1995 Infiniti J30 Transmission will not go in reverse.

[Thrundar]

Kind of like that song, "sometimes she runs, sometimes she don't"

All of the forward gears operate as far as I can tell. While cruising down the highway at 60 MPH the tachometer shows 2200 to 2400 RPM, so I'm hoping that is the correct RPM range for 4th on straight and level and steady speed. The transmission does not seem to be "hunting" gears in forward.

Reverse has engaged a few times, but the letter R on the shift selector is more of a decoration than a function option.

I have been scouring the internet and this forum for clues as to what might be the problem and have read through this post transmission-problems-due-to-neutral-sa ... 51731.html Several times and have pretty much ruled out:
1.Transmission hunting between 3rd and overdrive, not locking up (I need to recheck and make sure.)
2. Reverse Lights Not working (works)
3. Odd Shifting (seems normal in forward)
4. Delayed throttle response (seems ok)
5. Transmission self diagnostic not working.
Not entirely sure about #5 above. The T/A light does flash for about 2 seconds after key is turned initially. Tried to run a test on the diagnostic last night but only saw fast flashes with no flashes of the T/A light longer than others. Looked like a fast regular steady strobe.

Also the gear selector lock button on the shifter will pop up/engage on all gears and P but NOT on Reverse. I have seen this mentioned before in other posts, but no replies as to whether that is a problem, normal, or how to repair.


Is there a way to disassemble the gear shift from inside the car, or a "how to" link?

T

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I had that happen on my old maxima. The shift linkage itself was bent or something, so when shifting via the lever, it wasn't exactly putting the transmission in the correct spot.

Try putting it in reverse and sort of nudging the gear shifter up towards park a bit, or down towards neutral, and see if it engages reverse.
When in reverse now, is it acting like it's in neutral or park?

[Thrundar]

I had that happen on my old maxima. The shift linkage itself was bent or something, so when shifting via the lever, it wasn't exactly putting the transmission in the correct spot.

Try putting it in reverse and sort of nudging the gear shifter up towards park a bit, or down towards neutral, and see if it engages reverse.
When in reverse now, is it acting like it's in neutral or park?

When the selector is in Reverse, 99% of the time it does nothing, acts like it is in Neutral. I've wiggled and jiggled it back and forth and no luck. It has gone in reverse a few times, but very random. A couple of times it "wandered" out of Reverse. All (other) forward gears seem to be solid when selector is in each forward position.
T

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Gotcha, so if you parked on a hill and put it in reverse, it would roll (not like it's in park, but rather in neutral)?

[Thrundar]

Gotcha, so if you parked on a hill and put it in reverse, it would roll (not like it's in park, but rather in neutral)?

Correct.

T

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Yeah then if shift up sort of halfway into park doesn't fix it, maybe you have a bad solenoid or some other type of line blockage

[Thrundar]

Yeah then if shift up sort of halfway into park doesn't fix it, maybe you have a bad solenoid or some other type of line blockage

Okay, I just got up and went out, started the car up and right away it went into Reverse. It went in (engaged) 2 times, then no go.
So then I moved the shifter slowly between P and R and about 50% of the time I was able to find Reverse. However in some small area it would almost engage but not quite. I could hear it trying to catch, or a slight whine.

What could be causing the position of Reverse being engaged to be off so much? The Neutral safety switch (Inhibitor switch)?

Thanks for your help thus far. Papasmurf.

T

[yodawill2000]

Maybe a bind in the shifter linkage ?

[Thrundar]

Maybe a bind in the shifter linkage ?

