Transmissions and Drivetrain Need help with your trans? Problems with your axle?

t5 wont go into gear

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Old Apr 6, 2011 | 07:56 PM
  #1  
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From: McGregor TX
Car: 91 RS T-top
Engine: 305 tbi
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3:42 fourth gen disk brake
t5 wont go into gear

I put a clutch kit and flywheel in the t5 while installing the motor. When I push the clutch while running it wont go into gear. I want to check everything possible before pulling the transmission. What all can I check? Thanks

Last edited by weswisehart; Apr 10, 2011 at 09:48 PM.
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Old Apr 6, 2011 | 08:29 PM
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From: East Tennessee
Car: 1992 Z28 Heritage Edition
Engine: L98
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 3.23:1
Re: t5 wont go into gear

Originally Posted by weswisehart
I put a clutch kit and flywheel in the t5 while installing the motor. When I push the clutch in it wont go into gear. I want to check everything possible before pulling the transmission. What all can I check? Thanks
Check that the clutch hydraulics are completely bled. Also make sure that your clutch fork is riding on the pivot ball properly and is seated with the TOB correctly.

I ran into a similar situation when I installed a new clutch and it turned out my pivot ball was too worn to work properly with a new clutch setup.
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Old Apr 6, 2011 | 08:45 PM
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From: McGregor TX
Car: 91 RS T-top
Engine: 305 tbi
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3:42 fourth gen disk brake
Re: t5 wont go into gear

OK I am ignorant when it comes to the transmission. Is the pivot ball on the end of the rod that pushes the fork or is it what the fork pushes? I will look at my Hanes book on how to bleed and see if that helps. Thanks
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Old Apr 6, 2011 | 08:50 PM
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From: East Tennessee
Car: 1992 Z28 Heritage Edition
Engine: L98
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 3.23:1
Re: t5 wont go into gear

Originally Posted by weswisehart
OK I am ignorant when it comes to the transmission. Is the pivot ball on the end of the rod that pushes the fork or is it what the fork pushes? I will look at my Hanes book on how to bleed and see if that helps. Thanks
The Pivot Ball is a ball that is screwed into the bellhousing on the driver's side. When you press the clutch, hydraulic pressure pushes on the slave cylinder which in turn, pushes the end of the clutch fork. The clutch fork pivots on the pivot ball.

Here's a pic of the basic setup (although the pic is something off a Vette):



Hope that helps.
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Old Apr 6, 2011 | 08:54 PM
  #5  
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From: McGregor TX
Car: 91 RS T-top
Engine: 305 tbi
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3:42 fourth gen disk brake
Re: t5 wont go into gear

O OK. A new one came in the kit I bought. I put that on as well. Can the bell housing be removed to looking at this without removing the entire transmission?
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Old Apr 9, 2011 | 03:45 PM
  #6  
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From: McGregor TX
Car: 91 RS T-top
Engine: 305 tbi
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3:42 fourth gen disk brake
Re: t5 wont go into gear

Well I pulled the transmission and to me it looks fine. So I'm not sure why it wont go into gear. Any ideas? Thanks

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Old Apr 9, 2011 | 04:12 PM
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From: McGregor TX
Car: 91 RS T-top
Engine: 305 tbi
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3:42 fourth gen disk brake
Re: t5 wont go into gear

Did I install something wrong?

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Old Apr 9, 2011 | 09:02 PM
  #8  
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Car: `86 SS / `87 SS
Engine: L69 w/ TPI on top / 305 4bbl
Transmission: `95 T56 \ `88 200-4R
Re: t5 wont go into gear

You certainly told that pilot bushing who is master.

Did you bleed the hydraulics?

When everything is together:
- how much gap is between the bearing and the pressure plate fingers?
- how far does the slave push the fork?
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Old Apr 9, 2011 | 09:06 PM
  #9  
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From: McGregor TX
Car: 91 RS T-top
Engine: 305 tbi
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3:42 fourth gen disk brake
Re: t5 wont go into gear

Ha ha ya. I had trouble lining up the motor. Yea I did. Shot out fluid a few feet every time. The clutch feels good and all but I can't get into gear. I hear it still spinning when I am trying to put it in gear.
Its currently all apart. I will put it all together and let you know the gaps tomorrow.
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Old Apr 10, 2011 | 10:56 AM
  #10  
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From: McGregor TX
Car: 91 RS T-top
Engine: 305 tbi
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3:42 fourth gen disk brake
Re: t5 wont go into gear

There is very little or no gap at all. But the throughout bearing isn't lined up straight. Is this normal?

