Shifter going from 4th to neutral while driving?

[tmwnn]

Hey guys I hope someone can help me out.

93 240, stock KA.

Problem: Lately, sometimes when I shift from 5th to 4th, 4th will not "hold" and the shift lever will slide up to neutral. Today it started happening when I shift from 3rd to 4th as well - I'll shift, and before the gear fully engages the lever slides up to neutral.
Also, today I was already driving in 4th, when it shifted into neutral by itself.


To be honest this started happening some months ago - I was rocking a golf ball shift knob at the time. I thought it was because the knob was too light, so I switched back to the heavy stock one and problem solved, until a few days ago when it started again.

Any ideas what it might be? In particular, could it be something easily fixable rather than a messed up transmission?

Thanks

[scooz14]

the syncros may be on their way out. try new fluid before you do anything major.

[SX APPEAL]

Mine does the same thing. Its a problem with the detents in the shift linkage. Little spring loaded balls that meet up with notches on the linkage rods and keep the shifter in the position you left it. These are now getting worn out and not holding like they used to. I've never ripped a KA transmission apart so I'm not sure how hard they are to service, but seeing as how the case splits in half lengthwise and the shift linkages are on top, guessing its not easy.

Easy fix: just hold the damned thing in gear! you're not cruising in fourth gear THAT much that you can't just leave your hand down there when you have to. Also in mine case anyway if theres any torque applied to the drivetrain at all, ie I'm on the gas, the trans will hold itself in fourth, its only when I'm cruising at light throttle, which as I said, isn't very much, that the problem occurs. So there's your options, either rip out the transmission, tear it apart and pray you can find the parts you need to fix it, or just accept the fact that its an 18 year old S13 and its always going to have little niggling problems like that

[tmwnn]

Mine does the same thing. Its a problem with the detents in the shift linkage. Little spring loaded balls that meet up with notches on the linkage rods and keep the shifter in the position you left it. These are now getting worn out and not holding like they used to. I've never ripped a KA transmission apart so I'm not sure how hard they are to service, but seeing as how the case splits in half lengthwise and the shift linkages are on top, guessing its not easy.

Easy fix: just hold the damned thing in gear! you're not cruising in fourth gear THAT much that you can't just leave your hand down there when you have to. A

Damn, It sounds serious

And unfortunately 4th gear = 40mph @ 2500rpm. Thats my most used gear when driving on the street......

[SX APPEAL]

Well its serious to fix I suppose, but not serious in a "the car's about a mile from grinding to a halt" kind of way. You could drive it like that for years with no other problems than having to hold it in gear.

[OutToWinPAHC]

Could be a shifter bushing, or the pads on the shift forks themselves. It's not syncros at all. Try replacing the shifter bushing with a new OEM one.... OEM!

[tmwnn]

Yeah I know its not as if its about to blow up, but still...having the car shift into neutral when driving in traffic can be dangerous. I was accelerating passing a car and it happened....not fun at all. Funny thing today it didn't happen at all, and I was crusin in 4th 90% of the time. I was driving through a part of town where the roads arent so great and every bump felt like crap (10-8k coils), I thought I was gonna be having the problem all day but the shifter held and didn't shift by itself once. The only thing I notice is that today the weather was considerably warmer...or maybe is just a fluke.

OutToWinPAHC: Thing is I installed an oem shifter bushing less than 6 months ago....but heck I already ordered some more Redline MT-90. I guess I'll install a new one while Im changing my oil in the rare case that my bushing was defective.