Why wont 5th gear work , engages but when you take the clutch off the engine just spins fast and no traction , all other gears work perfectly , you wouldn't know there is a problem up to 5th

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Depends if it is automatic or manual transmission. 5th Gear is basically an overdrive, so it you are travelling slowly, 5th it too high.

If it died and won't start, it could be many things. You need to connect it to a scan tool computer to diagnose the electrics, modules and sensors.

Are you saying that the clutch is not working so that you cannot change gears while the car is running? With the engine stopped, and the car not moving, can you shift the transmission into the other gears? If this is so, then your problem would be a hydraulic or cable malfunction with the operation of the clutch system. If you have a hydraulic system, make sure that you have fluid in the clutch master cylinder and that it is working properly. If it is a cable system, make sure that it is working. c

Hi Anonymous

What I believe you've said is that you turn the key to start, the engine turns over for a second, then you just hear the starter spinning but no engine turn over. Yes?

Then you took it to Autozone and tested it and it stayed engaged during the test. The differences, possible or real here, are the load on the starter gear end, and the electricity driving it.

There are a couple things happening in the start cycle. The motor starts spinning and the solenoid pushes the spinning gear forward to engage the toothed edge of the flywheel. If the solenoid doesn't push enough, the gear won't engage. So, one thought is that there's an issue with the solenoid - it may push the gear out just fine, but lack power to keep it pressed forward if there is back-force from the engine.

If you have a poor connection to the battery, the solenoid may not draw the current to keep the gear engaged. Checking the hot (red) wire both at the battery and where it attaches to the starter is the primary diagnostic there. Even if the battery has a good charge, the current draw if starting is the heaviest load it encounters in a typical day of driving, so the ability of the battery to dump that charge quickly in a pulse of high current is also important, and non-corroded, tightly connected wires help.

The starter gear also has a clutch in it - akin to the freewheel on the rear of a bike, or a ratchet. This lets the gear spin faster than the starter motor once the engine catches, so that the engine doesn't essentially grab the engaged starter motor and spin it waaay too fast. letting back on the key lets the fast spinning gear disengage without trouble. If there is an issue with that clutch/ratchet, that might also be allowing the gear to spin without it actually pushing - like the clicker in a ratchet sticking so that it'll spin either way.

After that.... there is likely both a relay and a fuse for the starter. Not a bad idea to check that neither is blown, or, in the case of the relay, looking sort of browned and cooked.

Hope this helps!
D

because of the close gear ratios and the synchronisation action ,it is possible to change gears without the clutch if the engine rpm's and road speed are close matched. If you put it in 5th gear and the engine rpm's increase without an increase in road speed (gear does not engage) then it is possible that the gear on the out put shaft is stripped. This is a common problem in vehicles where 5th gear is engaged and the vehicle load and speed is excessive inducing excessive wear on the teeth of the gear causing them to fail

can i assume you pulled the side plug on tranny and the level
is right there? or gone way down, ever do a 50k service? to it?

M/T tranny (not auto) what engine? the m./t varies by HP of ENGINE.
If its really in 5th ( i bet not)
if the RPM rises fast that is called clutch slip
yes, clutch bad.
if not in 5th actual rpm will rise fast too. slip,
if the other gears wroke like 4th at wide open throttle up hill
gee the chutch is good.
so its not going in to 5th (for lots of reasons)
but 1 reason , is easy.

-AX 4/5/15 transmission
this tranny has a shift tower. (that thing on top that the shifter lever
fits in to)
most tranny that fail to actual shift into gear
is caused by a $1 plastic part failure
so pull the shifter off top of the shift tower.
and look, is the plastic buffer parts all bad, missing, cracked or
destoryed, sure they all end there... all.
i can also remove the shifter, lever.
and shift to 5ht by hand, and see that it DOES.
it either does, or does not.
if it does, the lever parts are bad.
that simple.
see part 61 (im guessing which of 5 tranny it is , )
http://cdn.liveoffroad.com/images/Aisin_AX5_Transmission.jpg

If the clutch is a problem you will have difficulty selecting 1st only as the gears would be spinning from the engine revs.. I would say that the front input shaft (clutch shaft) bearing is failing allowing miss alignment of the synchros and not allowing proper engagement of the gears synchro rings. It means removal and repair to the gear box so the clutch can be inspected while the box is out.

some possibilities are the syncro energise spring has come out and not spinning up the gear to allow engagement Prove by engageing and dis engaging with engine stopped and foot on clutch or the hub has been put in back to front or the selector fork has been fitted inncorrectly

Do you mean with the engine off? If so, that is normal. The clutch just allows you to disconnect from engine when it running. With the clutch released and engine running the gears are spinning all the time. When in neutral, the chain of gears to the final drive is incomplete. When you engage a gear you are completing a chain of gear connections to the wheels. If engine is running, you will grind gears untill you press clutch, making a temporary break in the chain, allowing the gears to stop spinning and you to engage one.

You can infact use 1st gear as a kind of parking brake as it holds the car from rolling (in most cases) , with engine OFF, - BUT this is not advised as the only parking brake.

No good news on this one I think
Your whining sound problem is the Layshaft bearings in the gearbox are badly worn. It also seems that the baulk rings are damaged on 5th gear.
John

The transmission type wasn't specified as to manual or automatic,as both were available on 91-96 Stealth's,but from the complaint,i presume manual trans.If it is the manual trans,5th gear and Reverse gear are usually on the same shift rail.So part of the diagnosis is to pay attention to 5th gear for any problems.Another part of the diagnosis is the clutch pedal and hydraulics that activate the clutch.When the problem is happening,try this:pump the clutch pedal rapidly,and repeatedly,then try to engage Reverse.If it goes right into Reverse,then the clutch hydraulic system needs to be inspected.Good luck.