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Old Apr 10, 2011 | 09:58 PM
  #11  
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From: McGregor TX
Car: 91 RS T-top
Engine: 305 tbi
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3:42 fourth gen disk brake
Re: t5 wont go into gear

everything is together. it will go into gear when the car is off but while running it wont. It grinds while running. I feel it spinning.
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Old Apr 11, 2011 | 12:09 PM
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Re: t5 wont go into gear

Looks to me like that pilot bushing is so bad munged, it's probably fitting the trans pilot so tight that it can't spin freely inside the bushing like it's supposed to.

Change the pilot bushing. When you put it back, use a socket or something, that hits it around its outer edge ONLY.

When putting the trans back in, if you don't have a clutch alignment tool, have somebody get in the car and hold the clutch down while you wiggle the trans in all the way. DO NOT attempt to "draw" the trans into the bell with the bolts!!!
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Old Apr 11, 2011 | 12:14 PM
  #13  
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From: McGregor TX
Car: 91 RS T-top
Engine: 305 tbi
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3:42 fourth gen disk brake
Re: t5 wont go into gear

Thanks. If I pull it all apart again I will definitely do that. Its all together now. This morning I finally got it to go in every gear but reverse. Which I definitely need to pass inspection.
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Old Apr 12, 2011 | 10:48 AM
  #14  
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From: McGregor TX
Car: 91 RS T-top
Engine: 305 tbi
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3:42 fourth gen disk brake
Re: t5 wont go into gear

So today I started it in reverse and it was good until I tried changing gears. It wont change unless I kill it change a gear and start again. Is it just not moving the pp enough or is this something else? Thanks
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Old Apr 12, 2011 | 04:06 PM
  #15  
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Car: `86 SS / `87 SS
Engine: L69 w/ TPI on top / 305 4bbl
Transmission: `95 T56 \ `88 200-4R
Re: t5 wont go into gear

Probably.
Put the trans. in 1st or reverse.
Hold the pedal to the floor.
Start it.
Rev the engine some.
If the car moves, the clutch is not fully releasing, so probably insufficient pressure plate release.
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Old Apr 12, 2011 | 04:14 PM
  #16  
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From: McGregor TX
Car: 91 RS T-top
Engine: 305 tbi
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3:42 fourth gen disk brake
Re: t5 wont go into gear

Exactly what I did. I drove it a little in first and reverse. I just can't get it out of gear while running.
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Old Apr 12, 2011 | 05:32 PM
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Re: t5 wont go into gear

Still sounds like your pilot bushing is so fornicated that the trans pilot can't spin freely in it.

That's basically the same thing as having a little tiny clutch that's always engaged, besides the main one.

It's obviously mutilated. Not alot of sense in doing a bunch of "maybe it's this, maybe it's that" while there's a visibly blown-away destroyed part that is completely capable of producing the observed behavior.

See my signature for a handy troubleshooting mental discipline.
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Old Apr 12, 2011 | 05:41 PM
  #18  
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From: McGregor TX
Car: 91 RS T-top
Engine: 305 tbi
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3:42 fourth gen disk brake
Re: t5 wont go into gear

Its new. It came with the clutch kit. That was marked while installing the motor. It really isn't bad just looks bad. I will pull the transmission out and buy a new one if the problem isn't solved by Friday. Thanks
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Old Apr 13, 2011 | 12:10 AM
  #19  
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Re: t5 wont go into gear

I'm going through the same thing, I hope my issue is just air in the system. How do you drop the tranny without dumping fluid all over the ground?
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Old Apr 13, 2011 | 12:15 AM
  #20  
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From: McGregor TX
Car: 91 RS T-top
Engine: 305 tbi
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3:42 fourth gen disk brake
Re: t5 wont go into gear

Drain it first. Ha ha. Its the bottom bolt on passenger side. If you need a pic let me know.

