Won't go into gear while car is on

[Red Alert]

I searched around and tried what others suggested in different threads, but still can't seem to figure this out.

I've had this car for almost 2 months now, and it had a 2nd gear grind from the time I got it. Starting a few weeks ago, I started getting a slight grind into 5th when shifting fast, and then it started doing it in 3rd(ever so slightly) this is all completely random btw, I thought it was because I was being lazy with the clutch, but after paying attention to my shifting it still did it.

Today on the way home, I get off the freeway after about 30 minutes cruising at 60mph, and when I push in the clutch pedal, and pull it down into neutral, it acted like I didn't even use the clutch at all when going into neutral. And for the next 3 miles I was fighting it trying to get it into any gear at all. At one point I was completely dead in the water, but forced it into first and it lunged forward and died. Somehow I got it going again and made it home.

The pedal feels completely normal, and I had my wife pump the clutch pedal while I looked around, the fork is moving freely while the clutch is being pushed. Fluid is fine, engagement was perfectly fine before this happened, bleeding did nothing, crawled up underneath the dash and it looks perfect.

Could the grinding problem be related possibly? Can synchros fail and cause a problem like this? If it matters, I have a Spec S2 clutch and Fidanza flywheel.

 

[viperlp01]

Nope i have 5 bucks on a clutch spring popped out of the clutch and is not allowing the clutch to disengage OR your pressure plate fingers are damaged/pressure plate bolts came loose and not allowing the correct function of the pressure plate... I have had both happen to me unfortunately.. twice on the clutch spring and once on the pp.. damn misaligned tranny..


When you do find the problem i suggest making sure everything is tight and working correctly. I would order new pressure plate bolts since the split washers get crushed and don't work properly.. Make sure you have all the bolts that hold the tranny to the block. I was missing the small 8mm in the back where it actually thread through the block and into the tranny. It will cause a misalignment of the tranny and it will put stress on the clutch disc.... Hope that helps from personal exp.

 

[1gDSMike]

All gear fluids up to level?? any leaks?

 

[Red Alert]

All gear fluids up to level?? any leaks?

None as far as I can tell, and the fluid level is fine.

Nope i have 5 bucks on a clutch spring popped out of the clutch and is not allowing the clutch to disengage OR your pressure plate fingers are damaged/pressure plate bolts came loose and not allowing the correct function of the pressure plate... I have had both happen to me unfortunately.. twice on the clutch spring and once on the pp.. damn misaligned tranny..


When you do find the problem i suggest making sure everything is tight and working correctly. I would order new pressure plate bolts since the split washers get crushed and don't work properly.. Make sure you have all the bolts that hold the tranny to the block. I was missing the small 8mm in the back where it actually thread through the block and into the tranny. It will cause a misalignment of the tranny and it will put stress on the clutch disc.... Hope that helps from personal exp.

If that is the case, then it is an alignment issue from when whoever put the trans back on last and not an issue with the Spec clutch itself?

Thanks for the idea, looks like I'll dropping the tranny tomorrow

 

[Red Alert]

Nope i have 5 bucks on a clutch spring popped out of the clutch and is not allowing the clutch to disengage OR your pressure plate fingers are damaged/pressure plate bolts came loose and not allowing the correct function of the pressure plate... I have had both happen to me unfortunately.. twice on the clutch spring and once on the pp.. damn misaligned tranny..


When you do find the problem i suggest making sure everything is tight and working correctly. I would order new pressure plate bolts since the split washers get crushed and don't work properly.. Make sure you have all the bolts that hold the tranny to the block. I was missing the small 8mm in the back where it actually thread through the block and into the tranny. It will cause a misalignment of the tranny and it will put stress on the clutch disc.... Hope that helps from personal exp.

Good thing I didn't bet against you! Just finished dropping the trans and sure as shit, as soon as I get under and look, I see a clutch spring sticking out up against the pressure plate!

Getting ready to take it off and have it rebuilt tomorrow, thanks Viper!

EDIT: Some pics of the carnage and as you can see, 1 spring is completely popped out, and 2 others have 1 of the tabs broken off and the springs are sticking out more than the others.

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Is this an issue that all clutches can have or are these rare cases?

 

[velocitysport31]

That same thing happened to me, i just put in that same 6-puck spec clutch hope this doesn't happen again for a while.

