AFD

iTrader: (1)

Hey guys, just looking for some feedback on this issue..

Car drove perfectly fine last night, but this morning after letting the car warm-up, I couldn't fully engage reverse gear. This has happened a few times before - usually on colder days (which I've complained to the Mitsu service department about) and previous times, I could either press the clutch pedal twice or just engage 1st and then it would go into reverse okay. But today was fairly warm.. around 50°F, and I haven't had the issue at all for probably 8 or 9 months.

However, today it wasn't just reverse.. I could engage 1st, 3rd & 5th gears, but after an hour of trying, I just couldn't get the lever to lock into 2nd, 4th or reverse.

Eventually, I was able to just hold the gear lever against reverse and it would work (though not fully locked into place) and a while later I ended up getting the lever to finally lock into place for reverse. But still no 2nd or 4th (with the car on or off, stationary or moving).

So I called up the dealership for an appointment and then called Mitsu roadside to send out a flat-bed. After another hour of waiting around, I started up the car one last time and pow.. the gear lever went into each gear like butter and locked into place.

Right now, it's still on its way to the dealership to get looked at.. but after searching through the forums, I really couldn't find anyone else having similar issues other than for just reverse engagement.

Anyone have any possible ideas on the cause of this? Clutch.. synchros.. perfectly normal "notchy/grinding transmission" issue.. gremlins?

Car is 100% stock w/almost 14,000 miles and regularly serviced per the Mitsu maintenance schedule... no launches or track time, and I granny-drive 90% off the time (the other 10% is "spirited" but not at all abusive). I've been driving manual transmission vehicles on and off for the past 20 years.. though I still find the Evo X gearbox and clutch a little tricky at times.

Also.. would an issue like this be covered under Mitsu's drivetrain warranty?

Thanks, really appreciate any input!

AFD

iTrader: (1)

Hmm.. nobody has any idea?

Maybe my description was too lengthy. To summarize..

Got in car, started up, was locked out of 2nd, 4th & Rev. Tried for 2 hours, then 1 hour later everything was fine again.

Anyway, the dealership did 3 days of diagnostics & test-drives (hope they were gentle =) and couldn't find any issues. However, they said they didn't want to "dig into the gears" without being able to replicate the problem (though, I was welcome to bring it back in if it happened again). And the diagnostics were done at no-charge.

Dunno, it's just weird.. and I'm kinda worried about getting stranded somewhere.

RuckerPark

iTrader: (66)

never have this problem with my X yet, but have these problems in my 8/9 now.. I was told the synchros were wearing out but after i switch to a heavier shift knob and front engine roll stopper, the problem sorta went away. Not sure if these fixes will apply to the X..

akauf

iTrader: (3)

sounds like the linkage could need adjustment

or perhaps WCS a bent shift fork?

I'm a trans noob but interested in the issue u have non the less.

What if you lightly hold the shifter at whatever gear your trying to go into and slowly engage the clutch. Does it drop into gear? Or is it already in gear but not fully engaged? sound like your describing the latter in the op.

AFD

iTrader: (1)

Lightly holding the shifter against reverse while letting out the clutch, I could get the car to move (or grinding if I pressed too hard).. but it would never actually lock the whole way into gear, and just pop back into neutral.

Ya, outta frustration I even tried putting all my weight on the lever.. probably wasn't a good idea, but hopefully I didn't make anything worse.

Thanks for the ideas guys, really appreciate the input.. it's definitely a hell of alot more helpful than the tech adviser asking "Well, did you press the clutch in far enough?"

tehSteve

iTrader: (4)

Stock fluids? I had a reverse lockout all the time and difficulty for 1st gear.
Went short shifter with all around bushings and no improvement and made 1st really difficult to engage.

Went back to normal shifter with but kept the bushings because I didn't like the ultra short throws, but still experienced the lockout issue.

Switched to Redline cocktail and it improved greatly. Slight push into first but 90% better than what it did feel like and reverse lockout happens once in a while. Reverse lock is very common for us. I also always wait for 1 temperature tick to appear before ever moving off just to make sure fluids are somewhat heated.

AFD

iTrader: (1)

Yup, original stock fluid still. I did have them check it earlier this year for any overfill from the factory, but I'm not sure if they actually looked at its condition.

Yes, I've done the same since the day I bought it. There might have been maybe 3 times total that I didn't, and that was only when I had the car parked for only an hour or two (and that was only for moving the car to a different parking spot).

I'm kind of at a toss up.. on one hand I'd really like to keep my 6-year drivetrain warranty and stick with stock fluids and components (unless the dealership's okay with the Redline mix) - then on the other hand, I almost feel like taking a mini-vacation to OH for a few days and having Sheptrans beef things up and make that bish bulletproof for stock - which should be at least bullet-resistant in case I go crazy and ever decide to make the car "lightly modified"

I can live with having a notchy gearbox or the occasional no reverse go-to-1st-neutral-then-reverse goofiness.. but for a 100% stock & babied daily-driver, I just can't have my car be completely undriveable for a few hours at random times for no reason.

RB185AFM

I have a similar problem with my SSP CMC. In order to get my clutch to fully disengage I have to back my adjustable pedal all the way back. Unfortunately this is bad with my aftermarket CMC and allows air to get in the system. I have to bleed my clutch every week. What I have found is the more air in the system the harder it is to get in and out of gear. And the colder it is the worse the problem. When the car was cold it would not go into gear without if feeling like I was going to break my shift lever. Once the brake fluid warmed up enough it would allow the air to move around my clutch would work normal until the fluid cooled off. So you may want to try bleeding the system just to make sure you don’t have air in there.