I guess at this point anything is possible, but when I did a internet search on this transmission type (RE4R01A transmission reverse not working) the results were very discouraging.
One result showed the following which seems to be the most common answer:
"no good news on the trasmission...there is no easy button for this..sorry...the transmission is loosing presure,i would think the pump is worn..the reason it works when it is cold ,is because the fluid is thicker when its cold,and will hold more preure,enough to make it move for a little while,,when the trans heats up the fluid gets thinner,and looses presure,the reson that reverse is going first,is because it taks more hydrolic presure to work reverse,,,soon the forward gears will go too...sorry"
From http://www.justanswer.com/nissan/1u1b7- ... works.html

So unless the linkage is messed up...we are sunk.

T

[PapaSmurf2k3]

yeah that's exactly what I was thinking when you said it worked fine when cold.

You could probably squeak by for a little while with some Lucas transmission fix in a bottle stuff.

Or you could try and research if anyone makes a higher flow/higher pressure solenoid set. I know when I worked at BorgWarner we made quite a few aftermarket solenoids for domestics specifically for that.
http://www.cascadetransmissionparts.com ... dborg.aspx
^I actually co-designed, tested, and built the equipment to manufacture that solenoid
If you can get to your internals, you might have stuff caked up on your solenoid screens or in your filter. Cleaning/replacing could also help prolong the life, but yeah, the pump itself is probably getting a bit weak.

[Thrundar]

Well my wife drove it to work for the past 3 days with reverse not working. Our first Mileage estimates are great. This car got 28-32 mpg. I'm gonna go with the lower number of 28. Tank was at half full, now at 1/4 which should be at least 4.25 gallons used. Driven 140 miles so far.
140 divided by 4.25 is 32.9
Of course this is just a rough estimate, but dang, much better than the 16-18 mpg the Ford ranger was getting before the head blew. Now if we can find a way to repair this transmission....or win a small lottery to afford to fix it.

Average highway speed of 62 mph, with a little city driving in the above 140 miles driven.

T

[swimshark]

have you jacked the car up and check the gear selector linkage and the switch on the side of the trans itself?

[Thrundar]

have you jacked the car up and check the gear selector linkage and the switch on the side of the trans itself?

Not yet. But even now when car is Cold, no reverse, just a whining or slipping sound in any position now. I do need to jack it up and take a look, plus measure how tall the transmission is to make sure I can get the car Safely high enough to use a floor transmission jack. I'm too old to bench press the transmission out of and into place for when I replace it which I think is what's going to have to happen.

T

[Thrundar]

Is $800 for a used transmission (supposedly only 80k miles on it) for a 1995 J30 a fair price with a 30 day replacement guarantee?
How bad will I have to hack away at the exhaust to get this beast out? Anyone got pics? So far still unable to get car in shop and on stands to have a good look. Soggy ground here, car sank in mud in front of shop.
T

[PapaSmurf2k3]

You could probably find a better deal...

[Thrundar]

You could probably find a better deal...

Not having any luck finding anything better yet. Been searching and searching. Most everything I run across in used transmissions for this are over 125k - 160k plus miles. That's the range the reverse starts failing from what I been reading. I figure 80k miles and put on a transmission cooler, might get some use out of it.

Would love to find one cheaper than $800 though.

T

[yodawill2000]

Guess its all about maintenance.
I'm about to hit a quarter Million miles and still working fine.
Put a Cooler on it shortly after I got it @160K.
Drain and refilled 4 times since.

[J30tChumpCar]

I have looked at many junked J30s and found them living well into the 200,000 zone with very little obvious care.

Check Craigs List there should be something available for $300ish

[Thrundar]

I have looked at many junked J30s and found them living well into the 200,000 zone with very little obvious care.

Check Craigs List there should be something available for $300ish

Nothing at all in Mississippi on craigslist for an infiniti J30 transmission, nothing in Alabama Louisiana, either, not that we could go pick one up that far away. Been checking...

T

[fourdrinie]

http://car-part.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi

[Thrundar]

http://car-part.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi

Thank you. fourdrinie. I got some closer location results from that, and some possibly cheaper choices.

I also tried http://www.partshotlines.com Nothing in MS there, but is where we found crankshaft pulley.

T