heres my orginal post i never said it happens all the time...only sometimes

hey guys i have a 1997 gst with original transmission all gears seem to be fine but 1st gear is a pain to get in i try to get it in feels like its in but as soon as i let off the clutch a lil it grinds hard ill try to put it in 2nd and put it in 1st kinda hard and some times itll work but most of the time it dosent itll just grind ....i need help with this bad all the other gears feel fine and grab fine its just first gear i caint even stop at a light with out running into this problem...please help thanks guys

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Do this...Pump the clutch 4 or 5 times then try to put it in first, if it starts going in well like that, then it's your master cylinder or possibly slave. If not, then we will rethink it.

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im going to try this in the AM then let you know atruepretense thanks bro

Wow, so many transmission specialists in this thread.

Guys, please don't post if you don't know what you're talking about.


It sounds like your clutch is dragging. Bleed the system, don't forget on bleeding the slave cylinder, and then adjust your pedal.

Also, you should ALWAYS press the clutch all the way down.

Black95TSIawd said:

Wow, so many transmission specialists in this thread.

Guys, please don't post if you don't know what you're talking about.


It sounds like your clutch is dragging. Bleed the system, don't forget on bleeding the slave cylinder, and then adjust your pedal.

Also, you should ALWAYS press the clutch all the way down.

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I Guess that means that you are a transmission specialist and/or have experience and knowledge!! Maybe you can help me out also!

I have a similar problem.

My clutch will grind/jump hard into reverse about 50% of the time, 1st gear occasionally 1 out of 20-25 shifts will also grind the synchros and not let me put it in 1st, so I will drop it to 2nd gear instead from a stop and drive off from there. I have done Jack's transmissions clutch adjustment... a few times, and never found a real change or "sweet spot" I am about to bleed my clutch system and soon as someone answers me in my other thread (I cant get the 10mm bolt on the bleeder valve to loosen). I have also thought of a bad clutch fork, but threw that idea out the window because the grinding into 1st only happens once in a while, and sometimes when it does get into 1st/2nd from a stop I can SEE AND FEEL it dragging, like its not fully disengaged. I will give an update after i bleed the clutch but in the mean time are there any other ideas??

On the highway I can drop in and out of gears no problems. Just from a stop sometimes I have trouble getting into 1st; 2nd gear will just feel like its "vibrating" or not disengaging a bit.

It could very well be the clutch pivot fork has slightly bent.

From what i have heard... clutch release forks dont bend, they just right out break. Is this wrong?

Im bleeding the clutch out right now and will do another adjustment when that is complete. But my fork is already leaning towards the passenger side already a bit, it is not centered, I need to get that centered. I think that might be reducing the amount of throw on the clutch system that in turn doesnt push the clutch fork ENOUGH to release the clutch. Ya dig? or am I just being retarded?