DIY: V6 Manual 1st, 2nd & Reverse Adjustment - Hard To Get Into Gear

[kitkat]

Ever since I picked up my car I've found 1st and 2nd pretty difficult to get into, especially 1st, I'd often have to get into 2nd and then get into 1st making taking off from a stoplight embarrassingly annoying. This also makes downshifting from 3rd into 2nd difficult as well.

If this sounds familiar to you, it means that your reverse lockout plate adjustment is off from factory and you just need 15 minutes of your time to adjust it. Making the adjustment on mine has made a night and day difference.

Tools Needed​

• 2.5mm hex
• T20 torx
• Plastic trim tool

Parts Needed

1. An extra zip tie.

Remove Gear Knob​

1. Loosen the M5x16 grub screw from the front of the gear shift knob with a 2.5mm hex key.
   
   
2. Remove the spring and o-ring, play close attention to their orientation for later re-assembly. The o-ring fits into the shift knob recess.

Remove Engine Start Switch Panel Cover​

1. Remove the center console rubber pad.
   
   
2. With some gloves, pull up the front plastic gloss plastic tab under the rubber mat. This is the front of the panel cover, pull it straight up.
   THIS PANEL IS SHARP
   
   
3. Use the trim tool to pry upwards starting from the front and working all the way back. Take care not to damage the aluminum finished plastic. Work your way left and right and backwards until the full panel can be lifted up.
   
   
4. Lift the panel up, you'll see it's still attached to the gear shift knob via a zip tie. Clip off this zip tie to be able to completely lift the panel up and out of the car.
5. Unclip the connector to the ignition switch.

Make the Adjustment​

1. Look down into the shifter area and you'll see the T20 screw with the green arrow, you will need to slightly loosen this bolt a few turns in order to free up the plate to move up and down.
2. The issue here is that the plate is located too far down to engage 1st, 2nd, or Reverse smoothly.
3. Move the plate up by 2mm and tighten the T20 bolt back up. Moving the plate up increases the distance before the plate makes contact with the reverse lockout plate, moving it down reduces it.
4. Test your adjustment.
5. Repeat if necessary.

That's it, put everything back together in reverse of how you took it apart. You'll need to put a zip tie back on to keep the shift boot up if you clipped yours to make the adjustment.

 

[sendmeows]

Amazing. Great diy thank you for this!

 

[seriously]

Mine is not too bad. Sometimes- it's not 100% smooth and I need to try again and it will be 100% smooth.

what does it feel like after the adjustment? is it always just easy to engage the gear? no kind of crunchy resistance feeling?

 

[freefall_junkie]

Ever since I picked up my car I've found 1st and 2nd pretty difficult to get into, especially 1st, I'd often have to get into 2nd and then get into 1st making taking off from a stoplight embarrassingly annoying. This also makes downshifting from 3rd into 2nd difficult as well.

If this sounds familiar to you, it means that your reverse lockout plate adjustment is off from factory and you just need 15 minutes of your time to adjust it. Making the adjustment on mine has made a night and day difference.

Tools Needed​

• 2.5mm hex
• T20 torx
• Plastic trim tool

Parts Needed

1. An extra zip tie.

Remove Gear Knob​

1. Loosen the M5x16 grub screw from the front of the gear shift knob with a 2.5mm hex key.
   
   
2. Remove the spring and o-ring, play close attention to their orientation for later re-assembly. The o-ring fits into the shift knob recess.

Remove Engine Start Switch Panel Cover​

1. Remove the center console rubber pad.
   
   
2. With some gloves, pull up the front plastic gloss plastic tab under the rubber mat. This is the front of the panel cover, pull it straight up.
   THIS PANEL IS SHARP
   
   
3. Use the trim tool to pry upwards starting from the front and working all the way back. Take care not to damage the aluminum finished plastic. Work your way left and right and backwards until the full panel can be lifted up.
   
   
4. Lift the panel up, you'll see it's still attached to the gear shift knob via a zip tie. Clip off this zip tie to be able to completely lift the panel up and out of the car.
5. Unclip the connector to the ignition switch.

Make the Adjustment​

1. Look down into the shifter area and you'll see the T20 screw with the green arrow, you will need to slightly loosen this bolt a few turns in order to free up the plate to move up and down.
2. The issue here is that the plate is located too far down to engage 1st, 2nd, or Reverse smoothly.
3. Move the plate up by 2mm and tighten the T20 bolt back up. Moving the plate up increases the distance before the plate makes contact with the reverse lockout plate, moving it down reduces it.
4. Test your adjustment.
5. Repeat if necessary.

