almost impossible to shift- everthing stock

[inimeg6482]

Hello everyone, I have a 1990 talon tsi awd that has been driving and shifting fine. all drivetrain components are stock. all of this sudden today I turned my car on and heard a metal squealing sound coming from the side of the engine without the belts. It was the first time it ever happend. It kind of went away but started up again. I got into the car and pressed the clutch pedal and it stopped instantly so I knew it had something to do with the drivetrain. I went to drive it and the pedal had a little less stiffness but was fine. I got two blocks away and stopped at a light. I tried to put it in 1st and had the FIGHT it in(not force it)to gear and the clutch pedal felt week and the shifter felt really odd. The next light same thing almost impossible to shift but once in gear it didn't slip or anything. It did this in every gear I shifted(1-3) its like something came loose. Is it the clutch or shifting components or something else. The car can only be limped to where I'm having it fixed. I don't want to buy a new clutch if that won't fix it

 

[viprez586]

You might as well buy a new clutch if you haven't replaced it recently. Make sure to use an OEM throw out bearing. They're the best period.

If you remove the nest of intercooler piping, vacuum lines, etc. You can pull the inspection cover plug on top of the bellhousing and shine a light in there to see whats going on.
Check to make sure all your bellhousing bolts are tight - you can look what happens when they back out and disappear.
<img src="http://www.dsmtuners.com/gallery/files/7/2/2/1/8/eagle_talon_trans_005.jpg" alt="Tob Vs. Input Bearing Retainer" />
<img src="http://www.dsmtuners.com/gallery/files/7/2/2/1/8/eagle_talon_trans_002.jpg" alt="Tob Vs. Input Bearing Retainer" />

Sounds to me like your throw out bearing seized/exploded/grenaded/etc. but you won't find out until you do some inspection.


While your in there pulling the transmission off to fix this though - you might as well fork up the cash to do the clutch to save yourself on labor - whether your fixing it, or your paying someone to fix it. Do it once - do it right.