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Hey guys, so I'm running into some issues that have me a little concerned. Lately, more frequently anyways, I have been having trouble getting into reverse. When the car is at certain angles. It just doesn't want to go in. Even when I try shifting into first and then into reverse there are times it just won't go. Then, there are other times where I park on a hill, put it in first and shut if off and it like slips down the hill, backwards. It's like this slow gear slip feel. It's got me concerned because I really don't have any more to play with repairs wise. Any thoughts on what it may be? Simply a clutch? Or worse the gears?

 
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Learn how to make it work.
There are a few methods for dealing with worn gear teeth, each has to do with getting the transmission shafts and gears to rotate a little.

One is to try every other gear one at a time after 1st doesn't help. Try 2nd, then reverse again. No? Try 3rd, then reverse again. Etc.
Next is to let the car roll a little if possible while holding the shifter in reverse.
Another is to put it in neutral, let the clutch out, then put the clutch to the floor again and try the shifter again.
Another is to firmly hold the shifter in reverse while s-l-o-w-l-y letting the clutch pedal up off the floor, this will let the shafts rotate slightly and help mesh the gear teeth.
Once the shifter drops into gear, push the clutch pedal down again, then drive backwards like usual.

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Not meaning to sound harsh here, but......

NEVER NEVER NEVER DO THIS!

God invented the parking brake for a reason. Use it!

1) Leaving it in gear without the handbrake being pulled hard enough to stop the car means you are relying on engine compression to hold the car still.
You can spin the crankshaft with a wrench by hand easily, so can gravity -- working upon the weight of the car, through the manual transmission gears.

(Some people don't pull the handbrake hard enough to actually stop the car, and that's damn near pointless. Right?)


2) you can get the timing belt to jump time by turning the crankshaft backwards. You parked pointing uphill, you left the shifter in a forward gear, and the car rolls backwards. That spins the crank backwards and that's a huge no-no.

The shifter needs to go whichever direction the car would (gravity) roll.
Put the car in reverse if pointed uphill.
Put the car in 1st if pointed downhill.


Park as close to the curb as possible
Turn the front wheels against the curb so the curb will stop the car.
If no curb at all, turn the front wheels so the car would roll away from the road if it does roll.



3) if your car rolls on a hill after you walk away, you are not in control of it.
By law, you are supposed to be in control of your car at all times, therefore you are at fault if it rolls into something.

From your DMV:
You are responsible for making sure that
your vehicle is not a hazard when it is parked.

If it rolls on its own, that's a possible hazard. Is it not?

Hmmm. Seems that your DMV booklet doesn't tell the other stuff about parking on a hill.

Here's an excerpt from my states' DMV book:

%u2022 If you park on a street with curbing and your vehicle is facing downhill, turn the front wheels toward the curb so your vehicle will roll toward the curb).
%u2022 If you park your vehicle facing uphill and there is a curb, turn the front wheels away from the curb.
%u2022 If you park on a street without curbing, turn the wheels toward the side of the road on which you are parked.


If your clutch slips bad enough to let the car roll when parked, you would have more complaints than just about parking.

 
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I must say I do really appreciate how you always cover all the possible outcomes. For an up and coming mechanic, it greatly helps.

 
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+1 to that. When the clutch went on my brother's Ranger, he nearly ran me over starting it up because it just started going. He probably shouldn't have had it in gear though.

 
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Some would call me an *** for writing some of that.
Career advice: If you are smart enough to actually fix cars, you are smart enough to do something else that pays better.

 
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BOOM.

Techs... esp the ones who're very experienced, can make lots of money in a dealership. However, there's one immutable law that's always going to have any tech at a disadvantage: sales brings in money, parts and service bleeds it. That's why sales will always get best treatment, no matter what vehicle you're selling. It doesn't help that service tends to attract those who want to work on cars, without fixing many, or doing it under time and cash constraints.

I got out of it partly due to this. Am much happier -- and cleaner -- now, and I can wrench on a schedule I determine and have ultimate say over.

 
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I wouldn't say ***, more just gruff. It does sometimes come across as "your stupid for asking that". Doesn't bug me though. Whether or not mechanics will be a full time or on the side deal I haven't figured out yet, but I have never used duct tap to fix anything. I do it with correct parts.

 
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LOL ok.