View attachment 54280

That's it, put everything back together in reverse of how you took it apart. You'll need to put a zip tie back on to keep the shift boot up if you clipped yours to make the adjustment.

Many thanks for this, really useful. Great to know this adjustment is possible without taking the entire centre console out.

 

[Eagle7]

Ever since I picked up my car I've found 1st and 2nd pretty difficult to get into, especially 1st, I'd often have to get into 2nd and then get into 1st making taking off from a stoplight embarrassingly annoying. This also makes downshifting from 3rd into 2nd difficult as well.

If this sounds familiar to you, it means that your reverse lockout plate adjustment is off from factory and you just need 15 minutes of your time to adjust it. Making the adjustment on mine has made a night and day difference.

Tools Needed​

• 2.5mm hex
• T20 torx
• Plastic trim tool

Parts Needed

1. An extra zip tie.

Remove Gear Knob​

1. Loosen the M5x16 grub screw from the front of the gear shift knob with a 2.5mm hex key.
   
   
2. Remove the spring and o-ring, play close attention to their orientation for later re-assembly. The o-ring fits into the shift knob recess.

Remove Engine Start Switch Panel Cover​

1. Remove the center console rubber pad.
   
   
2. With some gloves, pull up the front plastic gloss plastic tab under the rubber mat. This is the front of the panel cover, pull it straight up.
   THIS PANEL IS SHARP
   
   
3. Use the trim tool to pry upwards starting from the front and working all the way back. Take care not to damage the aluminum finished plastic. Work your way left and right and backwards until the full panel can be lifted up.
   
   
4. Lift the panel up, you'll see it's still attached to the gear shift knob via a zip tie. Clip off this zip tie to be able to completely lift the panel up and out of the car.
5. Unclip the connector to the ignition switch.

Make the Adjustment​

1. Look down into the shifter area and you'll see the T20 screw with the green arrow, you will need to slightly loosen this bolt a few turns in order to free up the plate to move up and down.
2. The issue here is that the plate is located too far down to engage 1st, 2nd, or Reverse smoothly.
3. Move the plate up by 2mm and tighten the T20 bolt back up. Moving the plate up increases the distance before the plate makes contact with the reverse lockout plate, moving it down reduces it.
4. Test your adjustment.
5. Repeat if necessary.

View attachment 54280

That's it, put everything back together in reverse of how you took it apart. You'll need to put a zip tie back on to keep the shift boot up if you clipped yours to make the adjustment.

Is the position of the set bolt you show in the picture, the location where you set yours that worked well?

Just FYI that bolt is supposed to be torqued to 4 Nm.

 

[Davebeats]

Thank you for this! I’ve been living with it

 

[kitkat]

Mine is not too bad. Sometimes- it's not 100% smooth and I need to try again and it will be 100% smooth.

what does it feel like after the adjustment? is it always just easy to engage the gear? no kind of crunchy resistance feeling?

Mine just drops right into gear now, whereas I really had to force it before. You can see all the metal on metal wear marks on the reverse lockout plate too.

 

[kitkat]

Is the position of the set bolt you show in the picture, the location where you set yours that worked well?

Just FYI that bolt is supposed to be torqued to 4 Nm.

View attachment 54288

Yup that position works out well for me, it’s about 4mm higher than the stock position was.

 

[kitkat]

Thank you for this! I’ve been living with it

Do it asap, it made me go from dreading the first and second gears to loving it.

 

[Gprodigy]

Awesome thread Kit Kat. Interesting how much a 2mm adjustment can make. I wonder why the factory never made this adjustment after the fe1.0s were released.

 

[kitkat]

Awesome thread Kit Kat. Interesting how much a 2mm adjustment can make. I wonder why the factory never made this adjustment after the fe1.0s were released.

Some poor guy probably has 18 minutes to put the shifter assembly, adjust it and the center console in.

All the the other Emira I test drove prior to this were actually fine that’s how I knew mine was off.

 

[Porter]

Awesome thread Kit Kat. Interesting how much a 2mm adjustment can make. I wonder why the factory never made this adjustment after the fe1.0s were released.

It's unique per-car. There isn't a single adjustment that works for every vehicle, that's why this is designed the way that it is, for tuning the particular car to be "right".

Something like this exists on almost every cable-driven shift linkage, depending on how the reverse lockout works for the particular gearbox. If the R is on the right side of the H pattern you'll see this type of adjustment to establish the limit of throw for 5th/6th rather than 1st/2nd.