Last edited by weswisehart; Apr 13, 2011 at 12:21 AM.
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Old Apr 14, 2011 | 08:38 PM
  #21  
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From: McGregor TX
Car: 91 RS T-top
Engine: 305 tbi
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3:42 fourth gen disk brake
Re: t5 wont go into gear

Originally Posted by Dante93GTZ
The Pivot Ball is a ball that is screwed into the bellhousing on the driver's side. When you press the clutch, hydraulic pressure pushes on the slave cylinder which in turn, pushes the end of the clutch fork. The clutch fork pivots on the pivot ball.

Here's a pic of the basic setup (although the pic is something off a Vette):



Hope that helps.
I feel stupid. I originally thought you were talking about that throughout bearing. Were would I get a new pivot ball? Autozone does not carry them. Who would? Thanks.
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Old May 30, 2011 | 10:52 AM
  #22  
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From: fwb florida
Car: 1988 bird
Engine: built 327, fi
Transmission: borgwarner wct5
Axle/Gears: factory 342 open diff for now
Re: t5 wont go into gear

try carquest or gm
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Old Jun 18, 2011 | 09:48 PM
  #23  
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From: Montana
Car: 91 Camaro RS
Engine: 350
Transmission: T56
Re: t5 wont go into gear

Did you ever figure out the problem with the clutch?

I put my old WC T5 back in my car so I can get my T56 fixed.

I'm the same problem and I cant figure it out. it will only go in gear when the car is off, but wont go in any gears while running. and when I barely let off the clutch pedal, it instantly takes off with no riding on the clutch, and I've also noticed the car will still move even when I have my foot on the clutch.

We tried bleeding the clutch, but we aren't getting any bubbles anymore.

any ideas?

Id really appreciate if some one has a solution.
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Old Jun 18, 2011 | 11:10 PM
  #24  
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Re: t5 wont go into gear

Originally Posted by Demon_Eater
Did you ever figure out the problem with the clutch?

I put my old WC T5 back in my car so I can get my T56 fixed.

I'm the same problem and I cant figure it out. it will only go in gear when the car is off, but wont go in any gears while running. and when I barely let off the clutch pedal, it instantly takes off with no riding on the clutch, and I've also noticed the car will still move even when I have my foot on the clutch.

We tried bleeding the clutch, but we aren't getting any bubbles anymore.

any ideas?

Id really appreciate if some one has a solution.
If your clutch disk/ pressure plate are new, and while the clutch pedal is pressed down, and the car still moves, either your secondary cylinder isnt pressing the fork far enough to disengage the clutch fully or the pivot ball is so worn down it isn't giving it enough leverage to disengage the clutch. The pivot ball is the fulcrum of the fork.

The load is your pressure plate (resistance to lift), the fulcrum is your pivot ball, and the effort is your secondary cylinder.
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Old Jun 21, 2011 | 05:25 PM
  #25  
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From: McGregor TX
Car: 91 RS T-top
Engine: 305 tbi
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3:42 fourth gen disk brake
Re: t5 wont go into gear

There was a ring on the pivot ball. Similar to a washer. I removed it and finally got it in reverse. After driving it a while it seemed to be a lot better.
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Old Jul 15, 2011 | 11:28 AM
  #26  
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From: Norwalk, CA
Car: 1983 Z-28
Engine: 5.7 L
Transmission: T-5
Re: t5 wont go into gear

this is all helpful info...im in the same situation...im gona go get a new pivit ball rite now......lol...
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Old Jul 23, 2011 | 11:52 PM
  #27  
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From: Norwalk, CA
Car: 1983 Z-28
Engine: 5.7 L
Transmission: T-5
Re: t5 wont go into gear

ok guys i order one from oreillyauto parts and the tread on it is different.

where did u guys buy urs at?...
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Old Feb 19, 2019 | 02:45 AM
  #28  
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From: Elk Grove CA
Car: 86 trans-am 1LE G92 WS.6
Engine: 305 LB9
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 2.77 soon to have 3.45
Re: t5 wont go into gear

Guys I'm having this issue I purchased everything used except the important stuff clutch, flywheel, and complete hydraulic system are new I don't think the clutch is fully disengaged because it feels like the input shats is spinning I'm gonna try a pivot ball. I had turned the engine by hand with the wife hitting the clutch and it disengaged and engaged but I still heard some drag
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