FWD trans fifth gear end case issue

[zaebst]

Hey guys I have a 90 GST trans that I took apart to put a lsd insert in the diff. Everything came apart with ease and went back together just as well until I went to install the end cover. Everything is assembled and torqued and two new shaft locknuts.
Without the end cover on each gear engages fine. With the end cover installed I can't engage fifth gear. I tried reinstalling it with fifth engaged and once installed it is locked in that gear. I'm noticing there is a bit of a gap before tightening down that I feel is more than normal. I'm out of ideas.
Attached are a couple of pictures to explain what i'm seeing. I'm really hoping somebody sees something i'm missing.
Gap before bolting down

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Gears with trans in neutral

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With fifth engaged

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[twicks69]

I cannot see the pictures that good since I cannot zoom in on them with your photobucket account.

Confirm that your reverse synchro is aligned with the keys on the 5th/rev hub and slider, as well as that you don't have 5th synchro wedged under the hub and slider on the gear. If these problems are there, you will destroy a bunch of stuff.

 

[Auto RS T]

Could have the 5th gear and reverse synchro swapped. They are different heights.

 

[donniekak]

Could have the 5th gear and reverse synchro swapped. They are different heights.

I'm with this guy. From the pic, the reverse synchro does not look like a 1990 reverse synchro.

 

[zaebst]

Thanks guys. I forgot to clarify this trans allegedly has an awd 5th. Not sure how to verify that. It was something of a mutt trans that's been in a couple of Mirages.

Anyways besides that, I rechecked things over a number of times taking the synchro ring out and making sure the spring clip holding the three "teeth" were all in correctly and such. One way or another it seemed to engage so I sealed it up and torqued it down.

Flash forward to today when we got around to installing it and I tested shifting dry before put everything else back together. Now third gear clicks in but doesn't feel like it's fully engaged if that makes any sense. Fifth gear is similar but is definitely notchy like something is hanging up. 1, 2, 4, R all go right in. We plan to pull the trans back out on sunday to recheck but I am truly at a loss for what I could have done to cause this. What should I be looking for or what can I take pics of that may be helpful in figuring this out?

 

[wishihadatalon]

I would like to add that when I was dry shifting it, the shifter was slightly hanging up when moving side to side.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

90 models had 2 different designs for syncro's, early and late model. And make sure you have the reverse syncro in the right place and not in the 5th gear syncro mistakenly there. I had to rebuild 5th gear on mine and it was a mess with broken syncro's and all the sliders and retaining rings in the bottom of the housing. I ordered all the parts I needed from Jacks and it is smooth as can be and never gave me any hang ups at all. If I remember right the early models had smaller diameter syncros then the late ones and reverse is a wide syncro. Just info. I couldn't see your pictures so I pulled them up on my phone and the reverse syncro looks like 5th gears syncro or you have a later model 90 trans. My reverse sycro was much wider. Make sure you don't have them turned around.

 

[zaebst]

Thanks for the input.

I'm gonna try just pulling the end cover with it in the car to inspect hopefully to save me a little added hassle of taking the trans completely out a second time. If i remember correctly third and fifth are on the same shaft right? If so that might explain how one could affect the other.

 

[zaebst]

I got it apart and found the problem. I didn't install the three synchro keys in the correct order when setting the synchro assembly back on the shaft. Once the hub slider and fork were installed there was no way to get them surther in around the second snap ring. Once we got that apart and reassembled we retried it and went right in great. Thankful it was a simple error on my part and not something bigger.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Glad it worked out and lucky it was fifth since you can get to it in the car!