Is this normal for the 2.3-16 5-speed? I can always engage reverse, but it takes both hands on the shift knob to lift it, the sliding forward is okay. My daughter has managed to engage reverse once in 4 months, my wife has never succeeded.

Robby Ackerman

I know different cars have different methods, Are you sure you arent supposed to push down on the stick? I know I had to do that in a Maserati to get into reverse.

My MGB was just an over to the side past the pressure.

other cars I have seen you have to pull up on it.

Sometimes it helps to shift into first then to second and then try reverse, sometimes it helps to shift to first then try reverse, and sometimes it helps to move the car in first just a touch then try reverse.

I would think one of those should help, unless there is a mechanical problem with it.

Alon

Robby,
It's definitely NOT normal. In my car, it's a very fluid motion of: move to left, lift, and push forward. I'm not sure why it would be so hard to lift it...

Robby ... It is just a MAN's car ... (just kidding). Do you really want Susan to drive your car? (again, just kidding).

Jim et al:

You are right about this being a man's car. No one else wants to drive it because of the reverse issue which I see as a plus. I tell the women that the car was built to go fast (forward) that we men don't know what reverse means.

SOunds like this condition is not normal. I've never looked at the linkage, but someone wrote that it is all visible/accesible from underneath. Ilook for an obviously worn bushing that doesn't allow it lift.

I lift it up till it hits a nominal stop and then with two hands must lift it another mm for it to slide into the reverse gate. Otherwise it slides into second. engaging other gears, double clutch et cetera have no effect.

Robby

Lifting part for reverse is inside of the car, have overhauled mine & filed on several parts to make smoother action. Under the car there are 6 rubber/plastic grommets that wear. Also alignment of the 3 rods are critical.

I never owned a Mercedes stick shift car but on other cars and my motorcycles the proper clutch adjustment was critical for to get the vehicle into gear without a struggle. My 5.0 would go into first easily but reverse was a pain when the clutch needed adjustment.

On my 1986 16V I typically have to rock the car forward in 2nd, then get it into reverse. My knob pulls up ok, just difficult to throw it up into reverse. Could be that I only drive it (20-miles) on weekends (if the roads ain't wet) -- the rest of the time it's sitting in the garage. Hopefully it's not the bushings, I just had them replaced about 1k miles ago (last year, Feb '00).

Brian

Brian

ha, I have driven mine 14,000 miles in the past seven months. I think the car was designed to move fast forward and the engineers surmised that no serious 16V enthusiast would drive it in reverse.

Robby