Shifting into 3rd troubles

[Joe J]

My wife's 97 Outback, 4 cyl, 5 speed manual. She is having trouble shifting
into 3rd gear. I've tried the car a few times in the past couple of weeks
and sometimes ran into the same problem. Not always, just sometimes where
you either struggle to get it into 3rd, or go back to second and try again,
or it slips in just fine.
Is there some kind of adjustment for this?

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

My wife's 97 Outback, 4 cyl, 5 speed manual.  She is having trouble shifting
into 3rd gear.  I've tried the car a few times in the past couple of weeks
and sometimes ran into the same problem.  Not always, just sometimes where
you either struggle to get it into 3rd, or go back to second and try again,
or it slips in just fine.
Is there some kind of adjustment for this?

Unless there is some severe bushings or motor/tranny mounts worn out -
I suspect the problem is internal. Sometimes people have good luck
with 'friction modifiers/additives' in the gear lube, but it isn't a
'mechanic-in-a-can' and I wouldn't expect miracles.

 

[Joe J]

Unless there is some severe bushings or motor/tranny mounts worn out -
I suspect the problem is internal. Sometimes people have good luck
with 'friction modifiers/additives' in the gear lube, but it isn't a
'mechanic-in-a-can' and I wouldn't expect miracles.

Any idea why just into 3rd? All other gears just fine. 97 with 102,000
miles. She is the original owner.

 

[S]

Hi Joe!

Any idea why just into 3rd? All other gears just fine. 97 with 102,000
miles. She is the original owner.

"Crossing the Gate" between the 1st/2nd pair, and the 3rd/4th set
involves two shift forks, and two synchros . This makes the shift a
bit stiffer in general.

In your case, I'd suspect a bent or worn shift fork, and as Carl says,
this is an internal issue. Possibly it could be adjusted by adding or
subtracting shims in the gear train, but the work would probably be
considerably more expensive than simply swapping in another tranny.

Be sure the transmission fluid is topped off, or try putting in a good
synthetic fluid. (I like the Redline 75W90 NS) If that doesn't help
(and it probably won't much), live with it as long as you can, or
until you're due a clutch job, and then find a salvage transmission.

Also, if you can teach your foot to "double clutch" (clutch in, pull
shifter into neutral. clutch out, clutch in, pull into gear, clutch
out), that will mask many shifting/synchro woes.

ByeBye! S.
Steve Jernigan KG0MB
Laboratory Manager
Microelectronics Research
University of Colorado
(719) 262-3101

 

[weelliott]

My wife's 97 Outback, 4 cyl, 5 speed manual.  She is having trouble shifting
into 3rd gear.  I've tried the car a few times in the past couple of weeks
and sometimes ran into the same problem.  Not always, just sometimes where
you either struggle to get it into 3rd, or go back to second and try again,
or it slips in just fine.
Is there some kind of adjustment for this?

I would suspect worn syncros on third. That would explain why
sometimes it is hard to get in and sometimes not. Sometimes the gear
speeds are close enough that it just s lips right in, but others, the
gear speeds are far enough off that it's hard to get the dogs to
engage. I had a very similar problem with my 95 legacy at about 195k
miles. There were no syncros left on third, and shifting into third
required just the right pause. If I tried to shift too quick, I could
feel--but not hear it--grind, then it would slip in. If I waited too
long, the input shaft would have slowed down too much, and without the
syncros to rev it up to the output shaft speed, it would refuse to go
into gear. Letting the clutch out, then rev matching and trying again
worked. A few months later the car started popping out of fourth gear
when I didn't have any load on the engine. It could cruise all day if
my foot was on the gas, but once I let my foot off, it would pop out.
I then replaced the tranny.