2 issues:
1) My brother's 96 Altima is stuck in second gear. They (dad and brother in Charlotte) physically can't pull it out of second. It drives fine in that gear though (no grinding). What most likely broke? They're fairly sure it's in the transmission and not a problem with the linkage. It's a typical (for early 90s) 5 speed manual for a front wheel drive import.

Diagrams are available here:
http://forums.nicoclub.com/zerothread?id=196163&postid=2057652


2) According to drivetrain.com, the Altimas they list from that generation and many Maximas used the same "Type of Transmission," an RS5F50A. We happen to have a spare gearbox from a 93 Maxima SE that my brother totaled laying around. Does anyone happen to know if the 93 Maxima gearbox will bolt right up to the 96 Altima? I will get serial numbers off the transmissions and talk to a dealer before I try it, but it sounds like it may be possible.

If the only difference is the splines on the differential, is there any chance we could just swap the differentials without messing with either shaft or any of the shifting mechanisms? (the Maxima SE gearbox may have a LSD, the Altima does not, and that made a difference for driveshaft part numbers for the Altima if I recall correctly)


Sorry if I wasted anyone's time, this is kind of specific.

6/7/2007 12:53:51 AM

i dont know a lot about nissans, but swapping the differential is going to require you to open the trans case.. thats a job that typically requires some specialized tools and technical know-how..

6/7/2007 1:21:53 AM

have you checked the linkage completely?

because it is the linkage

6/7/2007 1:35:12 AM

I haven't actually seen it yet. I'll do that first, but I though they looked it over and decided it was ok. I'm told it at least still feels like it's connected to the transmission. I figured maybe one of the forks inside was bent, or one of the pieces in between the linkage and those forks bent.

6/7/2007 1:58:20 AM

Quote :

"have you checked the linkage completely? because it is the linkage "

pretty definite answer for someone that hasnt even seen the car...

ok, one question.. what happened *right before* the car was stuck in 2nd gear?

6/7/2007 2:02:55 AM

well even if it isnt the linkage (which it is), it is the simplest thing

so it should be checked first

6/7/2007 2:07:32 AM

The linkage has been checked, just not by me and probably not completely. I don't think they looked well at the joint just below the shift lever (under the floor) because the exhaust is in the way and they haven't pulled that yet. My dad did get under the car and look at it long enough to convince him to go shopping for transmissions, but he's not a mechanic so maybe there is something wrong there.

I'm told that the car was slowed to a stop at a light in 2nd gear with the clutch in. When he tried to put it in first to leave the light, it wouldn't move. No useful symptoms like something popping or snapping, and the shifter supposedly feels like it always does in 2nd, it just wont move out of it.

The car's in Charlotte, I'm in Raleigh, and I just want to know what our options are. The car isn't really worth the cost of a re manufactured gearbox (190000 miles and showing it).

I'm planning on heading to Charlotte tomorrow. I'll take a good look at the linkage before we do anything serious.

[Edited on June 7, 2007 at 2:34 AM. Reason : I need a garage]

6/7/2007 2:31:29 AM

Could be shift fork

6/7/2007 5:26:02 PM

The linkage appears to be fine. With it disconnected from the transmission, it wiggles around normally. Nothing looks broken. What else should I look for on the linkage?

6/9/2007 7:38:45 PM

do you mean transmission??? i hope so, cause if youve been checking the linkage on a tranny then you need to post in chit chat.

6/9/2007 7:42:28 PM

that's what she said

6/9/2007 8:31:23 PM

You're most likely going to have to split the case to address this issue. The tranny is a common Nissan tranny, and they've been using variants of it ever since the first generation of FWD Maximas and Stanzas (though most Stanzas and all Sentras used a version of the RS5F30A).

If my memory serves me correctly, the internal linkage is a bit of a pain in the ass in that it does use some sort of "hockey stick" that selects the proper striking rod and moves it back and forth. Each striking rod has a bushing block on the tit that the hockey stick runs over. You could have something binding or broken in that little nightmare of a rat's nest.

Or it could be something as simple as a broken detent ball spring. Either way, I am pretty sure the gearbox has to come out and you're gonna have to split the case to find out. Have fun with that. I haven't done one of those in about 14 years.

6/9/2007 9:00:46 PM

i've heard of this happening to a few ppl with 4th gen maximas where they had just slammed on the brakes hard and the tranny gets stuck into like first gear as a fail safe kinda 'limp on home mode' but after restarting the car it was normal again.

6/10/2007 4:45:10 PM

any and all tranny questions should be directed to el borkacho

6/10/2007 5:42:06 PM