So the headaches begin....

[92vig]

Wow, that's all I have to say at this point in time.

So two Sundays ago I head up to Mukilteo and check out this guys DSM. Almost exactly like my old one. Same color, pretty much the same mods, etc. So I trade him the Accord plus some cash. Drive it home, everythings good.

Monday comes...everything's good. Well I shouldn't say that....it was grinding in 3rd and 4th since I test drove it and figured it could be a clutch adjustment....the trans was rebuilt in 2005 and the engine rebuilt in 2008.

Tuesday...I'm on the way to work, put it in 3rd and it's as if the car is in Neutral. I'm shocked...did my 3rd gear completely go out? Then the car dies...try to turn it back on and it doesnt start up. BATTERY is dead, ALTERNATOR is toast (this is a problem with DSMs)

So I'm like FUCKING great....my car is dead in the middle of the road and for some reason even though I'm in Neutral, the car is in gear still??? Whatever. Some guy asks if I need help...I said sure. I had to keep the clutch pushed in, so he pushed my car into a parking lot (which was right next to me).

I get my wife to come over, we jump the car and it starts up....as soon as the clutch is let off, it dies....because it's stuck in gear still. Start it up again and take the cables off.....then it dies (this is when I knew the alternator was shot)

Get the car towed back to my house...which is 4 miles away. $70 tow bill. Rip out the alternator and get a new one from Autozone (good thing it has a lifetime warranty and I had the same exact car last time so it was FREE to me) BAM, put that fucker in and bleed the clutch for about 30 minutes with a speed bleeder. Adjust the clutch....

ANNNNNNNNNND clutch engages right off the floor, can't get into any gears other than 3rd and 4th and once you put it in 3rd, even though the shifter goes back to neutral and the shift levers ON THE TRANNY are in the Neutral position, it is STILL in 3rd gear. So what does this mean??

Broken shift fork maybe...broken shift rail? Synchros....dunno. What I DO know is that now I need to replace the clutch as well as tear the tranny apart to see what the hell is up with it.

All in all.....bad deal, bad f u c k i n g deal! The woes of having a DSM.....why must I love them

[wed3k]

well...at least you dont have a volkswagon or two.

[DJ metadelic]

^ My thought exactly.

[turbomaxx]

DSM's are like alfa romeo's in a sense. They don't always function, they aren't always perfect, but the enthusiasts put up with it for that one time you're on the perfect road and everything works. (Jeremy Clarkson)

Suddenly they make perfect sense.

[scudweiser]

a dsm with tranny woes? shifting gears in a dsm is like rowing a broom handle through a bucket of rocks.

[h22sparkle]

Wow, that's all I have to say at this point in time.

So two Sundays ago I head up to Mukilteo and check out this guys DSM. Almost exactly like my old one. Same color, pretty much the same mods, etc. So I trade him the Accord plus some cash. Drive it home, everythings good.

Monday comes...everything's good. Well I shouldn't say that....it was grinding in 3rd and 4th since I test drove it and figured it could be a clutch adjustment....the trans was rebuilt in 2005 and the engine rebuilt in 2008.

Tuesday...I'm on the way to work, put it in 3rd and it's as if the car is in Neutral. I'm shocked...did my 3rd gear completely go out? Then the car dies...try to turn it back on and it doesnt start up. BATTERY is dead, ALTERNATOR is toast (this is a problem with DSMs)

So I'm like FUCKING great....my car is dead in the middle of the road and for some reason even though I'm in Neutral, the car is in gear still??? Whatever. Some guy asks if I need help...I said sure. I had to keep the clutch pushed in, so he pushed my car into a parking lot (which was right next to me).

I get my wife to come over, we jump the car and it starts up....as soon as the clutch is let off, it dies....because it's stuck in gear still. Start it up again and take the cables off.....then it dies (this is when I knew the alternator was shot)

Get the car towed back to my house...which is 4 miles away. $70 tow bill. Rip out the alternator and get a new one from Autozone (good thing it has a lifetime warranty and I had the same exact car last time so it was FREE to me) BAM, put that fucker in and bleed the clutch for about 30 minutes with a speed bleeder. Adjust the clutch....

