I've been all over the place trying to diagnose and troubleshoot a lockout I'm occasionally getting when shifting from 2nd to 3rd gear. Seems to happen most often under boost and/or at high RPM. The problem started immediately after I installed a short-throw shifter and a set of polyurethane bushings under the hood and at the shifter base. I'm nearly out of ideas and on the verge of just grabbing my ankles and taking a pretty well modified '05 RS into the dealer. It's like my worst nightmare come true. If you have any idea what this might be I'm all ears!

This is what I've done so far to troubleshoot. I put the OEM shifter back on the car but the problem didn't go away. Based on advice from others, I've also adjusted the clutch pedal to allow for more travel. Didn't fix it. Next I applied synthetic lubricant to the bushings under the hood. Nothing changed. So I'm now at my wit's end trying to figure out what this could be. The only other thing I can think of is that, when I removed the OEM bushings from the linkage under the hood, I must have bent something. I really had to twist on those stock rubber bushings to get them out of there. I've pulled the battery out and looked down in there but it's nearly impossible to tell with the naked eye if something is bent. Anyways I'm out of ideas but thought I would give this one last try.

 

24 views and not a single thought?

 

how about under normal shifting?

 

It's always possible the clutch is on its way out. I kept adjusting my ACT whenever the lockout started happening until I no longer could adjust anymore. Shortly after that, it started slipping, so I knew it was gone. The lockout gradually got worse at the end as the clutch wore down.

 

its on 05, when was the last time the tranny fluid was changed? my 04 had a terrible grind/lockout from 4th to 5th at higher rpms/boost. i changed the fluid and the problem went away entirely.

 

Perhaps the cable's are re-routed wrong? Also check to make sure none of the springs/mechanisms were bent while reinstalling the shifter into the base.

Ed

 

Occasionally it will lock me out under normal conditions (off boost, lower RPM). It's much more common at high RPM and/or on the boost though. The car is still on the stock clutch and flywheel at 43k miles. Knock on wood. No slippage of any sort yet. The tranny fluid was last changed during my 30k mile service at the dealership.

Ed...The cables don't appear to be routed incorrectly. There's a link to a pic below when the car still had the STS. Sorry about the pinkish reflection from the flash...

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/9384/img0871ss7.jpg

As far as the linkage under the hood, who knows if it's been bent. Those dust boots pretty much prevent you from identifying any potential issues. I had a buddy sit in the car and row through the gears while I watched the linkage under the hood. There were no visible signs of any damage and he never once got locked out. 10 minutes later we took the car for a drive and it's like hitting a wall during that hard shift into 3rd at about 60mph.

 

Is the rest of your car stock? Do you have any remaining warranty? I know mitsu is not the best at satisfying warranty claims but that might be a first option. Sounds like what Warr said, clutch on its' way out.

 

My car is so far from stock I might as well put a nitrous bottle in the back seat if I take it to the dealer: MBC, IX turbo, cams, coilovers, rims, TBE, 100 octane tune, etc, etc.

 

I wanted to give you guys an update. Turns out the problem had to do with a spring on the shifter assembly that I had reinstalled incorrectly both when I installed the STS and when I put the OEM shifter back on. It's the 2-pronged black spring. Notice the difference in the before and after pictures. A picture is worth a thousand words...even better if it's pink...lol

BEFORE

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/9384/img0871ss7.jpg

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/2267/img0872tk7.jpg

AFTER

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/9...gfixed2wd0.jpg

http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/6...gfixed1kv3.jpg

Thank God it's not a synchro or clutch!