'94 zr-1 No Reverse😭😭 Please Help - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

YungEff · 11-02-2019

Hello Everyone.

I'm new to this forum so I hope this is in the correct place.
I've got a 94 ZR-1 that won't reverse. The car will shift into all gears fine (including reverse), but when I shift into the reverse gear the car won't move. If I release the clutch in that same gear, it just idles like it's in neutral.. All forward gears are behaving normally.

The issue started when I was cruising on the hwy in 5th gear. I started to hear a grinding sound and thought I ran something over. Suddenly the car lost power and started bogging, I immediately started to pull over to the side of the road. I went to downshift as I was slowing down and as I shifted out to neutral I realized I had no access to forward gears, so I stayed in neutral until I stopped. I got the car towed and later, the forward gears were working just fine again.

I checked the clutch reservoir and it was empty, I filled it up and took it for a drive. Everything was going fine and then I noticed that my reverse gear was not engaging.
I can physically shift into reverse and the reverse lights come on but the car will not move in that gear and also will not stall if I let go of the clutch. As if it's still in neutral.

Just hoping someone may be able to point me in a good direction of where to look. Maybe clutch or pressure plate? Or maybe it's just the reverse gear on the zf6. Just looking for some experienced advice. Thanks.

32valvZ · 11-02-2019

Send email to billb@zfdoc.com or call Bill Boudreau at (602) 319-6575.

This is the the man to ask ALL questions to about the ZF 6....

oldpro · 11-02-2019

Defiantly get ahold of Bill . I bet he says you have the start of reverse gear failure . Please don't drive the car . Call bill first and go through the problem with him first . I have had this happen to me and it isn't cheap . Good thing is if you send to Bill to fix you will have a tranny that will shift like butter and last forever

Paul Workman · 11-02-2019

I agree. It is, according to Bill Boudreau,

a not uncommon problem with some ZF transmissions.

Apparently, there is an inherent design lubrication issue with lubrication to the reverse idler gear. When not in use, it normally spins freely on the (counter or "lay") shaft, but if lubrication breaks down, the idler heats up and the oil film evaporates and galling begins - which causes the reverse idler gear to try to counter rotate the output shaft. (That is what causes that sudden feel of something dragging. If you don't pull over soon enough, the idler gear will weld to the counter shaft resulting in locking the output shaft and the car will skid to a stop at the rear wheels (ask me how I know)!!!

The clutch is a separate issue - not related to your reverse gear problem.

Ccmano · 11-02-2019

It’s the transmission. Nothing to do with the clutch pack. Early blue labels have been known to completely lock up as a result of this issue. As was said don’t drive it. Bill Boudreau is the go to guy for this. His rebuilds are legend, but pricey. Your other option is to find a replacement trans.
H

YungEff · 11-30-2019

Thanks for the replies guys, I did speak with Bill and he told me basically what Paul said above about the reverse idler gear and lubrication issue.
I could have Bill fix it, but for convenience sake it would be simpler to have the work done locally. Does anyone know if this is something that your typical transmission shop can handle sufficiently? Let me know what you guys think. Thanks.

Paul Workman · 11-30-2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by YungEff

Thanks for the replies guys, I did speak with Bill and he told me basically what Paul said above about the reverse idler gear and lubrication issue.
I could have Bill fix it, but for convenience sake it would be simpler to have the work done locally. Does anyone know if this is something that your typical transmission shop can handle sufficiently? Let me know what you guys think. Thanks.

Can't speak for any other shop. You gonna haveta blaze your own trail on that one. But, IMO, Bill B is the standard by which all others are measured. You might say, Bill "wrote the book" on the ZF repair.

32valvesftw · 11-30-2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by YungEff

Thanks for the replies guys, I did speak with Bill and he told me basically what Paul said above about the reverse idler gear and lubrication issue.
I could have Bill fix it, but for convenience sake it would be simpler to have the work done locally. Does anyone know if this is something that your typical transmission shop can handle sufficiently? Let me know what you guys think. Thanks.

Its been my experience that most transmission shops are swap out shops. They do not rebuild anything. So I would be very careful with those types of shops.
If I was in your shoes I would visit a couple of shops and check them out. They probably wont do the same level of work that Bill would do, though. In other words I think Bill corrects the lubrication problem so it never happens again, Many shops even if they rebuild will only do so to original spec.

32valvZ · 12-01-2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by YungEff

Thanks for the replies guys, I did speak with Bill and he told me basically what Paul said above about the reverse idler gear and lubrication issue.
I could have Bill fix it, but for convenience sake it would be simpler to have the work done locally. Does anyone know if this is something that your typical transmission shop can handle sufficiently? Let me know what you guys think. Thanks.

Ill tell you a little story about $6800. ZF rebuild. The P.O. of my car brought his transmission to a "local guy" who said he had rebuilt the ZF transmission before. The cost of the rebuild $2800. Sounded fair enough. Once the rebuild was done, the P.O. of my car reinstalled the transmission and shortly after it began to implode. Transmission was removed again. Next, the P.O. decides to ship the ZF to Bill B...... What Bill found was catastrophic failure which pretty much ruined the transmissions case and many internal parts along with it. Parts were installed incorrectly and backwards... anything that could have been done incorrectly was. Bill identified and clearly outlined with photos, all the issues. Luckily, he had another case from car # 1111 (not sure if that was from a 90 or 91) So now the poor P.O of car 2815 had to shell out another approximate $4000. to have the job redone.Transmission was reinstalled and is living happily ever after in my 90. The transmission feels and operates perfectly... I like to compare it to a quality bolt action rifle... Moral of the story, pay me now or pay me later! Send the ZF to the ZF DOC!

