "sometimes reverse is hard to find". What he meant to tell me is that it is impossible to put the car in reverse if it hasn't been running for a while, or if you haven't left it parked in reverse. It is a 5 speed with dual range 4WD. If you leave it parked in reverse for a while (over night for example) and come out the next day to drive it, it shifts through all the gears perfectly. No crunching, grinding or difficulty. However, as you drive throughout the day, 1st gear becomes harder and harder to engage (sometimes to the point that you have to put it into 2nd gear first), or, you can also coast up to a stop with a foot on the clutch and lightly be pushing the gear selector towards 1st. It slides in without issue once you are going about 5mph or less. The issues with any gear other than reverse are somewhat new (past few months). Also, once you have been driving it for a while, it will nearly always grind horribly when going into reverse. Not always, and sometimes it's not as bad as other times. Putting it into 4th first generally makes the grinding less. Anyway, I lifted it up on some jack stands the other day and checked out the engine mounts, the passenger side is pretty torn and the driver's side looks kinda worn out as well. However, the quote of 90 dollars each from a dealership or at least 60 from Baxter's auto-parts kind of put me off on wanting to replace these right away, as I presently don't have a job (though should soon). I go to college in Portland and live in the dorms here, so my poor car sits un-driven at my home in Lake Oswego while I'm away, so It's hard to say when this problem really started. Anyway, I should be back with the car on a daily basis next week. If anyone has any advice or insights, please let me know! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRhere Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 Sounds like you need to adjust the clutch cable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 Or it's low on fluid or has the wrong type in it. I would try changing the trans fluid. Couldn't hurt on a high milage car. And you can look for any signs of metal shavings in the old fluid to tell if there is a real problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuberJack Posted June 10, 2008 Author Share Posted June 10, 2008 Well, I checked the tranny fluid and there is enough in there, however, it has some gunk on it...could be the metal shavings you are talking about? And yeah, the car has 280,000 miles or so on it, but the previous owner claims he swapped the engine around 60,000 ago? (But didn't have any proof of this and since June I've had to replace the starter and alternator). Also didn't mention anything about the tranny, so as far as I know, it's original. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nug Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 Clutch adjustment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiffy Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 new tranny fluid will probably help a lot... and the clutch is easier to adjust (and cheaper) than it is to change the fluid, so you might as well do both... --Spiffy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuberJack Posted June 10, 2008 Author Share Posted June 10, 2008 Alright, thanks. I am pretty new to working on cars (as this is my first one), but I'm not afraid to do work myself (all the repairs I've done so far minus the CV boots right when we got it I did myself), so what all is involved in a clutch adjustment? I have a Haynes manual at home, would that tell me how to do it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 The cable may be stretching - you may want to just replace it in lieu of being stranded if it breaks (unless you know how to drive without a clutch - most people don't...). Haynes manual will give you a basic overview, yes. Read the procedure for replacing the cable and then ask any further questions you have here. If you like - send me a PM. You can pick up a cable (dealership ~$20) and stop by my place this weekend and I'll give you pointers on doing it. Looks like you are real close to me. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuberJack Posted June 11, 2008 Author Share Posted June 11, 2008 The cable may be stretching - you may want to just replace it in lieu of being stranded if it breaks (unless you know how to drive without a clutch - most people don't...). Haynes manual will give you a basic overview, yes. Read the procedure for replacing the cable and then ask any further questions you have here. If you like - send me a PM. You can pick up a cable (dealership ~$20) and stop by my place this weekend and I'll give you pointers on doing it. Looks like you are real close to me. GD Wow, that would be awesome. I live in Lake Oswego, so yeah, pretty close to portland. I'll check into it today and maybe send you a PM a little later in the week about maybe meeting up. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Wow, that would be awesome. I live in Lake Oswego, so yeah, pretty close to portland. I'll check into it today and maybe send you a PM a little later in the week about maybe meeting up. Thanks. I'm actually in West Linn, and I work in Tigard near the Home Depot. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumpy Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 Hello everyone. I'm new here. Anyway, I lifted it up on some jack stands the other day and checked out the engine mounts, the passenger side is pretty torn and the driver's side looks kinda worn out as well. However, the quote of 90 dollars each from a dealership or at least 60 from Baxter's auto-parts kind of put me off on wanting to replace these right away, as I presently don't have a job (though should soon). If anyone has any advice or insights, please let me know! Thanks! It sounds like the board has your clutch problem taken care of. If your in no big hurry for motor mounts I may be able to assist there as I have parted out a couple ea82's but still have the motors. I'm going to be very busy the next 10 days or so but things should calm down a bit after that. If your still in need then, hit me up. Stumpy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuberJack Posted June 12, 2008 Author Share Posted June 12, 2008 Alright, thanks a lot. Though, I'm not entirely sure it's the mounts that are the problem. One did look pretty bad, but, when I jacked the engine up to check them the whole engine shifted over to the point that the bolts coming out of the engine mounts no longer lined up with the holes they came out of in the cross member. The passenger side still lined up, but the driver's side was too far towards the front of the engine, and a bit to the left. I have always had issues with this (my oil filter rubs against some fan housing and the main fan you can see wear on tips of the fan where it rubbed against the radiator). I dunno what the previous owner did when he put this engine in, but something isn't right. I wound up just pushing in on the bolt with a crowbar as hard as I could while I had someone else lower the jack. It fit back in, and when I tightened the engine mounts back in (one was loose) it definitely made everything smoother. Anyway, somethings funky, maybe I'll figure more out this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumpy Posted June 14, 2008 Share Posted June 14, 2008 Did you try putting light upward preasure on the motor before you un-bloted the mounts? Have GD check them when you'll do the clutch cable. He's as sharp as they come, won't lead you astray!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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