1990 legacy just bought now it won't go into 2nd...

[SuperRallyRoo]

Well I was calmly driving back from work (seriously I wasn't flogging it this time!) and I go to shift from first to 2nd at about 2500rpms and it pops out of second I think uhm wtf? Then I hold it there and let off the clutch and it GRINDS!!!!! I'm like CRAP! I just lost 2nd?! Well later on trying to diagnose what the heck is going on I realized that if I shift a little bit slower going into 2nd and pull back really hard it will not grind and will not pop out. What could be the problem? I had adjusted the clutch cable more to my liking but I put it back but still didn't fix the problem. Before this and i have only had the car sense saturday... It would sometimes make a TING** sound when shifting into 2nd. Other gears are fine, and they shift smooth I can shift from 1-3rd but thats not going to help me much when I plan to rally cross it in the very near future. Anyway I am hoping maybe my shifter linkage needs to be replaced (or adjusted) and not the tranny synchros. Maybe a tranny mount? Or something? Please help!!! I love this car and I like 2nd gear... And I talked to Jamie- subiegal about it and she said DON"T force it into gear but I think she might have meant if its grinding.

[94L_wagon]

Is it hard to engage 2nd on downshifts too, going 3rd->2nd say?

If it is not hard to shift this way then it does look like the 1->2 synchro. If its stlill hard to shift from 3->2 then linkage looks more likely, unless you are really unlucky and have 2 bad synchros on 2nd gear...

Diclaimer: Just trying to use logic to helpp you debug, not an expert on gearbox internals.

[SuperRallyRoo]

It gave me NO problems today... I can shift it in just fine and it wasn't popping out but the TING sound is back. What could be happening? I don't think its the tranny itself the synchros seem fine!

[94L_wagon]

If it were my car I would be swapping out the tranny oil ASAP and inspecting for metal bits.

Shortly after I'd be giving the linkage a good going over visually. Sounds like something might be either loose or borderline adjusted in the linkage.

Is the tranny oil at least up to level on the dipstick? Does it look clean?

Sounds like you need an expert rather than me speculating, so I'll stand back .

[SuperRallyRoo]

Dip stick for the tranny oil on a manual!? I looked I didn't see one... My ea81 wagon has one though so i'll look again.

[94L_wagon]

Yeah, I know its weird, but its there . Its on the right hand side (i.e. passenger side in the US), and is kindof short and yellow. Easily accessible from above.

[petridish38]

Just to clarify... The dipstick on my 90 LS isnt yellow.... its not even labeled..... but it is on the passenger side and goes straight into the tranny. I would check that first.... then I would change it.

Andrew

[THAWA]

yeah they changed it sometime in the first gen. Apparently the old style (which I used to have and andrew has aswell) didn't vent well enough, and the new style does.

Speaking of which, Andrew, are you sure your dip stick doesn't have "DIFF" printed on the plastic?

[SuperRallyRoo]

I noticed something today!!! I can romp on it all day long like normal, but when I go to my special "rally" spots and do some drifts and quick take offs is when the tranny starts to stick when I get back on pavement. It seems to be getting better though, maybe the tranny just needs to be broken into that sort of thing?
It didn't give me any trouble all day today untill I rallyed. Also It looks like im leaking some oil. Sometimes I smell burning oil and today I was test fitting some rims and noticed on the jack when we pulled it out it had 4 drops of motor oil on it. Could this be a rear main seal? I think the front one leaks too. I would have to pull the engine or tranny to replace the rear main seal correct:?: Thanks!

[petridish38]

Andrew, are you sure your dip stick doesn't have "DIFF" printed on the plastic?

My dipstick is all metal and doesn't have anything printed on it.

Andrew