Car wont go into gear.

[seth98es]

Soooo. After Fixing the last issue that I posted yesterday, which lasted about 18 hours... The car is broke again. Met up with som friends to watch Tokyo Drift(funny ricer drifting y0!) and after the movie headed home. Car ran fine on the interstate, turned off on my exit and tried to downshift into 4th. Nothing high, just a normal slowing down, downshift. And what do you know? It wont go into gear! WTF! I have a brand new clutch, less then 2000 miles. I finally get it into gear after some wrestling and keep it in 4th for a while. Car drives fine, the clutch still grabs, no sllipping. I stop at a stop light, take it out of 4th and wrestle it into 1st. No grinding, just doesnt want to go into gear. I finally get home and of course I have to parallel park into my spot. Try for reverse, grindage! So I push it back and parallel park, was actually pretty easy ha!

So, what am I looking at now? The trans looked good when I took it apart to install the LSD. SBR clutch disc, less then 2000 miles, ACT 2600 pressure plate, probably 10k on it. THe clutch pedal still feels fine, it goes in and out as normal, just wont go into gear. Could the trans have lost its fluid? I need to check a few things in the morning, but theres not a way to check the trans fluid on a manual? I am at a loss, I cant keep the car in driveable condition! I need a beater which I cant afford.

 

[talondude4]

How old is the slave and master?

 

[seth98es]

New master, old slave(was new 10k ago). Just went outside and checked a few things. Had my gf move the shifter around and it did move the linkage properly and go into gear without the car on. Had her push in the clutch and the slave moved the shifter fork, which looked normal. Also the shift fork is a steel fork which was replaced 10k ago along with a new pivot ball. TOB is Mitsu OEM and was replaced 2k ago as well. I am using BG Synchro mesh fluid or whatever it is called.

Only thing that I noticed is that the driverside axle did have a tear in the CV boot closest to the trans. This is a used axle and I didnt notice the tear when I put it in 2k miles ago(old axle was new, but the threads were stripped somehow). Could that cause the car not to go into gear though? I can see it having issues trying to move but once I was in gear, the car went just fine.

 

[talondude4]

Man sounds like the sycronizers are gone for 4th gear, idk man i know when im spinning and go to shift it grinds for some reason, idk if it would do the same for the bad axle shaft.

 

[seth98es]

Well its not just fourth its any gear. And its not that it grinds because it only grinds reverse which is a straight cut gear. When trying to go into any gear when the car is running, clutch pushed in, it just wont go. If I push hard enough it will make a noise, kind of just a loud whine or something.

This is something that hapenned within a 10 mile span. Driving out of the parking lot, onto the interstate, into 5th it went fine. Getting off on my exit 10 miles later the car wouldnt want to go into gear. I didnt smell the clutch burning or anything like that. If some how, some reason, the shifter cables were bound, I wouldnt be able to shift into gear with the car off correct? I checked the little clips under the hood that held the shifter cables to the bracked and they were fine. Goes in and out of every gear just fine when the car is off. I just dont get it, sombody really hates me. This car never is on the road for more then two months at a time. I just sold my dailey driver so I could afford moving into an apartment, now I am screwed. I should sell the car and buy a Ford Festiva

 

[seth98es]

So I am thinking its possibly a trans issue. I know before when I replaced the open diff with the SBR insert I had everything back together and I couldnt get it into gear manually, just moving the linkage with my hands(trans was on the garage floor). I took everything apart, put it back together and it went into gear fine. What part in the trans would cause the car not to be able to go into gear with the car on, but goes fine with the car off? I really dont know, but would taking the first trans cover(cover that covers up 5th gear) off tell me anything? I really dont want to pull the trans since I just put it back in a few months ago.

Also when I had the trans apart all the synchros looked perfect.

 

[seth98es]

Anybody else have any tips before I pull the trans tomorrow? I am going to pull the flywheel inspection plate and see if I can see any remenants of a clutch disc there. But other then that, I dont know what else to check without pulling the trans. I have had an ACT Street disc fall apart on my before and the symptons for that were a lot different. THe car now, once in gear, it pulls just fine, no slipage, no weird noises at all. This is where I am puzzled and makes me think it isnt the clutch or trans.

 

[Old Mitsu Tech]

Can you stop and with the clutch pushed in put it in gear? If so, then likely trans if you have other problems . If not, then likely hydraulics.

Good luck

 

[Boosted98gsx]

First, turn off the car and see if it will go into gear. If so, your clutch needs adjusting. If not, take off your shifter linkage and try to shift by hand using the rail/gear selectors on the tranny. If you can get past the synchros and into gear like that, your shifter cables need to be replaced. If not, your tranny is toast

 

[seth98es]

Ok, with the car off it goes into each and every gear just normally while shifting with the shifter. I had my gf move the shifter into gear and it moved the linkage under the hood correctly. Second, the clutch pedal does move the shifter fork at the slave. I guess its possible that the pedal assembly lost its adjustment, I will have to check it, but the pedal pressure and travel felt the same as always.

With the car on, at idle, clutch pedal pressed in, it will not go into any gear. Does not grind, just will not go into gear. And thats not just one gear, its any gear. I can move the shifter assembly around just fine, just as if I was putting it into 1st, 2nd, ect, but it just wont go completely in gear. It will try to move the car forward when I try to put it in gear like the clutch is not working at all. On my way home when it was acting up, I was able to kind of force it into gear and once it was in gear, the car drove and pulled just fine. When coming to a stop light, taking itself out of gear was about normal, but trying to get it back into gear was not easy. All this time it never did grind going into gear, except for trying reverse when I got home.

