Hi guys, I spent a lot of time on these forums researching before I bought my Z, but only just registered an account.

I have a 2008 6mt with 42k, and recently had my transmission replaced under warranty (sporadic grinding going into 5th gear.)

When I test drove the car before picking it up, I immediately missed my first shift into fifth. The shifter hung up on the "path" to reverse. I have to move it to the left a short distance to get to fifth. Sixth seems to have a bit of a taper on its right edge, so it doesn't have as much trouble.

I know that I can drive around this, but it is definitely worse than the car's original transmission.

Has anyone felt anything like this? When shifting along the right edge of transmission, without depressing the stick at all, is yours smooth, or does it catch on the "path" to reverse?

Thanks for your comments!

 

Did you tell the dealership about the new issue? What was their response?

 

We had a pow-wow with two mechanics and the service manager. Their responses included:

-I am only used to five-speeds, but it seems normal to me.

-It is stiff because the transmission is new, although I don't think the notch will ever go away.

-You just have to force it in.

We left it as "agree to disagree," but I will be meeting with a Nissan Factory Rep in the next week or so.

I am a little nervous because I don't have an understanding of how the reverse lock-out and "shift gate" mechanisms actually work. I am afraid that the rep will have the final say, and if it is left as a judgement call, I may get stuck with this new problem.

First, I want to confirm that other people's cars don't actually shift like this. Even better would be to go in with an understanding of the issue so I can insist upon the correct steps to fix it.

 

I'm not sure what the issue could be; but mine definitely does not shift like yours. It's smooth into every gear.

That's extremely irresponsible for the mechanic to make a statement like that: "I'm only used to working with 5-speeds," then get somebody who knows what they are talking about and what they are doing!

I'll let you know if I find some info that may help your situation.

 

So I found the following quote in an old post on another forum:

"The shifter has a little **** on it to keep you from going into reverse by mistake when trying to go into 6th, the little **** goes under a guide plate when you push the shifter down, so only way for it to not go into reverse but 6th is if that little **** is broken off or the plate is missing or not adjusted properly, but if the plate was missing or not adjusted properly you would have a hard time getting the shifter into 5th and 6th as you would overshoot the gates for those gears."

Is this "guide plate" really adjustable? If so, it sounds like a dead ringer for my issue. I specifically asked the tech who worked my car if there were any adjustable end-of-travel stops, and he assured me that there were none...

 

Aha...

https://my350z.com/forum/exterior-an...ide-plate.html

https://my350z.com/forum/engine-and-...t-pattern.html

I guess I will try to find formal instructions in the actual service manual and swing by the dealership again. It would probably be easier to fix it myself, but gotta keep that warranty intact, right?

Here's hoping this is the solution. Next up is cleaning the sending units to get the gas gauge working.