1995 m5r2 5spd. shifting problems, need help!!

Zcdef

Registered User
Car:
1995 Thunderbird SC
123k miles
5 speed m5r2

Transmission:
Changed fluid 4 months ago
Changed fluid again and rear seal after it started acting up
B&M Shifter

The event/ cause:
Let uncle drive it. Shifted 99% perfect with a little problem in reverse. Parks it after some moderately rough shifting (he's bad). I try to drive it later after it cools and 5th and reverse are blocked.

Symptoms:
1-4 are perfect while driving and with engine off.
5th and reverse are stiff and "blocked" while driving or engine off. I can get into 5th and reverse, but they are hard to shift into. Reverse grinds every once in a while (synchro maybe) but 5th does not grind ever. It stays in gear also.

My thoughts:
Bad 5th/reverse shift fork.
Bad synchro for reverse

I'm just astonished that it went from worn to almost impossible in one drive.

Things I've checked/done:
Fluid
Removed the shifter completely and appeared almost new
Replaced rear tranny seal

*Checked 5th and reverse shift rod bolt and reverse idler gear shaft bolt outside tranny. Both were too tight to tighten or loosen.

Thanks everyone for any advice.
 
What type fluid, exactly?

New input shaft bushing in the crank?

If the flywheel was turned, did you shim it back into spec?
 
It's not unusual for the 5th/rev synchronizer to go bad. I've got one here that is so damaged from grinding that it's totally jammed. If the flywheel was turned when the last time the clutch was replaced it should have been shimmed to make up for the loss of material off of the flywheel face. I would not be surprised if the synchro cluster has excess wear but the only way to tell would be to pull the tranny and inspect it.
 
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