mayday!!! ax15 stuck in 4th

hey guys, i have an ax15 swapped into an 87 cherokee, and it is stuck in 4th. shifter moves around, but won't come out of 4th or go into any other gear. it has done this before, but in reverse, and i had it towed to a transmission shop, and they got the shifter working again at no charge. i assume that if it was free, it must not be hard, so i wanna do that. what do you think they did? should i pull the shift tower off and wiggle some stuff? last time this happened when i was hung up in some real deep mud and had to floor the crap out of it to get out. this time instead of sticking in gear immediately it let me drive out first, then 3rd and 4th wouldn't work. it acted like it was in neutral when i put the shifter where 3rd and 4th usually are. i drove it 3 1/2 hours home because i had 5th, and when i got to town, i 3rd and 4th worked again, but when i got close to home, it stuck in 4th and now the shifter moves, but it's definitely stuck in 4th.
any idea of what to do?:helpme:

if it helps, i also swapped in a HO motor and a 23 spline input np231 with the transmission...

Well, pulling the shifter would be a good start--four bolts after you get the console and the tunnel seal out of the way.

There is a nylon bushing on the bottom of the shifter, I wonder if yours has broken off. Dealer item, don't remember the cost but not much.

What are you using for lubrication?

i filled it with 80w90 when i installed it, but i haven't checked the level in over a year, because it always looks clean and dry, and no puddle... i have taken the shifter out before, because i've pulled the transmission back out several times. i had a faulty clutch one time, and there have been other times, but i'm not sure of the reason why on all of those... but yeah, thanks for the idea on that bushing. what else do i need to look for?

Well, I would be concerned about the 80-90 weight you are using. If it is GL-4 or GL-5 you should get it out of there, could be damaging the yellow metal synchros. GL-3 is specified, but hard to locate anymore.

Redline MT90, Pennzoil Synchromesh, the special Chrysler gear oil (ridiculously priced, of course), or my personal favorite Mobil-1 10w30 synthetic motor oil.

wouldn't it make some noise if the lubricant was the problem? i'm mostly interested in getting it out of 4th gear for now. at least then i can push it around the yard without pushing the clutch in....

No, the lubrication can be very quietly eating your synchros.

If you do have GL-4 or 5 in there, or if you are not 100 % sure, I would drain and refil with some cheap motor oil, run it, then drain and refill with whatever quality lubricant you choose to run.

otay. i haven't had grinding issues, but i'll do this, if i can get it out of 4th. no point in wasting time and oil if i can't drive the jeep or even push it...

haven't tried anything yet. anybody else have ideas though?

Just a thought: The AX 15, as you probably know, has a removable shifter, that sets into the top with a spring loaded, bayonet retainer. When you put the shifter back in, you must first snap it down, then push the retainer down and turn it. Is it possible that the retainer did not get seated right, and the shifter popped up just enough to let go? I'm not sure how it would behave if this happened, but you might try snapping it back down.

hey thanks man! i didn't know you had to snap the shifter down, and turn a retainer! that's probably my problem... i'll pull it out, and get another nylon bushing, and if i need it, a retainer as well, then try to mambo from there. thanks for your input. i had previously just put the shifter on top and bolted it down.

thechief86 said:

hey thanks man! i didn't know you had to snap the shifter down, and turn a retainer! that's probably my problem... i'll pull it out, and get another nylon bushing, and if i need it, a retainer as well, then try to mambo from there. thanks for your input. i had previously just put the shifter on top and bolted it down.

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If you put it in with the whole top unbolted, it's possible you never got the retainer undone in the first place, but I'd still check it. If that is the problem you may not need any parts. I think if you can get the console out you should be able to see it easily enough. The usual prescription when doing clutches, etc. is to lower the whole tranny and reach up from below, but my recollection is that it's just as easy from above if you pull the console and boot.

yeah, it's not too bad. i never removed the actual shifter from the thing that holds it and bolts to the top of the transmission. i had that whole thing unbolted and bolted it back down when i had the transmission all the way in. i'm still gonna pull it out and check it out. it's been raining here, so i haven't had a chance to mess with it. the hole is little farther forward, so i need to get under it to take out the back 2 bolts on the shifter deal. i originally had the peugot.

thechief86 said:

yeah, it's not too bad. i never removed the actual shifter from the thing that holds it and bolts to the top of the transmission. i had that whole thing unbolted and bolted it back down when i had the transmission all the way in. i'm still gonna pull it out and check it out. it's been raining here, so i haven't had a chance to mess with it. the hole is little farther forward, so i need to get under it to take out the back 2 bolts on the shifter deal. i originally had the peugot.

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To check the retainer, you should not have to undo any bolts on the shift tower. If you can access the shift lever from above, pull up the boots, and under the inner one, you should find the retainer, which is a stamped-steel cup that inserts into the shift tower and locks with a twist.

This may all be a wild goose chase anyway. If the retainer is loose, you should be able to lift up on the lever and more or less detach it from the transmission. If it's tightly mounted, then the retainer is probably all right.

yeah, it's in there tight, so i'm guessin it's what joe said about the bushing.... thanks anyway, though!