OK with all the respect I can muster I want to say first of all I am very serious, I'm not &%^*&^% around, I don't give ^$%# if this is in the wrong section or anything like that and I DON'T won't a response from idiots who would rather discuss forum BULL^%$# than help me diagnose this peoblem. I am a very serious car enthusiest and in light of that fact I have spent well over $12,000 in the last 7 months just trying to keep my car running and I'm done with it I just need it to get me to work and back.

So if you think you can put your internet nerd ego aside and help me with this please respond, here goes.

Starting about two months ago my 1999 eclipse GS started making a wierd zinging/ rattling noise, it started out that only when it was cold it would make this noise. As of the past month along with it making this noise, (some times constantly) and all the time when I rev the engine, wether in gear or not. It has also become impossible to shift into reverse as well as second and fourth gear. Though second and fourth gear some times work at lower rpms and some times do not. So suffice to say 2nd, fourth and reverse do not work. I had the throw out bearing replaced and the clutch, it still did it, I rebuilt the master cylinder and replaced the slave it still does it, I then even replaced the transmission-- it still does it, I put stiff shifter bushings on the clutch cables it still does it, I put stiff shifter bushing on the shift plate under the console it still does it. I put on a short throw shifter it still has the same problem, the clutch fluid is always full I've blead the system about 10 times with no change. After I replaced the tranny it stopped doing all that and worked right for about 3 hours and after that went right back to the same problems. I can slide the shifter all the way into each slot where it would be in gear and as soon as I let go it slides right back into neutral and if I hold it in the slot it doesn't cetch at all, I can't feel it click into place like it would if the gear was engaged. Reverse on the other hand will only go half way into the slot to where it would be fully into gear.

Sry for the long write up but it is a fustrating and expensive problem with a lot of symptoms. I would like and expert but even well reserched advise would help greatly. I don't have much money left and I'm about to loose my job if I can't fix this soon
Thank you very much,

If its done the same thing on two transmissions, a new clutch, TOB, etc, etc, etc, you've eliminated everything except the shifter linkage itself. Make sure the cables are not moving in their slots where they meet the trans, or at the shifter itself.

I didn't think that angry of a post would ever get a response.

But yes, it really sounds like the shifter cables. I know when I was having shifting problems when I first swapped over to the mtx, it turned out one of the "C" clips that hold the shifetr cables in place under the battery( i believe) had popped out, and whenever I tried to shift to 2nd or 4th the cable would just bend instead of moving the shift lever on the trans, so the trans would never engage those gears because it couldn't tell i was trying to even shift into them. The shift would slip right out of the slot just likeyou say from the cables returning to their straight state.

and if thats it, that sucks that you spent so much money, somebody at some shop must not know what to be looking for.

Originally posted by EclipseSix
I didn't think that angry of a post would ever get a response. But yes, it really sounds like the shifter cables. I know when I was having shifting problems when I first swapped over to the mtx, it turned out one of the "C" clips that hold the shifetr cables in place under the battery( i believe) had popped out, and whenever I tried to shift to 2nd or 4th the cable would just bend instead of moving the shift lever on the trans, so the trans would never engage those gears because it couldn't tell i was trying to even shift into them. The shift would slip right out of the slot just likeyou say from the cables returning to their straight state. and if thats it, that sucks that you spent so much money, somebody at some shop must not know what to be looking for.

i am having the same exact problem on my 95 gs. i was driving along one night and it sounded like i ran ove a screw or somthing maybe somthing fell off my car and fell onto the street?..but when i when i went to down shift my lower three gears (2nd, 4th, reverse) will not stay in gear they just go back into nuetral and if it did stay in in its spot then i would not be in gear.(hope this makes sense) how do i fix this. sorry i dont mean to steal the thread. but i have been scratching my head for a month now about this.anyhelp would be appreciated

Originally posted by EclipseSix
But yes, it really sounds like the shifter cables. I know when I was having shifting problems when I first swapped over to the mtx, it turned out one of the "C" clips that hold the shifetr cables in place under the battery( i believe) had popped out, and whenever I tried to shift to 2nd or 4th the cable would just bend instead of moving the shift lever on the trans, so the trans would never engage those gears because it couldn't tell i was trying to even shift into them.

Check this first.

you mean the connecting rods right?

He means that you should pull the battery out of the car and check the c-clips that hold the shift linkage to the bracket on the transmission.



Look at the bracket in the upper left corner.



See the shift linkage cables?

There is a C-Clip that retains them in the above bracket. Make sure the cable is firmly seated in the bracket and the C-Clips are seated all the way down.

Heh heh, thanks freelance.

so its in the fire wall a little? right?

b/c the part where its connects to the transmission is conected right

Just off of the transmission, under the intake duct. That is commonly the clip that falls out, but if it is in place, also check the clip that secures the cable to the shifter plate. (under the center console that the shifter itself is attached to)

Originally posted by Locke_db
Just off of the transmission, under the intake duct. That is commonly the clip that falls out, but if it is in place, also check the clip that secures the cable to the shifter plate. (under the center console that the shifter itself is attached to)

I looked everwhere to see if there was somthing looses somwhere or anything but i did not find anything... Guess this means its time for a new transmission huh-

so my grandpa and i started taking out my transmission yesterday and we got just about all the way done and then he goes to try and take off the bracket for the shift linkage cables and notice the the lttle clib did fall off... i lookked at him and told him told you so.. i was so pissed..we have to take out the tranny anyways to replace the throw out bearing.. so i guess its not so bad..lol

I think I might have similar gremlins at work.

Sometimes, i have to coax the lever into position when downshifting into second or first. No way it's the clutch or slave because the slave is new and the clutch/tob is new. I just took the restrictor out of my slave, bled all the fluid out, replaced with new dot 3 fluid and bled til the fluid was comming out clean.

I dunno if it's me missing third or not but there have been times where my car wouldn't upshift into third. I'm sure i look like a jackhole when i let of the clutch and hit the gas only to have the needle on the tack bouncing like hell looking like i'm showing off or something.....meh.

Shifter cables? I'll check em out this week. PM me if you think it could be something else.