97 GTS difficult to engage 6 gear?

[chaparralman]

Hello All,

I finally bought my first Viper. I am a road racer and restore vintage race cars. My car is a 97 GTS, blue with white stripes. The car has a short shift kit already on it, although I don't yet know which one.

Trouble is that while it engages all gears perfectly and the clutch is great in all respects, it is very difficult to engage 6 gear. I have to bang it toward 6 gear, release pressure, then drop it in. Any thoughts? Might the shifter be poorly adjusted?

Thanks

 

[Dom426h]

How many miles on her?
Update your profile, where are you located?

The shortshifter combined with a sorter length shifknob require increased effort to get her into 6th.... If thats what you have you might want to swap to a shift knob with a longer shaft like the stock 99-02 unit. It pairs very nicely with a shortshifter.

If you have a B&M the thick plastic spacer gasket(about 1/8" thick) has been know to wear out and leave the shifter with loose bolts causing excessive play.

In order to check out the shifter you have to drill out the several hardend rivets that hold the upper boot in place wich is a serious PITA, or drop the trany. Take your pick

I might be able to dig up some pics from when i re-did mine.

 

[SA HEAT]

Not that it's a fix, but unless you have a 3:55 or higher gear in the rear end, the stock gearing makes sixth gear pretty much useless anyway.

 

[RobZilla]

DONT slam or force the shifts into any gear. This is how you tear up a tranny fast. Change the fluid to start and see if that helps. You may already have a tranny thats been beat on. In that case you will be looking for a rebuild or new one shortly anyway.

 

[chaparralman]

Yes, my car has a better rear end ratio so 6th is helpfull for highway. Today I spent more time in the car and as far as the 6th gear engage goes, I find that if you slip it out of 5th without the clutch and let the R's fall to the proper place for 6th, then use the clutch to engage 6th that it slips right in. Basically I am double clutching with out double clutching. I just can't figure how the 6th gear syncro could be worn, when the rest of the tranny is fantastic. Is it possible that previous owners never used 6th gear and now it is weird from lack of use?

Casey

 

[jcaspar1]

Try shifting from 4th to 6th and see if it is any easier. Mine had the same problem with a 5-6 shift but was fine 4-6. I think if was a worn syncro. Transmission was replaced under warranty.

 

[chaparralman]

What is the deal with warrentees on our cars. I assume that while they are low mileage, there is a time limit that ran out a long time ago?

As for my issue. If you double clutch, it slips right into 6th. It never grinds otherwise though. Does anyone think it is possible that my 6th gear could be acting funny from lack of use over the years? I don't see how.

Anybody switch to a different gear oil and have better shifting performance? If so what oil?

Thanks

 

[bluesrt]

well if all other gears are great,and u double clutch and it falls in- thats a definate internal boo boo- think about it. keep the thought simple