 

[viperlp01]

Just to comment on this again 80% of the time this is due to a misalignment of the transmissin to the block.. Make sure you have all dowel pins in place(2) and make sure you have all bolts into secure the trans.. 1gs i believe have one on the front of the trans down low. 2 on the top and one on the back side that goes through the block into the tranny through the dowel pin hole.. If your missing it, it is a m8x1.5x60..

 

[Red Alert]

Got the clutch back earlier today after being rebuilt by my awesome clutch guy. Took him about 3 hours to finish and cost ~$150

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If a rebuilt stock clutch from him for my WRX was badass, I can imagine what a ceramic clutch like this is going to be like!

 

[GooeyGus]

Wow.... this EXACT same thing happened to me about 500 miles after a clutch swap.

I just parked the car for about 5 months, but I would start it every week to keep it 'healthy'.

Well, one day I went out to start it and the problem was completely gone. I'm guessing whatever it was that was stuck (probably a spring) either broke or just dislodged itself. That was over 7 months ago and its been fine ever since... This makes me want to pop off the transmission again to give everything a good once over!!!

 

[Red Alert]

Wow.... this EXACT same thing happened to me about 500 miles after a clutch swap.

I just parked the car for about 5 months, but I would start it every week to keep it 'healthy'.

Well, one day I went out to start it and the problem was completely gone. I'm guessing whatever it was that was stuck (probably a spring) either broke or just dislodged itself. That was over 7 months ago and its been fine every since... This makes me want to pop off the transmission again to give everything a good once over!!!

Interesting, I wonder if it really was the same problem I had. I would be worried though if I possibly had a spring just hanging around in there, could cause some serious collateral damage I can imagine

 

[OK's best GSX]

Not to take over your thread but my car does the same thing.. I can move through the gears while it's off but when I start it up every gear grinds...

Could it be the same thing?? I can see the fork moving when my cousin pushes in the pedal.

 

[falcon8r]

I just got my 92 talon running Tuesday. It did the same thing. Spit out a spring out of the disc. The car was clutchless. The disc I put in has a much more closed window than any of the pictures I see here. It will not sipt out anything. Has now an ACT pressureplate and Clutchnet kevlar disc. Great feel so far. Tres....

Here is the disc , time will tell if it's any good.
Kevlar clutch disc with sprung hub for Eagle Talon :: Eagle Talon :: Clutchnet Manufacturing USA

 

[Red Alert]

Not to take over your thread but my car does the same thing.. I can move through the gears while it's off but when I start it up every gear grinds...

Could it be the same thing?? I can see the fork moving when my cousin pushes in the pedal.

So you are not able to get it into gear at all while it's on? As in your car is completely immobile?

 

[OK's best GSX]

So you are not able to get it into gear at all while it's on? As in your car is completely immobile?

Not at all.. It worked fine for a while now it grinds when i try to put it in any gear.
It kinda looks like the fork is not moving far enough.. There is not much pressure kinda like it is not going far enough. Should I try a longer slave rod?

 

[My1GLaser]

It kinda looks like the fork is not moving far enough.. There is not much pressure kinda like it is not going far enough. Should I try a longer slave rod?

I just went thru all this on my car, after installing a brand new clutch and tranny. I couldn't get it into gear at all!

My fork was only moving 11mm. I got a new Master & slave cyl (OEM). Bled the clutch and adjust the rod under the dash. I now get 16mm of fork movement. My problem was partly related to the wrong slave cyl being on there somehow. I had a 1g N/T/2g slave with a 13/16" bore. The 1G AWD slave should have a 3/4" bore. The smaller diameter piston moves further b/c it is still displaced by the same volume of fluid from the master cylinder piston stroke. I would look into a 1g AWD slave if you can't get enough fork movement after you have tried everything else. There is such a thing as too much movement where the PP fingers will hit the clutch disc springs and cause damage. I don't know what is too much though.

Ideally, no you should not use a longer slave rod. However, if you pull it out and notice it is really flattened out on the ends, then a replacement wouldn't hurt. I fabbed my own extended rod out of a 5/16" Gr8 bolt. I made it .150" longer than stock. As long as your pedal adjustment is correct and the hydraulics release pressure it should be fine. Make sure you can slightly wiggle it after it is installed and it isn't holding pressure on the fork. I made sharpie marks on the clutch line that runs by the slave cyl so I could measure and check movement and for future reference of position. I do think the aftermarket extended rods are probably excessive.

