Rep Power: 0

Ok i have a manual 02 ex and i have been having troubles shifting into revers and having the gear actual grab it still works but it takes a while i have to jiggle it around and I can pull my stick as hard as i want and it just does not want to go into reverse please don't say its my tranny...

 
Rep Power: 379

Well.. it could simply be the gears misaligned. Does it happen all the time or just occasionally?

Try putting it in neutral and letting off the clutch before you continue on going in to reverse. (to get the input shaft spinning again)

 
Rep Power: 0

Mamamia! I know what you're talking about and don't get desperate!

First thing you gotta know is that first and reverse gears do not have synchros on our particular car. Practically speaking, that means that you have to be completely stopped before you shift into these gears, or you may damage your transmission on the long run.

The absence of synchros brings something else. If the reverse gear, which is not part of the two main shafts, is not aligned with the gears situated on the main shafts, it simply won't go. Don't put any extra strength, don't smash it into gear and above all, don't cry. This is how these transmissions are made. Bad design? maybe. But we have to deal with it.

Now, it is really important that you do not over force it into gear or you could otherwise damage the transmission permanently.

1) Put it in neutral
2) release the clutch for 2 seconds
3) press the clutch again
4) try to get it in reverse

If that doesn't work, try it again over and over.

If that still doesn't work, it might be time for a rebuild. Maybe it's been mistreated to much before...

 
Rep Power: 0

Dang ok well i have tried that but it also does it when i am just sitting still.... is there a way to put in synchros

 
Rep Power: 0

My car does that occasionally... usually, when I let off the clutch and reapply, it goes in fine.

It also does it going from Neutral to 1st.

 
Rep Power: 312

I don't think there is a way to put in synchros... If there was it would be incredibly complicated and expensive. What I do is what izotop said. Start releasing the clutch without being fully in reverse, and once the input shaft starts spinning, it goes in well. That's my recommendation anyway, even though it's the same as his

 
Rep Power: 811

wow that would drive me crazy, glad i have the auto. even tho its breaking too haha

 
Rep Power: 312

It's really not that bad. Just takes a little bit of getting used to

 
Rep Power: 0

Even if you're sitting still, if the gears are not aligned...well...they're not. What you want to do then is trying to get them aligned using the procedure that I described or the one described by tbohar. There is no big deal there.. Just get used to it.

My former car (Saturn Ls1 2000), an old failed whale, never did that because the reverse was synchronized. At first I was pissed with the Civic, but then I realized that... - This is how they're built.

 
Rep Power: 312

It's also one less thing to go wrong.

 
Rep Power: 0

Ya i do suppose well i guess it will just have to practice lol thank you very much for your guys input