Eclipse 5th Gear Problem

Im looking into buying a 96-98 eclipse gst. Just doing my research but ive heard a little about a typical eclipse and sentra ser problem regarding the 5th gear. is it true that the 5th gear is known to readily break on eclipses?

I've never come across it in months of multiple forums, or heard about it on the street.. so

If I were you, i'd decide between 95 (eprom ecu for DSMlink) or 97-99 models (different front bumper and spoiler) instead of 96-98

ya, I think that all of the mitsubishi eclipses and eagle talons are known for this problem, and unfortunately I don't know of anyway to really remedy it. But I have also heard that it is more commonly known to happen in the turbo models, apparently to much power for them to handle. I also had a friend who had to replace his tranny in his 1991 talon awd but it made it for a good 100,000 miles before he had a problem.

with 1 post you've heard that my car is known for 5th gear going out before I have?

Power affects 5th gear does it? yeah.. all that torque in 5th gear must break it way faster than 1st or 2nd.

with 1 post you've heard that my car is known for 5th gear going out before I have?

Power affects 5th gear does it? yeah.. all that torque in 5th gear must break it way faster than 1st or 2nd.

its suprising how many people on here havent heard about the 5th gear problem because it is common just as 3rd gear problems are common in many older acuras and hondas (integra and civics). but im glad that someone on here finally knows something about eclipses. wack forum.

I don't know nearly enough to answer questions on a more technical board, but this forum has some valuable people that know a lot.. I'd name them, but i'm sure i'd miss someone and they would feel bad :) spectrum, eclipseRST, 95 gsxracer, landoAWD come to mind. there are some more

Yo Joewagon, just because I have one post doesn't mean I dont have anything valuble to say, which sometimes I don't. The problem relates with to much stress on the transmission. It just wasn't built to handle the stress, or so I have heard. "Although I am not an expert". I have had no problems with my eclipse so far tho. So I wouldn't worry to much about it.
Cheers! :smile:

Wack forum? Line up with some of the cars here before you open your mouth to shoot off some snide remarks ;) I'll go first.

I have broken everything in the DSM trannies, or seen it broken in trannies I have personaly worked on. Never once in all my years of DSMing have I ever seen or heard of a broken 5th gear. Sounds like something the ricer haters made up to make themselves feel better, IMO. You'll break 3rd 95% of the time. I know I do.

There is rarely a case where the end nut will loosen up and the shifter will move around when you are in 5th and you get on/off the gas. But the gear doesnt break, and the fix is to tighten the nut.

Also, for what its worth, I use all stock mitsu tranny gears. So do poeple making 600-800 whp... I'd say they were designed to handle some decent stress. But parts do break when you have both torque and traction. 9 times out of 10 though its niether of those, but wheelhop. Wheelhop in an AWD will break stuff. If not imediately, fatigue will cause the failure later on. Been there, done that. Many times. :)

Wack forum? Line up with some of the cars here before you open your mouth to shoot off some snide remarks ;) I'll go first.

I have broken everything in the DSM trannies, or seen it broken in trannies I have personaly worked on. Never once in all my years of DSMing have I ever seen or heard of a broken 5th gear. Sounds like something the ricer haters made up to make themselves feel better, IMO. You'll break 3rd 95% of the time. I know I do.

There is rarely a case where the end nut will loosen up and the shifter will move around when you are in 5th and you get on/off the gas. But the gear doesnt break, and the fix is to tighten the nut.


Before you hike your pants up and get all tough, let me explain that comment. Out of all the forums I've been on this is the only where people seem to want to respond to irrelevant threads than they do ones that have anything to do with the subject of the forum (Automotive).

I am by no means discrediting those who are knowledgeable about the subjects. I consider and appreciate all responses.

After doing more research I read that this is more of a 1st generation problem, and was a specifically one of the 5th gear. It is also unfixable. I also read that this problem happing in later generations was most likely due to a lose bolt or nut. Because I'm not interested in the 1st generation eclipses, I don’t have to worry about it. Although surprising as it is, you have never heard of it either with all of your experience on DSM trannies. I guess it’s the luck of the draw =/ If I find the website again that I was reading I"ll post it on here so that others on this forum can be more familair with such a common and specific problem.

ok...mr. no it all....KEVIN OWNS U! lol

confusing-people-with-92-teg-in-their-profile-and-bmw-in-their-screenname-that-want-to-ask-peeps-who-know-about-the-subject-and-then-tell-them-they-are-wrong are in the wrong forum. i think you need to go to: ialreadyknowbutwanttoaskanywayforums.com

there goes your proof that people would rather respond to bs than the subject of the forum. thanks smokeasses and boostedspyder.

You are entitled to your opinion, and I wont argue. But on the 5th gear issue I ask you this. Would it be more likely that its not an issue because I have never heard of it after so many years of DSMing, or more likely that it is an issue, because its mentioned on one site (out of thousands)? If you do find the page, I would certainly like to see it. But I dont get the feeling I'll be learning anything new from it. Probably one guys experience getting blown out of proportion, much like crankwalk (though that admitedly is far mroe common than 5th gear problems). The end nut problem happens, but I would not consider it anywhere near "common and specific." There is a vfaq on it, perhaps you saw that.

1st gen and 2nd gen trannies are really the same. All of the internals are interchangeable. Even with EVO and Galant parts. For example, you can have a 95 tranny with 1g 3rd/4th gear, galant intermediate shaft and 1st gear, and EVO shift forks. You can also take a dog box for an EVO and put it in a 2g case and have a dogbox for a DSM, etc. So I dont see how it could be just a 1st gen issue, unless its just a matter of age.

I'm always open to learning new things, so if you have links with more info by all means post them! I didnt mean to sound like I was trying to be "tough," just annoyed that someone was complaining about these forums after they have come so far in the last 6 months. After putting 40 hours into the car this week, I was a little cranky perhaps :p Your opinion is valued here as much as anyone elses, and your posts are well written, with proper grammar and such, which goes a long way... I'm sorry you find the fourms "wack," but its a work in progress. :)

Are you sure you wern't reading a website about a sentra se-r and got it confused with an eclipse. Because I know that the sentra had a common problem with the fifth gear.

i first heard of this problem at a sentra ser convention by some owners of gen1&2 eclipses. they explained it as a common prob and one guy mentioning how he had to replace his tranny 3 times b/c it was unfixable. i dunno if they were exadurating or wut. here is what ive found online:

this "5th gear problem" is most likely due to a loose nut/bolt (i guess similar to what GSX mentioned before). it is more of a gen1 problem.

Another might be due to the transfer case leaking fluids which it had a recall for.

i think this problem is probably over rated, and maybe negligible. i guess ill find out when i get an eclipse.


(*click on some of the links in the article that explain more):

http://members.shaw.ca/costall/1000Q/answers-problems.htm#myshiftermoves

i have another page im still trying to find.

more info provided by 95gsx a while back:

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=142310&highlight=5th+gear

Yes, everything there makes sense, though the endnut problem is still pretty damn rare. The tcase has nothing to do with it though, the fluid is etirely seperate from that of the tranny.

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Thank you for your contribution to our dicsussion about the "shifter movement in 5th gear" issue with DSMs....

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