ANNNNNNNNNND clutch engages right off the floor, can't get into any gears other than 3rd and 4th and once you put it in 3rd, even though the shifter goes back to neutral and the shift levers ON THE TRANNY are in the Neutral position, it is STILL in 3rd gear. So what does this mean??

Broken shift fork maybe...broken shift rail? Synchros....dunno. What I DO know is that now I need to replace the clutch as well as tear the tranny apart to see what the hell is up with it.

All in all.....bad deal, bad f u c k i n g deal! The woes of having a DSM.....why must I love them

Well what do you expect its a dsm you cant rule out the usual maintenance for any car. If the clutch grabs off the floor like that. It shouldnt be a problem. If your stuck in gear it can be a multiple load of things. For 1 it could be the clutch itself one of the springs on it could be broken.

If its stuck in gear like that. Another thing could be binded shift cables which i doubt but check those and the bushings on it if the car does have that I dont know if they do i never worked on a dsm before but im sure my car is close to one somewhat.

As for a broken shiftfork I know once a shiftfork is worn down enough to where its not making contact to the throwout bearing itll eat away at the material until it starts grinding into the clutch itself and the throwoutbearing wont help.

So itll either stay stuck in gear or enguage hard until it decides hey i dont want to go into gear get me a tow-truck. And as far as the car being in 3rdgear while in neutral sounds like a broken shift selector to me.

[h22sparkle]

And actually it wont be a headache. Once you go through these somewhat hardships with your car atleast youll have experience first hand to be able to diagnose your own car that way maybe someone will be payin you when you go to work on their car. Experience the best learner for you dude.

[92vig]

You must remember, I am a DSM guy. My previous car to the Lancer was a DSM that I put up with for almost 2 years. I have already fixed several problems with this car...next is the tranny issue.

I know for a fact it needs a new clutch. And I said shift fork bro....which would equate to your "shift selector"....theyre called shift forks. You are thinking clutch fork digging into the PP.

[h22sparkle]

You must remember, I am a DSM guy. My previous car to the Lancer was a DSM that I put up with for almost 2 years. I have already fixed several problems with this car...next is the tranny issue.

I know for a fact it needs a new clutch. And I said shift fork bro....which would equate to your "shift selector"....theyre called shift forks. You are thinking clutch fork digging into the PP.

No I have a shift fork and shift selsector. The shift selector im talking about is int he tranny that helps locks the position in the gears if that piece breaks theres no edge to lock it in or itll jam up gears until its stuck even though it feels like its in gear.

The shift for im talkin about is the fork that holds the throwout bearing in place which has a certain amount of material which is a wearable part once it wears down enough itll grind into the pressureplate.

[rexload]

When buying a DSM, one must also buy a lift. I thought it was common sense.

I kid lol

Get a HonDUH!

[92vig]

The CLUTCH FORK is the "shift fork" you're talking about man. The clutch fork rests on the pivot ball and the TOB attaches to it via the TOB clip. The end of the clutch fork extends under the bell housing and has a little dimple where the slave cylinder rod sits. You push the clutch in, slave rod extends, pushing the clutch fork/tob into the pressure plate. Pressure plate releases from the clutch disc and disengages the transmission from the motor.

And I'm pretty sure this "shift selector" is the SHIFT FORK inside the transmission itself. There is a 1/2, 3/4, 5/R in the tranny itself...3 shift forks or "shift selectors" as you like to call it. DSM transmissions have a common weak point, and it IS the shift fork. They break, it's a design flaw...a pain in the ass. Mopar may call it a "shift selector"....in the DSM world, it's a shift fork. Even the pros know it.

[92vig]

Get a HonDUH!

Already had several, thanks. Just something about smoking little ricer Civics in a 3000+ pound car that makes me tingle.

[rexload]

True that, hope you get it fixed man

[h22sparkle]

already Had Several, Thanks. Just Something About Smoking Little Ricer Civics In A 3000+ Pound Car That Makes Me Tingle.

:d

[fatboy1185]

Already had several, thanks. Just something about smoking little ricer Civics in a 3000+ pound car that makes me tingle.

Smoking the "ricers" is nothing to be proud of, trust me.