Help! Gearbox Issues W/ Hcr32!

[46n2]

Well this takes all of the cars off the road again so I need help ASAP Please read on...

Car:

R32 GTST, RB20DET, 120xxx km, Gearbox not abused, Exedy Hybrid Clutch (2800lb Pressure plate), thrust bearing worn.

From the top:

*Coasting towards a set of traffic lights in 3rd

*gently shifted to 2nd (i blip the throttle to match RPM on downshift) and

*coasted to a near stop before the lights went green (doing ~15-20kph at this time)

*Gently applied throttle (15-20%) and shifter felt odd.

*Then wouldn't engage 3rd easily

*Tried to shift back to 2nd and wouldn't engage.

*Left it in Neutral and pulled over to the roadside.

My first thought was that it was clutch related, but there was no slipping/stench. I checked the fluid level in the clutch master and it is almost full (5mm from Full mark).

Then i noticed the movement in the shifter:

When engaged in any gear or in Neutral it has ~2" (from the top of the shifter) movement forwards and backwards, and almost the same amount laterally.

Reverse would barely engage/disengage, but i was only around the corner so i managed to get it home and into the shed.

Checked the gearbox mounts and they are intact / not torn.

I've pulled the seals/covers off the linkage from inside the cabin to have a look. there was a bit of oil/grease around the last seal (when removed you can see the linkage). I don't know if this is normal or not?

Looking at the linkage the play can easily be seen. I'll try and take a short Quicktime movie with my camera and post it up so you can see exactly what i'm on about.

But any help / suggestions won't go unappreciated. Rather desperate for suggestions atm. life without a car on the road sux

Cheers,

Michael

[SteveL]

From your description it's most likely the nylon bush at the tip of the shifter (inside the gearbox) has disintegrated. You need to take the shifter out either by removing the circlip under the rubber boot, or by unbolting (6 bolts) the top cover and removing the shifter with the cover. Circlip is probably the most direct, but can be a bastard without the right tools. Once out, there should be a small plastic bush at the tip of the shifter - I'm guessing in your case it'll be gone (inside the gearbox, but don't get too concerned). It's only a few $$$ from Nissan, and is common to local R31 Skyline gearboxes.

If that's not the problem, other possilities are things like selector roll pins, but that gets complicated (gearbox out).

Edited November 14, 2005 by SteveL

[46n2]

Cheers Steve,

I've attached a pic of the linkage. Is the nylon bush yu are talking about the nylon part in the pic surrounding the ball joint?

You can always count on SAU for folk up in the middle of the night keen to swing a spanner or 2

Quicktime movies didn't turn out.

not enough light

[SteveL]

Cheers Steve,

I've attached a pic of the linkage.  Is the nylon bush yu are talking about the nylon part in the pic surrounding the ball joint?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, the nylon bush is 'inside' the gearbox below/on the other side of the ball joint in the photo. You can see the circlip that needs to be removed in that photo tho. Once you get that out the shifter just lifts straight out and you should be able to see whether the tip bush is intact or not.

If you need it the bush PN is 32861-H7301

[46n2]

Cheers for that Steve

I'll pull it out when I get home.

[46n2]

I pulled out the shifter last night and the bush was still intact ... oddly enough it had just fallen out i had to fish it out. Put the bush back in, and reassembled and now all sorted

Cheers for all the help from SteveL and grigor