hard shifting on stock GST

[98DSMturbonics]

Problem: I sometimes have a really hard time shifting into gears, especially 1st and 3rd, and putting it in reverse sometimes grinds.

I have searched and many people have similar problems but this is caused by improper clutch change, for example not readjusting the bell housing. But the problem is that my GST is stock and I rarely floor the car.

Do you guys think it's the sychros, shifter bushings, or the cltuch itself? I just want to some opinions before I get dirty with my baby.

 

[mhuffman]

How far off the floor does the clutch start engaging? It's possible there is air in the hydraulic system, leading to poor disengagement. Also, i would drain the fluid and put in some good synthetic fluid. my 1g ground going into 1st and 2nd until i put in pennzoil syncromesh, and it hasn't ground since. Having a well-bled clutch system is key.

 

[98DSMturbonics]

It's possible there is air in the hydraulic system, leading to poor disengagement.

What is poor disengagement? And I will definitely drain the fluid and replace it with a better fluid soon to see if that's the problem. My car is not with me right now so I can't check to see how far off the floor when clutch starts to engauge. But I think it's about 2.5-3 inches.

 

[mhuffman]

What is poor disengaugement? And I will definitely drain the fluid and replace it with a better fluid soon to see if that's the problem. My car is not with me right now so I can't check to see how far off the floor when clutch starts to engauge. But I think it's about 2.5-3 inches.

One time i had air in my clutch system, and i couldnt even get the tranny into 1st gear at a dead stop because the clutch did not release (disengage) completely.

When i put it in reverse with the engine off and started the car, it started moving backwards on its own even though the clutch was depressed fully. This was because the clutch was not fully disengaged, even tho the petal was on the floor.

Air in the clutch system makes it hard to fully release the clutch, making it likely to grind and shift hard. Also, crunching and grinding can sometimes be helped by using high quality synthetic lubricants designed for manual transaxles.

The hydraulic clutch system consists of a master cylinder, fluid lines, and a slave cylinder.

There are a few factors beyond tranny fluid and air in the clutch system.

Poor clutch operation can also be caused by worn/broken tranny components such as the throw out bearing or lever arm. Maybe even the clutch itself or pressure plate.

Most expensive, its possible your synchronizers are shot. These are internal to the tranny and help the gears mesh speed during shifting to prevent gear clash.

If your tranny grinds at a dead stop (0 mph) going into first gear, i would suspect the clutch hydraulic system or the tranny fluid. This is because the tranny doesnt need syncronizers going into first gear at a dead stop.

Hope this helps. My recommendations? Drain, fill, and throughly bleed the clutch system with all new fluid, and replace the tranny fluid with synthetic fluid. If that fails you're looking at problems with the master/slave cylinders or problems internal to the tranny.

 

[98DSMturbonics]

Thanks a lot Mhuffman!! I will take care of this problem tomorrow. And if problem persists, I will repost!