rx-7 86 5th gear problems

[Badgett]

My mazda rx-7 *86* won't go into 5th gear and just makes a clunking noise. I think it might be the throwout baring or the trasmission *prays its not the tranny*. But what do some of you think it might be?

 

[Signal 2]

How is reverse and the other forward gears. If just 5th gear is affected, I doubt it's the throw-out bearing. It may be your 5th gear synchro. At least in the early FDs, those were a little weak and if you missed a power shift into third and hit 5th, they would break. ??

 

[Badgett]

How is reverse and the other forward gears. If just 5th gear is affected, I doubt it's the throw-out bearing. It may be your 5th gear synchro. At least in the early FDs, those were a little weak and if you missed a power shift into third and hit 5th, they would break. ??

reverse works but also makes the noise and the other forward gears work fine

 

[Alak]

reverse works but also makes the noise and the other forward gears work fine

Syncro's. You can get a used Tranny for an S4 N/A for dirt cheap. My 79' Tranny started to do that once I put more than 300HP through it. But then again, thats a first gen tranny.

 

[Signal 2]

reverse works but also makes the noise and the other forward gears work fine

Well, again my only reference is a 3rd gen. but I bellieve 5th gear and reverse share the synchro. So I'm with Alak, your synchro is probably shot.