91 Escort transmission problem

[rjankowski]

Car specs:
91 Ford Escort Gt
1.8l DOHC
5 Speed manual Trannie
New AC Delco clutch (not even 100 miles on it)

Ok some backround:

Bought car
Drivers side shoulder seat belt malfunctioning, removed
Immediatly after buying car had to replace bulbs and such
Fuel leak, fixed
Clutch dissentigrated on me, Replaced
Left drive-axle C/V broke off and snapped in half while freeway driving it, replaced.

Now the stupid transmission is stuck in first gear. IE: The shifter is free, can shift in to 2nd 3rd and 4th gears fine Possibly fifth. But when in the neutral position, the car is still in first gear (can start, let off clutch and car wants to move forward)

SO with all that being said, how do I get the trannie out of first gear and back in to actually being in neutral. I need any help as I am in the army and have to drive this car about 1000 miles in 3 days, the thing needs to run NOW!!

Thanks in advance for any help!

[midwayfreak]

Wish I could help but it's probably an internal problem, only other thing to check is the torque link between shifter and trans, look for a failed bushing where it ataches to the transmission.

[AzTumbleweed]

As you can see in this diagram the purple rings engage a gear and that's what makes that gear move the car. The other gears are just along for the ride. Anyway, for some reason the linkeage must me out of adjustment inside the tranny for it to do this. Not having neutral should not stop you from your trip. You want to be moving, not sitting in neutral. Have you checked the tranny fluid? Man, I gotta wonder, you disentigrated a clutch, broke a half shaft and now the tranny is messed up. I'm sorry I just can't blame all of that on the car. What do you do in the Army? 11B Bradley driver? Seriously, I see no reason why you can't make your trip the way it is. When you need to stop just shut off the engine. Thank you for your service to our country. Former 19D & 19G

[rjankowski]

Originally Posted by AzTumbleweed

As you can see in this diagram the purple rings engage a gear and that's what makes that gear move the car. The other gears are just along for the ride. Anyway, for some reason the linkeage must me out of adjustment inside the tranny for it to do this. Not having neutral should not stop you from your trip. You want to be moving, not sitting in neutral. Have you checked the tranny fluid? Man, I gotta wonder, you disentigrated a clutch, broke a half shaft and now the tranny is messed up. I'm sorry I just can't blame all of that on the car. What do you do in the Army? 11B Bradley driver? Seriously, I see no reason why you can't make your trip the way it is. When you need to stop just shut off the engine. Thank you for your service to our country. Former 19D & 19G

Hrm well first off... im a 25S (sat-com, tac-sat operator)

Second, the car is stuck in 1st gear... there is no obvious way for me to get it out of first gear and into 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and reverse. And unfortunatlly I do have to use those gears, especially on the highway for a 9 hour trip. Now I must admit... the clutch is probably my fault but im glad it failed when it did... the drive-axle I can't see as being my fault, I think its been faulty since I got the car. (heard the knocking noise on turns that I just blamed on the faulty power steering)

[AzTumbleweed]

When I read "can shift in to 2nd 3rd and 4th gears fine Possibly fifth." I thought you meant those gears were all OK. My guess would be that the transmission lever has been installed wrong or has come loose inside.

25S? Ever get to go to Fort Irwin? I spent 5 years there as a civilian.