Hey guys. Was driving home the other night and car wouldn't shift from 1st to second while going up a hill. Then I realized the car wouldn't go into ANY gear. Thought it might be the shift cables but the stick never went completely limp. The car seems to be shifting fine on a top side by the transmission and the cables seem to be connected fine on the bottom as well. What else can it be? Clutch? I can take some pics/vid in the meantime.

Thanks for the input.
Nick

 

Helps if u mention what gen car and model

 

Haha good point. Sorry and thanks. 2005 MINI Cooper S (R53)

 

With the car off, can you shift? Or does it feel odd?

 

Yes I can. MAYBE feels a little loose but I'm pretty sure it's normal. Near the transmission, I can see it shift into all the gears.

 

Video of the gears shifting near the transmission. Starts in neutral, goes 1-6, then back to neutral.

 

I should also mention, clutch seems to operate fine. No odd noises, feels exactly the same, nice and firm. Could it likely still be the master or slave cylinders then?

 

It's not the bushing on the shift assembly that is worn out, is it? Clutch would work but depending on how the shift lever is seated/not seated in the housing, you wouldn't be able to shift.


I just replaced the bushing when I found I couldn't shift into gears. Not sure we're talking about the same problem, though.

 

Nope, I think we're talking about two different things. Shifter feels normal too and can go through all the gears.

 

Maybe bad motor/tranny mount causing the linkage to bind under load?

 

OK so haven't been able to work on the car and was supposed to have a mechanic neighbor help me look at it over the weekend but that never happened. However I did notice that whether in gear or out, only one of the front wheels spin at a time. Transmission issues? Differential?

 

You didn't mention if you had any work done lately. Or how many miles on car. It sounds like an axel popped out of the diff. Up in the air the one connected will rotate as there is no load but with load on the ground all the power would go to the axel with least resistance or in this case the one that may have popped out.

You'll need to get under there and grab the axels ( engine not running) and see if you have play in and out or maybe around as a joint may have failed inside the boot.

Sent from my iPad using NAMotoring

 

You know, I did actually replace the axles recently and although I thought about this, I didn't give it too much of a look-over as I did observe the most recently replaced one spinning fine and tight in the transmission. I'll double check both sides and see if there's any play. I should have mentioned in my last post that I can hear them turning the transmission so I don't think it's at the boot.

Car has 114k

 

Nailed it Drivehard. Totally was the axle on the drivers side which is missing its little locking ring on the end of the axle causing it to pop out of the tranny but not so much that it still sounded like it was turning the transmission as i turned the wheel. Don't think it's in the transmission as I don't remember there being one so that's not a worry.

Still might change the linkage as there is some small cracking in the rubber bushing and I've already got it all taken apart. Probably good idea either way as it's a 2005 with as many miles as it has. Made it worth it as I'll be putting in the Helix short shift kit in the end

And if I may, Drivehard, where do you live on LI? I'm in Suffolk in Rocky Point.

 

Great. Glad I could help. You know that's the second thread I answered that replacement axels didn't clip in and they popped out. Seems like the locking ring is too big or too small. If you got it all apart the linkage will freshen everything up. Good job.

And I'm in Amityville ... Practically neighbors

Sent from my iPad using NAMotoring

 

Yup. No clip on the shaft. Got one on there now :D

I think you're right and the new cables will help freshen things up, but I'm going to try to hold for a bit and make it part of a maintenance day. Ive been without this car for almost 2 weeks! Helix short shifter is going in though :D :D