Adjust your pedal according to this tutorial.

YouTube - Proper Clutch Adjustment

 

[OK's best GSX]

I just went thru all this on my car, after installing a brand new clutch and tranny. I couldn't get it into gear at all!

My fork was only moving 11mm. I got a new Master & slave cyl (OEM). Bled the clutch and adjust the rod under the dash. I now get 16mm of fork movement. My problem was partly related to the wrong slave cyl being on there somehow. I had a 1g N/T/2g slave with a 13/16" bore. The 1G AWD slave should have a 3/4" bore. The smaller diameter piston moves further b/c it is still displaced by the same volume of fluid from the master cylinder piston stroke. I would look into a 1g AWD slave if you can't get enough fork movement after you have tried everything else. There is such a thing as too much movement where the PP fingers will hit the clutch disc springs and cause damage. I don't know what is too much though.

Ideally, no you should not use a longer slave rod. However, if you pull it out and notice it is really flattened out on the ends, then a replacement wouldn't hurt. I fabbed my own extended rod out of a 5/16" Gr8 bolt. I made it .150" longer than stock. As long as your pedal adjustment is correct and the hydraulics release pressure it should be fine. Make sure you can slightly wiggle it after it is installed and it isn't holding pressure on the fork. I made sharpie marks on the clutch line that runs by the slave cyl so I could measure and check movement and for future reference of position. I do think the aftermarket extended rods are probably excessive.

Adjust your pedal according to this tutorial.

YouTube - Proper Clutch Adjustment

Yeah I read your thread too .. I have looked at them all
I just replaced the slave and the master is pretty new too. I already adjusted my under dash just as he says.. I'm running out of things to do

 

[lpfootball1341]

what brand clutch do you have, i have a 6 puck competition havent had any problems with it yet, hope not too

 

[OK's best GSX]

Mine is a centerforce

 

[concreteTSI]

i have a act 2600 street/strip disc, was having a ton of clutch problems after installing it. I replaced line, slave, master nothing worked. I finally pulled out the pedal assembly and sent it to shep to have them put new bushings in and reweld everything, and still have extrememly low engagement. Last time the tranny was out clutch springs looked fine, now im really at a lost.

 

[Red Alert]

i have a act 2600 street/strip disc, was having a ton of clutch problems after installing it. I replaced line, slave, master nothing worked. I finally pulled out the pedal assembly and sent it to shep to have them put new bushings in and reweld everything, and still have extrememly low engagement. Last time the tranny was out clutch springs looked fine, now im really at a lost.

You say you have a ton of problems, what else besides low engagement is happening?

 

[viprez586]

For $150 that "guy" should've known to mill the step height on your flywheel.
That might cause issues for you down the road.

I paid $60 to have my flywheel resurfaced, looks identical in finish with step height done. I'm not a firm believer in resurfacing a pressure plate either but to each his own.

 

[Red Alert]

For $150 that "guy" should've known to mill the step height on your flywheel.
That might cause issues for you down the road.

I paid $60 to have my flywheel resurfaced, looks identical in finish with step height done. I'm not a firm believer in resurfacing a pressure plate either but to each his own.

What is this step height your reffering to?

I wasn't a firm believer in rebuilt clutches, but after he redid the stock clutch on my WRX, I wont ever pay for a new clutch again if I don't have to...

EDIT: If your reffering to those raised parts with the dowls for the pressure plate, he was going to surface that the same amount he took off the inner part of the flywheel, but he didn't want to cause problems in the future if I ever get that section of the flywheel replaced since there isn't much meat left on it. So instead he left it alone and made up the difference on the clutch disk.

He does clutches and clutches only for anything and everything you can think of. Most of his business appears to be for larger vehicles because everytime I go in there he has a shit ton of HUMONGOUS clutches, but he knows how to build a good clutch for high hp street cars...

 

[viprez586]

RRE's Clutch And Flywheel Tech Info

 

[Red Alert]

RRE's Clutch And Flywheel Tech Info

Gotcha, like I said before though, he made up the difference in the clutch disk so there won't be any engagement issues. That way next time I replace the clutch, I'll have the inner section replaced and it won't cause any problems.

He knew what kind of car the clutch came out of before I even told him so he's done them before. He knows his clutches