I've never really thought much of this problem, that's why I'm finally asking about it.

If you're cruising along, in perhaps third or fourth gear and you come to a stop sign, as your slowing down, you can't put it in any other gear (To downshift) unless it's second without a grinding sound being emitted.

Also, if I have to back out, I always have to put it in second gear first, then reverse, otherwise it makes a griding sound.

What's the problem here? Synchros?

T5 dunno if it's a WC, how do I tell? It's a stock '90 RS 305 5 speed manual tranny.

 

sounds like synchros

When backing up put it in first then into reverse and it shouldn't grind. My synchros have been bad for a while but I don't down shift unless passing and I always go from 1 to reverse and it doesn't grind.

 

Sounds like synchros to me too......except the reverse...which doesn't have a synchro....so you have to go to another gear first to stop trans. from spinning then put it into gear...

 

Will this problem lead to other ones? I don't really mind it, if I need to go to a lower gear I could just double clutch it to a lower gear to avoid the grinding, but there's nothing I can do if I need to go into reverse (besides putting it in 2nd first)

Could this be why my car doesn't want to shift gears when the tranny heats up? When it gets hot it gets very difficult to put it into gear.