I have an 03 Cavalier 2.2 eco and a 5spd. I think I may have 2 separate issues, but maybe they are somehow linked.

The first issue deals with the shifter. From neutral center, to the right, It has tension/pressure when I move it. From center to the left, it just flops, there is no pressure till about the last tenth of an inch, then you can feel a very little bit of spring pressure. Then in all gears, the shifter just kind of flops around, about a half inch left, or half inch right from the center of the gear.

The second issue is kind of a weird one. With the car running, shifter in nuetral, you can push the clutch in, and go into any gear but first fine. This includes reverse with no issues. First gear will not go in, until you shift into second, then put it into first, and it feels as if you have to push really hard to the left to get it to go in, otherwise it tries kicking you to 3rd, even if you try going straight forward from 2nd. This is the very same with the car off. The clutch is original, it does have 77k miles. The clutch does not slip at all. I've been hearing about the first gear synchro ring, but I really don't think it is, I have other vehicles that have had synchros go, this is just a pain, and it goes in fine if you go from second, and force the shifter hard to the left and forward.

I just inhearted this car, after the chain tensioner took a crap, and decided to bend all 16 valves. So I put a reman head on it with new valves, and she runs great, but these shifter issues are kickin my butt. Any ideas are appreciated.

Listening. I have almost the same issue.


Labrat

Its weird. When a synchro goes normally it will grind, this will NEVER grind, it falls right in, its just a pain to get it to line up or something.
Nate.

Sounds almost certainly like a shift cable and/or shifter bushing problem.

Well, tore the console out, to check the shifter cables, and found the white cable, the one on the left, if you push the shifter itself, it would lift up out of the ball and socket joint, and not depress the cable enough. So I removed the 4 10mm bolts, removed the console and took the lock ring off, found a o-ring of some sort there that is tore all up. I found a new o-ring jammed it back down in there, and put the lockring back down. Shifts perfect now. Now problem what-so-ever going into first now, along with now it has pressure going left
Nate.

Screamin Z wrote:Well, tore the console out, to check the shifter cables, and found the white cable, the one on the left, if you push the shifter itself, it would lift up out of the ball and socket joint, and not depress the cable enough. So I removed the 4 10mm bolts, removed the console and took the lock ring off, found a o-ring of some sort there that is tore all up. I found a new o-ring jammed it back down in there, and put the lockring back down. Shifts perfect now. Now problem what-so-ever going into first now, along with now it has pressure going left
Nate.

Glad to hear you found the problem, and that it was an easy fix!

The shifting into first is not a issue, normal.



FU Tuning

Same damn thing with my 03. POS. Funny though, my buddy's shifter is tight in all directions, and goes into first flawlessly.

my 04 does tha same thing, a couple times it slipped into 3rd pretty near busted up tha clutch, lol but I'll have ta do tha same thing u did, cuz it get on my last nerve especally on hills



Skr8 Goodz in tha hood

just sell it to me i have all kinds of parts to fix it

-Ben

I have the same issue with shifting into first. It usually takes 2 try's or I shift into second and then first. I just chalked it up to being a manual noob. Mine only happens after you start drivig the car. When the engine is off or the first time you put in first it works fine. It's also a little rough going into second, but it works every time. Do you think this fix will work for me as well? If so I'm going to try and fix it tonight!

I'm going to try adjusting the cables this weekend to see if that is what is causing it.

check to see how much slop you have in the shifter it self. The plastic cup it sits in can wear out and cause slop and bad shifting.


"Oil Leak ? What oil Leak ? Oh, Thats Just The Sweat From All The HorsePower!!"

I have to resurrect this beotch because I had to keep checking the name of the OP to be sure I didn't write this in my sleep. Word for WORD my exact issue, including how it works fine when I shift into second gear before shifting back into first.
Anyway... thanks for the thread ! I'll be making this repair this weekend.