 

[Boosted98gsx]

Sounds like you need a clutch adjustment. I just got done tweaking mine a little, so I can tell you it's fairly easy. You need a 12mm wrench and a flashlight. Move your drivers seat back all the way and recline it as far as you can. Lay down upside down and use your flashlight to look at the top of the pedal for a rod. Loosen the 12mm nut, and spin the rod with your fingers about 1/2-1 turn TOWARDS the firewall. This will make your clutch further disengage with the pedal pressed all the way in. Tighten the 12mm nut, re-adjust your seat, start the car, press the clutch and see if it will go in gear. If it's still a little hesitant to go in gear, repeat and turn it a little more. The more you turn the rod, the further FROM the firewall you will have to press the pedal in to get the clutch to disengage.

Have fun and keep us updated.

P.S. Make sure your fluid resevoir is full. If not, you will need to bleed your clutch line as well.

 

[seth98es]

I have adjusted the clutch pedal a few months ago when I was having issues with my old clutch, just turned out I didnt bleed it good enough. I will check the pedal, make sure all is well and that it didnt loose its adjustment.

And the resivoir is full. I might try to bleed it some more just so I dont go through the hassle of removing the trans for no reason.

 

[Boosted98gsx]

You dont need to remove the trans. It's just your clutch adjustment.

 

[seth98es]

Yes I know the clutch adjustment doesnt require removing the trans, but I was planning on removing the trans to check the condition of the clutch, flywheel, pressure plate, shift fork, and the trans itself.

Was just saying I didnt want to remove the transmission to check those things, just to find out the clutch pedal came out of adjustment .

Also I do have the balance shafts removed so the extra vibration could vibrate anything loose hahab

 

[seth98es]

Nope, not the clutch pedal. The adjustment wasnt changed. Right now its adjusted as far as it can go. Before I adjusted it a few months ago, there was a lot of play in the pedal. Since I adjusted it, there hasnt been any play, the clutch feels the same now as it did before when it was working properly.

It just feels like the clutch doesnt work. Theres not a difference whether I have the clutch in or out when trying to put it in gear.

 

[seth98es]

The trans has fluid. I unbolted the drain plug and hte fluid came right out. It does look quite a bit lighter in color vs the new fluid I still have in the bottle. The new fluid is almost the same color as a dark soda, but obviously thicker. The stuff that came out of the trans was very light brown and looked a lot different. I know I did have to take my car in for service when my lower ball joint failed and I have no clue what fluid they put it but it looks exactly like the fluid that came out of the trans now. When I installed the LSD I replaced the old fluid with the BM fluid.

I can put the car in gear and start the car but the clutch does not fully engage as the car will want to move. Also removed the flywheel inspection plate and did not find any metal shavings.

 

[seth98es]

Ok, to keep following up, I started the car with the wheels off hte ground. I was able to get it into gear but the wheels would move. So I dont think its the trans at this point. I am going to re-bleed the clutch and adjust the clutch pedal some more. Hopefully it is that easy. Anymore tips on adjusting the clutch? I know some people get extended slave rods but thats not the correct way to do things is it?

 

[Boosted98gsx]

If the gears dont go into gear with the engine on, but do with it off, it is the clutch, nothing else. It's not the trans, it's not the diff, it's nothing other than your clutch's hydraulic system, or the clutch itself (which I dont see it being).

 

[christiane]

Were you being hard on your clutch before all this happend? I had nearly the exact same problem a few months back as the result of my clutch friction welding its self to the pressure plate and flywheel.

 

[seth98es]

Nope, it was easy driving. Nothing hard. Just cruising @ 70mph on the interstate. Am going to work on the car right now, will keep this post updated.

 

[seth98es]

Ok sooo I fixed my clutch pedal. Its adjusted as good as its going to go. I have great pedal pressure and travel. But, starting the car with the wheels off the ground, push the clutch in, goes into gear but the wheels still move like the car is still in gear. I press the brake pedal and I get a high pitched squeel/whine. Does that tell you guys anything? I think there is something wrong with the clutch at this point.

 

[christiane]

It is almost beginning to sound like the clutch fork is bent/ wore out. I dont understand how this would just arise over a short easy drive but thats the best I can come up with. What I would do in this situation is attempt to find alonger slave cylinder rod to use to see if that alowed the clutch to fully disengage. Also, when you press the brakes with the clutch held in does the car start to die? RPMs drop?

 

[seth98es]

Yes RPMS do drop when the clutch is in, in first gear, and brake pressed in as well.

 

[mad_trbo]

Funny I just had the same thing happen to me and I am now trying to research the issue prior to heading to the dealer.

My situation was a little different, I was making some WOT rund 1s, 2nd then 3rd and logging them on the EMS. I wasn't banging the gears or anything. I then came off of the highway and got the light onto the exit road. I downshifted to second and then accelerated to 3rd. I pull into the parking lot of a grocery store for some thing to drink and I approach the stop sign engage the clutch and the car slows down and then lurches forward. The car stalls and when I try to start with clutch depressed and car in gear it lurches forward. I take it out of gear press clutch, car starts I try and put the car into gear and the gears grind.

I have been doing no tranny, clutch or other kind of work. I have an ACT 2900 / light weight flywheel that I put in the car around 5k in miles ago.

Never any issues, clutch engages the fork from the outside of the bell housing but it doesn't seem to disengage the cluthc?????????


Damn I thought this thread was going to have the answer.

 

[mad_trbo]

As you will note when looking at the attachments you'll see my issue had nothing to do with clutch master or slave cyclinder, clutch pedal play or improper adjustment.

I think what happened is the spring somehow became lodged between the flywheel and the clutch and would not allow it to disengage. The car became and auto on.

Now I've been running this setup for approximately 5 thousand miles with no issue. Any suggestions on what could have caused this. I know I saw a post from Taboo on another board indicating a misalignment of the trans with the block. This could not have been my issue. Thanks for any ideas.