Any idea what would make shifting into second and fourth feel rough?

A couple months ago I started having problems even getting into second and fourth gear. Problem was most pronounced shifting down into second during a right turn. I got underneath the car and found the transmission mount was pretty badly torn, so I ordered a new one and filled it with polyurethane.

I hadn't had a chance to install it and managed to drive the car fine around the issue. Yesterday I drove down a bumpy gravel road and by the end of the road I couldn't move the shifter into any gear but third or fifth. Played with it a bit and was finally able to get moving. Yesterday evening I finally replaced the transmission mount so I wouldn't have any more problems...was much easier than I thought.

The shifts are solid and crisp except for shifting into second or fourth. It feels somewhat rough moving into those gears and feels as if it doesn't fully go in, although it does and it never grinds. Just doesn't feel solid and doesn't have that "click" like the other gears.

Any ideas where I should start looking for the problem? Seems like it has something to do with the shift linkage maybe.

Thanks!

 

I agree, bushings on 2nd & 4th could be worn and preventing full engagement. Syncros on 2nd & 4th another possibility. If you had a bad tranny mount, all kinds of things can happen with alignment and premature wear.

 

It could also be something with the shift linkage.

A couple years ago another member here (pordy) had a similar problem that was caused by a squirrel stashing an orange osage up in the shifter linkage: https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-...-2nd-gear.html

 

Thanks guys. I think it has to do with the shifter or linkage to the transmission. I drove it hard on the way home last night and couldn't get it to grind going into any gear no matter how hard or fast I shifted.

If synchros were going bad wouldn't it grind into gear?

It's just that it takes a much firmer effort to shift into second and fourth, like something is not lining up. It is not smooth and crisp like the other gears. Think this points to something in line from the shifter to the trans. Interesting that it only happens on the gears pulling backwards and forward throws are fine.

I'll take things apart one day and see if I can find what's worn.

 

Less likely syncros and more likely worn bushings, but when diagnosing at a distance, have to consider all possibilities.

Now for my weird shifter linkage story, this one having nothing to do with a Fit. Back in 1988, I was driving my '85 Dodge Colt (essentially a re-badged Mitsu Mirage) hatchback with 4MT out east to visit some friends in eastern Virginia. I had split the trip up into two parts and was on the last leg entering Bristol, TN, early one morning after having driven all night.

I stop for breakfast and when I get back to the car and am unlocking the driver side door, I notice that something looks out of place, but can't quite figure out what. Then when I get inside and sit in the driver's seat, it dawns on me. My shift knob had fallen into the floor, to the point where the top of the knob was now just above where the bottom of the boot had been. Holy cannoli. I get under the car and the entire shift linkage is now sitting on top of the exhaust. Wow. I get back in the car, and notice that I can still drive by lifting up the shifter, shifting into gear, and letting it fall back onto the exhaust. Quite a workout.

This was a Saturday morning. I drive down the road to the local Firestone which happens to be open. I show them what happened and they started snickering and saying, we can't help you with that. So I continue the drive to my friends and make it there, albeit with a sore arm. Next Monday, I make an appt. at the local Dodge dealer, which tells me the insulator is gone - essentially the rubber piece holding the linkage up into the chassis. Of course, they have to special order one, and it won't be in until I leave Virginia on Friday. Arm gets more sore as I drive around this way.

So Friday rolls around, I get it into the dealership, and they're working on it for an hour, and I'm thinking, WTF? So finally they come back and tell me, they ordered the wrong part, the closest one is in Memphis, and would I like to come back on Monday? I tell them no thanks, drive back to Wisconsin like this, and once I get back, find the part at the local Dodge dealer for $20 and install it myself, just four bolts holding it in.

 

I reached my arm down to the shift lever on top of the transmission and moved the level by hand. There is a tiny bit of play in the rubber bushings, but I don't think these cause the problem.

Not sure which gears it's shifting into, but moving it to 3 o'clock (1st and 3rd?) is smooth, but moving it backwards towards 12 o'clock (2nd and 4th gear?) is where there some roughness. This is what I'm feeling in the shifter. Almost like it tries to go in, there is some resistance, then it finally moves in. The operation is just not smooth.

Thinking this sounds like a bent shifter fork?

When I get some time I will disconnect the shift linkage and move the shift lever independently to make sure. But I'm pretty sure what I'm feeling is in the trans itself.