Funny thing with snow/ice

[Ryan]

I'm lowered on H&R/ZX2.

I was driving home this morning and hit a mildly packed down drift, I was the lowest thing over it so far, and it stuck pretty good going over in mid 1st gear. Got through it though, but on the other side, I lost 1st, 3rd, and 5th gear. Driving home with only 2nd and 4th (about an hour) was interesting, but eventually I got all the gears back. Figured it was just ice jammed up in the linkage, which would make sense. But I parked it for a few hours, and I lost them again, and now I have a fairly solidish 1st, a half-engaged feel of 3rd, and still no 5th.

they feel solid, like its missing, or the clutch isn't working, but it grinds if you push hard. I checked underneath, and its all jammed with snow up over the bellows and the crossmember etc is all jammed too. I guess I'll wait a few days for when it gets warmer. I let her idle for 10 mins in a garage, and melted two little puddles on the floor. Yay for < -25C.

That was my strange car experience today.

[MrMazda92]

I figure you probably tried this already, but try engaging the gears when the car isn't running, that's as good a way as any to see if the clutch is the issue.

[Ryan]

Clutch obviously isn't the issue, or I couldn't be taking off in 2nd like I have been for the past few days.

[Daninski]

I'd figure ice as well. Is the movement of the shaft at the trans similar in 2nd and 4th? Secondly how's the trans oil level? Thirdly your a nob for driving a lowered MX-3 in the snow.

Ryan is there a chance you bent your linkage?

[Ryan]

Yes, I know, and yes.

Its just that I had been working all summer on a borrowed jack, so I'm just procrastinating so I don't have to use the stupid scissor one.

I need to check it out soon anyway, because I start commuting 2 hours a day starting Thursday.

I also might have broken a motor mount, because it runs perfectly smooth, but man does the whole car vibrate at certain RPM's.

[MrMazda92]

Yes, I know, and yes.

Its just that I had been working all summer on a borrowed jack, so I'm just procrastinating so I don't have to use the stupid scissor one.

I need to check it out soon anyway, because I start commuting 2 hours a day starting Thursday.

I also might have broken a motor mount, because it runs perfectly smooth, but man does the whole car vibrate at certain RPM's.

Transmissions are a PITA, period. -.-

Mine whines obnoxiously in 4th, and it makes me very glad I never spend time in 4th.

[Ryan]

I got this fixed... as you all know, the linkage on the trasmission side features a box of sheetmetal to hold the bushings in. That was jamming against ice buildup on the crossmember

[MrMazda92]

That's something you'd never discover except by accident, so now we have a solution if it ever crops up again ;D