94 Miata popping out of fifth gear

That's what my first suggestion was, but with loss of her job due to the factory moving overseas, my friend's not in the best of financial health, and was hoping to repair her tranny.

If that's the only problem, it's still cheaper to replace the tranny with a used one. The labor and parts on the repair will likely be quite a bit more than the labor and cost of putting in a used tranny. Used 5 speeds are not that expensive. Shipping one across the country does get a bit steep.

The cause of the "pop out" is generally worn parts. Which ones and how many are guesswork until the tranny is opened up. Before you even get the parts ordered, the labor is at least equal to that required to remove and replace the tranny. On top of that, a few special tools are needed. The last time I tore down a 5 speed to get at the 5th gear, we ended up borrowing a tool or two from a Toyota dealer. The internet can be used to locate and price a used tranny.

Trouble always comes when it's least wanted.

It is possible that the shifter seat is worn and just not pushing the idler gear far enough. There are two nylon seats for the shift lever, a top and a bottom and a wave washer (the wave washer is important).

Try replacing those especially if the shift lever seems to have a lot of play in it. They are about $20 and not that hard a job.

I don't know if this is possible but for some reason, I'm thinking about motor mounts in reference to this. I would check out how much the motor is moving around when you rev it. Another test is to put the parking brake on and put some forward thrust against it with first gear. The hood has to be up so someone can watch how much the motor moves. I seem to remember this happening to a car I or a friend had, not sure it was a miata but it's worth checking out.

Chris

Thanks, Chris. I'll pass along the information.