Cant get shifter stick into 5th gear

can i assume you pulled the side plug on tranny and the level
is right there? or gone way down, ever do a 50k service? to it?

M/T tranny (not auto) what engine? the m./t varies by HP of ENGINE.
If its really in 5th ( i bet not)
if the RPM rises fast that is called clutch slip
yes, clutch bad.
if not in 5th actual rpm will rise fast too. slip,
if the other gears wroke like 4th at wide open throttle up hill
gee the chutch is good.
so its not going in to 5th (for lots of reasons)
but 1 reason , is easy.

-AX 4/5/15 transmission
this tranny has a shift tower. (that thing on top that the shifter lever
fits in to)
most tranny that fail to actual shift into gear
is caused by a $1 plastic part failure
so pull the shifter off top of the shift tower.
and look, is the plastic buffer parts all bad, missing, cracked or
destoryed, sure they all end there... all.
i can also remove the shifter, lever.
and shift to 5ht by hand, and see that it DOES.
it either does, or does not.
if it does, the lever parts are bad.
that simple.
see part 61 (im guessing which of 5 tranny it is , )
http://cdn.liveoffroad.com/images/Aisin_AX5_Transmission.jpg

Hey I have a 1999 cavalier z24 5spd All my gears work except 5th while puttting it into 5ht gear as i let out of the clutch its grinding so i cannto put in 5th or it will grind, but at times it would work, but recently as Ive been driving I go to put it in 5th, there isn't a grind its as 5th gear is just netural NEED HELP geoff

Stick is wrong way round possibly?

Hi:
The shift pattern is pretty much the same on all 5 speed cars. The top row is the odd numbers, 1-3-5
the bottom row is 2-4-Reverse. The center position is neutral

Here is the key: The shifter is slightly spring-loaded to the center position. If you hold in the clutch pedal and pull the shifter to neutral, and let go of it, it will automatically be lined up in the position, that if you pushed it forward , it would go to 3rd gear, and if you pulled it back, it would go into 4th gear.
This way, to start driving, you start out in neutral, grab the shifter lightly, and push it first to the left, then forward. This is first gear, where you start out. when you want to shift to second, push in the clutch, and keeping left pressure on the shifter, pull all the way back . Here is the easy part, 2nd to 3rd. When you are ready, push in the clutch, and just push the gear shift forward , till it hits neutral, and is spring loaded to the middle. Then you just push it straight forward to 3rd, then next shift, straight back to 4th.
Last gear, 5th: push forward to the neutral row, then Push to the right till it lines up ,and forward to the 5th gear. Reverse should only be shifted into from a dead stop. Find neutral, push the shifter all the way right, then pull back towards you. Hope this helps.
Practice a bunch in the driveway!

If its a stick, Shifter needs adjustment or 5th gear sychronizer is defective.
If its an Automatic, shifter, manual shift valve, shift solenoid,5th gear or its circuitry.

sounds like the shifter linkage has worn and not working properly need to lift in air and inspect the linkage

Do you mean that the shifter moves normally, and no gear engages, or the shifter won't go into the 5th gear position?
If the shifter won't go there, its probably a mis-adjusted linkage.
If it will go there, but you don't "feel" it go into gear, it could be that the ball and socket linkage rod for 5th gear has popped loose(this is common on higher mileage VWs with worn shifter parts) I recommend an entire shift bushing set be installed and then the proper adjustments can be made... Hope this helps...;-)

just ram the shifter in your booty,.....duh

syncro problem
low on oil
check stick shift adjustments
shift stick bushes or a cable problem
check engine mounts
gearbox, fork or clutch worn

They had a problem with this plastic washer that is in the shifter tower it sits just under the shifter it self and gets worn out and causes this to happen- hope that helps.