 

[Six Speed Stephen]

Will this also help first to second gear shifts at high RPM?

I've notice the car hates going into second when first is at a high RPM

 

[Porter]

Will this also help first to second gear shifts at high RPM?

I've notice the car hates going into second when first is at a high RPM

It's unlikely but possible. Depends on the particular conditions of your car. The adjustment defines the "center" point of the 1-2 gate stroke of the shift fork within the gearbox itself, by establishing the exact plane of the left side of the H pattern. This is usually a limit issue where getting the box to go into gear is balky at low speed or when stopped.

But there could be some effects at higher speed as well, which don't come into play until everything is spinning quickly. But definitely don't assume it will fix your situation if you're already shifting fine at lower speeds. These are possibilities, but not likelihoods.

 

[kitkat]

Will this also help first to second gear shifts at high RPM?

I've notice the car hates going into second when first is at a high RPM

It might help a little only if it's binding against the reverse lockout plate going from 1st to 2nd, however the syncros on 1st and 2nd seem a little rough -- not exactly the nice coated syncros you'd find in other manual sports cars. I think this won't improve that at high RPMs.

 

[freefall_junkie]

I just made this adjustment following Kitkat's excellent instructions. It was quick and easy to do. I actually managed it by just detaching the trim panel but without removing it altogether from the gear lever along with the shift gaiter. I've been out for a drive and, wow, what a difference! My car has always been a bit awkward to get into reverse or first, often taking two or three attempts. Now they just slot straight in and 3rd to 2nd is also smoother. Clearly the adjustment wasn't quite right as it left the factory. Many thanks @kitkat. If you ever visit Scotland I'll buy you a beer

 

[seriously]

I just made this adjustment following Kitkat's excellent instructions. It was quick and easy to do. I actually managed it by just detaching the trim panel but without removing it altogether from the gear lever along with the shift gaiter. I've been out for a drive and, wow, what a difference! My car has always been a bit awkward to get into reverse or first, often taking two or three attempts. Now they just slot straight in and 3rd to 2nd is also smoother. Clearly the adjustment wasn't quite right as it left the factory. Many thanks @kitkat. If you ever visit Scotland I'll buy you a beer

To be clear, did you only perform the following steps?

Remove Engine Start Switch Panel Cover​

1. Remove the center console rubber pad.
2. With some gloves, pull up the front plastic gloss plastic tab under the rubber mat. This is the front of the panel cover, pull it straight up.
   THIS PANEL IS SHARP
3. Use the trim tool to pry upwards starting from the front and working all the way back. Take care not to damage the aluminum finished plastic. Work your way left and right and backwards until the full panel can be lifted up.

And then wiggled your way to the adjustment screw? I'd like to disassemble as little as possible and give this a go.

 

[kitkat]

I just made this adjustment following Kitkat's excellent instructions. It was quick and easy to do. I actually managed it by just detaching the trim panel but without removing it altogether from the gear lever along with the shift gaiter. I've been out for a drive and, wow, what a difference! My car has always been a bit awkward to get into reverse or first, often taking two or three attempts. Now they just slot straight in and 3rd to 2nd is also smoother. Clearly the adjustment wasn't quite right as it left the factory. Many thanks @kitkat. If you ever visit Scotland I'll buy you a beer

Cheers! Glad I can help, this really made the transmission more fun to drive for me.

To be clear you just did it without removing the shift boot right?

 

[freefall_junkie]

To be clear, did you only perform the following steps?

Remove Engine Start Switch Panel Cover​

1. Remove the center console rubber pad.
2. With some gloves, pull up the front plastic gloss plastic tab under the rubber mat. This is the front of the panel cover, pull it straight up.
   THIS PANEL IS SHARP
3. Use the trim tool to pry upwards starting from the front and working all the way back. Take care not to damage the aluminum finished plastic. Work your way left and right and backwards until the full panel can be lifted up.

And then wiggled your way to the adjustment screw? I'd like to disassemble as little as possible and give this a go.

Yes, not much wiggling required. It is fairly easy to hold the trim piece up out of the way even though it is still loosely attached to the gear stick by the gaiter, but you definitely will also need to disconnect the start/stop button. One thing to be wary of though - it is quite easy to dislodge the performance mode toggle switch as you are lifting up the trim piece. You wouldn't want it falling down into the shift mechanism.

 

[freefall_junkie]

Cheers! Glad I can help, this really made the transmission more fun to drive for me.

To be clear you just did it without removing the shift boot right?

Yes indeedy.