Struggling to shift into R 1 3 and 5

I woke up to go to work no problems. after work I try to put my car in reverse and it didn't pop into gear which I thought was weird, but it was in reverse so I backed it out and tried to go into first where it felt the exact same and this time actually didn't catch. if I fuck with all the top gears it will go into gear by luck I think but if I don't use my clutch I can actually push the shifter into all top gears with no resistance. all bottom gears feel totally normal btw. the only thing I can think is that I have a short shifter in the front of the car where the cables go with the stock weight attached and that the vertical cable might have stretched. Anyone got any tips on how to find out if it is the linkage or something worse? If you need a photo or anything visual please let me know. I'm a pretty handy car guy but this is my second manual car so I am personally not familiar with clutch systems but have a general idea on how they work.

 

Pop up the center console area and try adjusting your cables there. When I installed a short shifter it took a few minutes to get the cables dialed in to select the gears properly.

 

Look at the top of the transmission where the shifter cables are and make sure that they aren't binding or that something flew in there and is blocking the shifter from moving

 

If you have second eyes one at engine, pull air filter box and watch cable ends while shifter is moving into positions. If completely stock, and if you have never pulled center console...Air filter box is much easier to pull first.

 

Appreciate the speedy replies! i have a cold air intake so i can see my shifter links just from popping the hood. i also took the center console piece off and don't see any obstruction to the movement in the cables on either side. I dont think they are loose as i checked but to be completely honest idek how tight it is suppose to be but its tightish. if you guys want photos of anything or videos please lmk id be happy to share. thank you!

 

Rereading you original post I would guess that you need to fix the shifter adjustme t. It sounds like it slipped

Jbr used to have good instructions on how to adjust

 

Made the link tighter and I feel 0 difference I need to punch it into all the top gears. Honestly just decided for now starting in second would be better. Could my cable be to worn is there a way to check?

 

here a visual representation of this

 

You don't necessarily have to make the link tighter it's a back and forth adjustment process. You have to play around with it until it feels right. Can you make another video of the shift lever on the trans so we can see it's movement? Do the video before making more adjustments.

 

There’s my shift lever and movement while going through the gears. I don’t think it’s a synchro because that would grind gears unlike what my car is doing.

 

I have never looked at mine whole it moving. Shouldn't the pivot shaft not be moving up and down?

 

Looks correct. Was wondering which way full up or down on vertical shift shart shifter drum is reverse. Now I see it's fully down for Reverse. Have you used the shift cable video and adjusted the console end of shifter?

 

@c

Yes sir i did it is completely tightened now if u check the first video i show it in the beginning probably hard to see though. It made no difference for my shifting. I was going to see if maybe it could use some tranny fluid? if its not getting enough pressure in the upper gears and i know its got a small type 3 leak that u can see in video 2, that would be a quick fill-up this weekend. But again its not grinding or anything so idk.

 

Anything else i should check? ill update after i top off my tranny fluid if it even is low