Here's a little background on the problem a few months ago I was driving and noticed a little change in my clutch pedal but it was all that noticeable. So I didn't really think anything about it I had just done a heater core on the car so I figured I'd just bleed the line likethe 2g tech articles had said because I had still had a stock line on it. A few weeks after getting the heater core done it started to have issues with second it would grind sometimes and others it would be fine. It was then getting to the point where it would go into any gear without rpm matching and on my way to my mom's the only place I have a garage to work on it shifting was pretty much not happening at all. Lots of resistance and pressure when I was trying to get it in to anything so I managed to get 3rd and limped it to the house. Jacked it up and noticed there was some fluid leaking from the slave and the clutch boot was soaked so I replaced the slave. Still had issues even putting it into gear with the engine off. While I was under the dash to adjust the clutch rod that goes into the master I noticed a few drops coming out of the master so I replaced that as well as added a ss clutch line from the master to the slave bled the system through almost 3 small bottles of fluid to make sure. Still wouldn't go into gear with the engine on and when I would try first it would act like it was trying to go into first because the car would move forward and start to bog/die like it was going into gear but the pedal being down didn't seem to do anything. So next step replaced the pivot ball and clutch fork with new from shep advantage of living so close my mom had picked it up so I didn't really get to talk to anyone because I was at work. Replaced the clutch fork and pivot ball the old pivot ball was very noticeably worn so thought I had solved the problem while the trans was off I had restored pressure plate bolts and inspected the disk it still has decent life but didn't even think to check the springs . After putting everything back on it will shift with the car off pretty easily but again with the car on still acts the same way. Sorry about writing a novel just wanted to give the most information possible.

Cliff notes for those that skim :
Replaced master and slave with new ss clutch line and clutch fork and pivot ball will shift when off won't shift when on pressure plate bolts are torqued lots of life on disk didn't check disk springs .

Keep bleeding the system, and readjust the clutch rod.

I have the clutch rod almost all the way threaded out should I bring it back in or just focus on bleeding the system more

I just bled mine didnt take long, and adjusted the rod

Clutch Pedeal Adjustment - Team Rip Engineering

Might be an idea to have someone operate the clutch pedal while you verify the slave shaft actuates properly. If it does, this might have developed into a transmission issue.

IF it goes into gear with the car off, but not with the car running than it is the clutch system 100 percent of the time. What brand of clutch master are you running?

Definately a clutch job, sounds like a Popped Spring on the clutch disk..

Sounds like you're having disengagement problems. make sure the clutch rod is adjusted right. bleed the system right. I had similar problems so i was replacing pivot balls, shift fork and it didn't make it better. http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-drivetrain/213503-how-properly-bleed-your-hydraulic-clutch.html that is what I used and it helped a little. After replacing my torn motor mounts, it shifted a lot better and i was able to get it in gear with no problem. I have a fidanza flywheel and a act 2600 with a street disk.

I bought an OEM master and slave just bled the system for an hour or so had help the slave rod is working properly after awhile I finally got it to somewhat go into reverse but still pretty much the same thing I suppose I'll be taking the trans off again. I'll keep updating thanks for the help so far.

bryanwheat said:

IF it goes into gear with the car off, but not with the car running than it is the clutch system 100 percent of the time. What brand of clutch master are you running?

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805DSM said:

Definately a clutch job, sounds like a Popped Spring on the clutch disk..

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Are you guys really certain about this? From his description, he drove for a considerable time wrestling with the shift lever -- not good for the sychronizers or gears. When the engine is off, the synchronizers do nada! However, when the engine is running, they make a big difference. Of course, their function can be bypassed via double-clutching.

TrevorS said:

Are you guys really certain about this? From his description, he drove for a considerable time wrestling with the shift lever -- not good for the sychronizers or gears. When the engine is off, the synchronizers do nada! However, when the engine is running, they make a big difference. Of course, their function can be bypassed via double-clutching.

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Well the input shaft shouldn't be spinning when the clutch is pushed so it is pretty much the same as the car being off. That is if the clutch is working properly and there is no drag. It would just grind if the syncro's were bad, but you could force it in gear , or start the car in gear with the clutch pedal pushed down.

I really don't think that all of the syncros went out at once. But if you fought it for a" while" that could be it.

But if there is no grinding and you just can't put it into gear, that is a different story......

The only grinding I get is when I try to put it in reverse even when I had to wrestle it into gear the two times I did there wasn't much grinding even when it went in. When I trying to go into first there isn't any grinding at all it just feels difficult to go in and starts to act like it's going into gear meaning it starts to go somewhat forward and the car starts to bog down where as starting it in gear the car just acts the same as if you started any other manual in first lurks forward I'd imagine it would keep going if I needed it to but not a fan of cause more damage. I'm about 99% sure it's clutch and pissed at my self for not just doing one 3 days ago when the trans was off. I was looking for some confirmation towards that before taking it out again. Definitely missing my 1g when it comes to taking transmissions off. One more thing to add when I did try to start it on in first the clutch pedal was pretty much worthless so I'd assume it's a clutch related problem and the trans never grinding before it started not wanting to go into gear. I also had felt a slight change in the pressure of the pedal while driving there wasn't any grinding for a few day after that's why I assumed seeing the slave leaking that was the problem. The only times I forced it into gear was the one time on my way home and then to get it into 3rd to limp it back to my mom's for the 5-10 minutes between those 2 instances double clutching and some regular shifting were fine.

IT's definitely in the clutch or hydraulics.

same thing happend to me got a new clutch and all was fine.

Just figured I would update installed the new clutch and flywheel as well as the symborski shifter bushing set and it shift perfectly probably one of the smoothest I've felt. I went with an act 2600 sprung 6 puck and a streetlite flywheel full act setup when I was taking the old pressure plate off all the bolts were all somewhat loose but not much less than the recommended torque but I'm sure might have been part of the problem but to make a long story short replaced the clutch solved the issue. Thanks for everyone's help and ideas it is appreciated.

Somewhat of an old thread, but I'm having the same problem. I was at a stop light and I tried to go into gear, it felt like I hit a brick wall so I stopped pushing it into gear, pushed it to my buddies house who lives right down the street. It goes into all gears smooth when the engine is Off, none when running.


The car's been running for 3 days (2 days and a night to be specific ) Its on a fidanza fly & oem style clutch.
its a rebuilt motor so I was breaking it in, I did a couple pulls (it shifts super smooth) in 2nd & 3rd to 6700 , to put proper load on the motor & to tune with safc.

I had someone press the clutch while I watch and to try to put it into gear, clutch looks like it's working, Full of fluid , shifters working.