JThomas · 12-01-2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by YungEff

Thanks for the replies guys, I did speak with Bill and he told me basically what Paul said above about the reverse idler gear and lubrication issue.
I could have Bill fix it, but for convenience sake it would be simpler to have the work done locally. Does anyone know if this is something that your typical transmission shop can handle sufficiently? Let me know what you guys think. Thanks.

I had Bill build me a transmission for my project ZR-1 three years ago. He was great to work with and the transmission operates flawlessly.

11-02-2019	#1
YungEff Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 11	'94 zr-1 No Reverse😭😭 Please Help Hello Everyone. I'm new to this forum so I hope this is in the correct place. I've got a 94 ZR-1 that won't reverse. The car will shift into all gears fine (including reverse), but when I shift into the reverse gear the car won't move. If I release the clutch in that same gear, it just idles like it's in neutral.. All forward gears are behaving normally. The issue started when I was cruising on the hwy in 5th gear. I started to hear a grinding sound and thought I ran something over. Suddenly the car lost power and started bogging, I immediately started to pull over to the side of the road. I went to downshift as I was slowing down and as I shifted out to neutral I realized I had no access to forward gears, so I stayed in neutral until I stopped. I got the car towed and later, the forward gears were working just fine again. I checked the clutch reservoir and it was empty, I filled it up and took it for a drive. Everything was going fine and then I noticed that my reverse gear was not engaging. I can physically shift into reverse and the reverse lights come on but the car will not move in that gear and also will not stall if I let go of the clutch. As if it's still in neutral. Just hoping someone may be able to point me in a good direction of where to look. Maybe clutch or pressure plate? Or maybe it's just the reverse gear on the zf6. Just looking for some experienced advice. Thanks.

11-02-2019	#2
32valvZ Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sunshine State Posts: 1,071	Re: '94 zr-1 No Reverse😭😭 Please Help Send email to billb@zfdoc.com or call Bill Boudreau at (602) 319-6575. This is the the man to ask ALL questions to about the ZF 6.... __________________ [B]1990 #2815[/B] [COLOR="Red"][B]Red/Red[/B][/COLOR] Ported Plenum & IH (by Pete) Haibeck Chip Rebuilt FPR (by Phil) FIC Injectors Watson LT Headers 3" Stainless Works exhaust Lingenfelter Open Air Lid Bill B Built Transmission Shifter & C Beam Plates [FONT=Impact][COLOR=red]1992 [COLOR=black]#[/COLOR] 091[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Impact][COLOR=#ff0000]Red/[COLOR=silver]Gray[/COLOR][/COLOR][/FONT] [B]SOLD[/B]

11-02-2019	#3
oldpro Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: owens valley Posts: 25	Re: '94 zr-1 No Reverse😭😭 Please Help Defiantly get ahold of Bill . I bet he says you have the start of reverse gear failure . Please don't drive the car . Call bill first and go through the problem with him first . I have had this happen to me and it isn't cheap . Good thing is if you send to Bill to fix you will have a tranny that will shift like butter and last forever

11-02-2019	#4
Paul Workman Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Squires (near Ava MO in the Mark Twain N'tl Forest) - Missouri Posts: 6,493	Re: '94 zr-1 No Reverse😭😭 Please Help I agree. It is, according to Bill Boudreau, a not uncommon problem with some ZF transmissions. Apparently, there is an inherent design lubrication issue with lubrication to the reverse idler gear. When not in use, it normally spins freely on the (counter or "lay") shaft, but if lubrication breaks down, the idler heats up and the oil film evaporates and galling begins - which causes the reverse idler gear to try to counter rotate the output shaft. (That is what causes that sudden feel of something dragging. If you don't pull over soon enough, the idler gear will weld to the counter shaft resulting in locking the output shaft and the car will skid to a stop at the rear wheels *(ask me how I know)!!!* The clutch is a separate issue - not related to your reverse gear problem. __________________ Good carz, good food, good friendz = the best of timez! 90 #1202 "FBI" top end ported & relieved Cam timing by "Pete the Greek" Sans secondaries Chip & dyno tuning by Haibeck Automotive SW headers, X-pipe, MF muffs Former Secretary, ZR-1 Net Registry Last edited by Paul Workman; 11-02-2019 at 04:03 PM.

11-02-2019	#5
Ccmano Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sparks, NV Posts: 2,852	Re: '94 zr-1 No Reverse😭😭 Please Help It’s the transmission. Nothing to do with the clutch pack. Early blue labels have been known to completely lock up as a result of this issue. As was said don’t drive it. Bill Boudreau is the go to guy for this. His rebuilds are legend, but pricey. Your other option is to find a replacement trans. H __________________ 90'ZR-1 #1461 Red/Black Ported Intake, Degreed Cams, OBX Headers & Exhaust, Fidanza FW, Secondary Delete, Custom tune, C6 GS Wheels. Sold 08 C6 Z51 Crystal Red Metallic Sold Vararam Intake, Tune, Sold 05 C6 Z51 Red/Black Sold 90'ZR-1 #1723 Black/Gray Sold but not forgotten 91' Z51 L98 White Vert. My First, you always remember your first. Sold.

11-30-2019	#6
YungEff Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 11	Re: '94 zr-1 No Reverse😭😭 Please Help Thanks for the replies guys, I did speak with Bill and he told me basically what Paul said above about the reverse idler gear and lubrication issue. I could have Bill fix it, but for convenience sake it would be simpler to have the work done locally. Does anyone know if this is something that your typical transmission shop can handle sufficiently? Let me know what you guys think. Thanks.