03 PT Tranny Problem

[Blazinator]

I was driven my pt down the interstate the other day when all the sudden 5th gear quits pulling.I then down shifted to 4th to try an limp it to a rest area a few miles up the road.I then lost fourth gear.Then third gear went out shortly after.I messed around with it for a few moments checking things and then low an behold third gear started working again.Every sense then 1,2,3 & reverse has worked flawlessly no problems at all.However now i still have no fourth or fifth gear.You can put it in fourth or fifth with your pinky finger while the engine is running without even pressing the clutch.There is nothing there what so ever its like another neutral gear.no grinding or nothing.You can flop it in an out of fourth an fifth gear with your finger as if theres no linkage even attached.yet the rest of the gears are flawless.No clutch slippage or grinding of any kind before or after this happened.It did however not wont to stay in fifth gear for a long time without holding your hand on it prior to this new mystery.The PT is a 2003 5-Speed Manual Trans base model with 140,000 miles on it never had any problems till this transmission problem started.Any help will be greatly appreciated.I'm excellent at working on cars but this little booger seems to have me stumped as i've never had this problem with any transmission before.

[Busted_PT]

Originally Posted by Blazinator

I was driven my pt down the interstate the other day when all the sudden 5th gear quits pulling.I then down shifted to 4th to try an limp it to a rest area a few miles up the road.I then lost fourth gear.Then third gear went out shortly after.I messed around with it for a few moments checking things and then low an behold third gear started working again.Every sense then 1,2,3 & reverse has worked flawlessly no problems at all.However now i still have no fourth or fifth gear.You can put it in fourth or fifth with your pinky finger while the engine is running without even pressing the clutch.There is nothing there what so ever its like another neutral gear.no grinding or nothing.You can flop it in an out of fourth an fifth gear with your finger as if theres no linkage even attached.yet the rest of the gears are flawless.No clutch slippage or grinding of any kind before or after this happened.It did however not wont to stay in fifth gear for a long time without holding your hand on it prior to this new mystery.The PT is a 2003 5-Speed Manual Trans base model with 140,000 miles on it never had any problems till this transmission problem started.Any help will be greatly appreciated.I'm excellent at working on cars but this little booger seems to have me stumped as i've never had this problem with any transmission before.

Did you check the shift cables to see if they are in working order? Under the air box.

[Blazinator]

nope sure didn't but ill def. take a look.

[cruserdad1976]

or the bushings may have went south and poped off kind of the same thing i guess

[UptownSport]

100% of '03 with that mileage have bad shift bushings.

Search 'booger racing' (direct) or booger bushings on ebay.
About $20

[jrbsr05pt]

Originally Posted by UptownSport

100% of '03 with that mileage have bad shift bushings.

Search 'booger racing' (direct) or booger bushings on ebay.
About $20

just curious as to how 1,2,3 and reverse would still work but not 4 and 5 with bad bushings? I have a 05 5 speed so that's why im wondering. There is 2 underneath the air box and 2 on the shifter, I always thought one set of those bushings was for reverse and the other set for drive? so how could only 3 of the gears work with the same set of bushing running them, if you guys suspect bushings? forgive me if this is a goofy question.

[Blazinator]

Originally Posted by jrbsr05pt

just curious as to how 1,2,3 and reverse would still work but not 4 and 5 with bad bushings? I have a 05 5 speed so that's why im wondering. There is 2 underneath the air box and 2 on the shifter, I always thought one set of those bushings was for reverse and the other set for drive? so how could only 3 of the gears work with the same set of bushing running them, if you guys suspect bushings? forgive me if this is a goofy question.

I was sort of wondering the same thing. I haven't had a chance to check it out yet been tied up on the phone all day with my insurance agency where i girl t-boned me in the drivers door monday. I'm gonna try my best to check it out tomorrow.Weird thing is it's like the car has three neutrals it will act like its in gear (shifter wise) but as far as the transmission goes its like you just put it in neutral.Will run like a scolded dog then you shift into 4th nothing there then in 5th nothing there either. all other forward gears work & reverse as well.Shifter actually seems pretty tight but its like someone deleted those to gears out of the transmission as there is no resistance,grinding or anything both with the car running or whether the cars off. I did however notice the tranny was low on gear oil so i added some but made no difference.

Try my best to check the linkages and bushings tomorrow.

[randyincctx]

Originally Posted by jrbsr05pt

just curious as to how 1,2,3 and reverse would still work but not 4 and 5 with bad bushings?

It kinda has to do with how the selector cable is actually 'pushing' or 'pulling' on the shift lever,and how badly the bushings are worn(or gone).


PT__MTX_Bushings.jpg

[jrbsr05pt]

Originally Posted by randyincctx

It kinda has to do with how the selector cable is actually 'pushing' or 'pulling' on the shift lever,and how badly the bushings are worn(or gone).


Attachment 10425

I see what you are saying but.....na. I dont believe shifter bushings are his problem. He can check if he want but I doubt its it. I'm sure hes moved the gear shifter around plenty of times trying to get it to go into gear, if his bushings were completely gone like in the pic, he'd eventually be able to get it in the right spot to engage. When I changed mine there were no bushings under the hood and I was still able to shift and drive just fine with no grinds or problems. Its not like the hole is huge anyways lol. Was bored one day. Saw a post on them. Figured id go check mine. Saw it was just laying on there, no bushing so was hmmm. Ordered some off eBay but like I said I was still able to shift no problems. He can't do nothing with 4 and 5. I say its clutch/trans related? Idk transmissions or clutchs but I do have some knowledge to say that the shifter linkage has enough play to where it'd still engage in gear with no bushing and if I'm completely wrong. Well. I was at least trying to sound smart

[Busted_PT]

Originally Posted by jrbsr05pt

I see what you are saying but.....na. I dont believe shifter bushings are his problem. He can check if he want but I doubt its it. I'm sure hes moved the gear shifter around plenty of times trying to get it to go into gear, if his bushings were completely gone like in the pic, he'd eventually be able to get it in the right spot to engage. When I changed mine there were no bushings under the hood and I was still able to shift and drive just fine with no grinds or problems. Its not like the hole is huge anyways lol. Was bored one day. Saw a post on them. Figured id go check mine. Saw it was just laying on there, no bushing so was hmmm. Ordered some off eBay but like I said I was still able to shift no problems. He can't do nothing with 4 and 5. I say its clutch/trans related? Idk transmissions or clutchs but I do have some knowledge to say that the shifter linkage has enough play to where it'd still engage in gear with no bushing and if I'm completely wrong. Well. I was at least trying to sound smart

Not clutch. You don't need clutch to get in gear.