1-4 shifts fine and even going into 5 is fine. the trouble begins when you try to take it back out. it feels like its jammed in on an angle or something. the shifter will go crooked but its still in gear and will drive. ive got it pretty much figured out how to get it out, just screw with it a bunch, but i need to fix this. any ideas?

 

you will probably get the same responce i did. just a worn out high milage tranny lol

 

saw that. hopefully not

 

my dad told me that there is detents in the top cover that hold the shifter in place. it's like a spring/ball bering set up in the top cover. if you pull the boots off you can see what im talking about. there are three hump looking things all in a row towards the bellhousing.from what i understand thats where they are located. our problems could lie in the same place but to a diff degree. im going to order a clutch tom and hopefully drop the trans this weekend if the clutch is in. ill take some pictures for you so you can see whats what.

 

Sounds to me like a shift fork loose on the rail.

 

Maybe the shift lug is broken. Had that on the '89. Pull the shifter out and have a look inside. There are 3 seperate lugs the shifter rides in to engage either 1-2, 3-4, or 5-R. The corner likes to break off/wear down allowing the shifter to get back into neutral will the trans is still in 5th.