1G Only 1st, 3rd, 5th, and reverse. whats wrong?

[sleppydsm]

So i picked up a 91 tsi awd barely running for 425$ and the trans only goes into 1st, 3rd, sometimes 5th and reverse. I am not fond of rebuilding transmissions myself so basicly i am wondering what you guys think is wrong and if its easy to reuild? Thanks for any input good or bad

 

[squid267]

had this issue i couldnt shift into bottom gears (2,4, reverse) check your shifter cables from the shifter to tranny. one of mine was bad

 

[sleppydsm]

had this issue i couldnt shift into bottom gears (2,4, reverse) check your shifter cables from the shifter to tranny. one of mine was bad

checked the cables and its still the same after some adjusment, pulling the trans today and im curious as of the condition of the internals. i will post later what i find

 

[USAF 98 GSX]

had this issue i couldnt shift into bottom gears (2,4, reverse) check your shifter cables from the shifter to tranny. one of mine was bad

Same here, but not only a bad cable, but the linkage bracket attached to the tranny was completely detached. If it not the cables, bushings or bracket, then prepare yourself for some type of rebuild.

 

[weep87]

I agree with cable, make sure the shifter cable bracket on the trans is tight as well as the shifter base. Check for bends in the cables at the transmission end. I kinked one installing a tranny and had the same symptoms. Replaced the cable and problem went away.

 

[Kramerdachamp]

You may have adjusted the cable, but if it is stretched then no matter what adjustments you do to it, it will not properly work. Try replacing the cables first, and also try replacing the bushings.

 

[sethpatch]

So i picked up a 91 tsi awd barely running for 425$ and the trans only goes into 1st, 3rd, sometimes 5th and reverse. I am not fond of rebuilding transmissions myself so basicly i am wondering what you guys think is wrong and if its easy to reuild? Thanks for any input good or bad

did you try to mess with the linkage under the hood. I had a friend that had the same issue and we manually put his car into fourth by messing with the linkage on his transmission, ended up replacing the cables and everything works now.

 

[Colt90tsi]

Sounds like it has 90 shifter cables in it.

I picked up a 91 one time that had the same issue once, I swapped the cables and base and it was fine. Some people say the cables are the same and that the bracket on the trans is different, but I changed it all anyways. I would start by verifying the right bracket is on there first and go from there.

Also verify the trans that's in the car, typically 91 are 23 spline but can have a 22 spline.

 

[sleppydsm]

first i want to say thanks to everybodys replies because i couldnt figure it out for the life of me, it ended up being that the cables were stretched as well as 90 cables . the kid that owned it before me was a tool none the less and litteraly hacked everything in the car so its being fully gutted and being turned into a track/ weekend car.