clutch/trans problem

[91rtstealth]

This week I started having difficulty shifting my car back into gear after stopping. If the car is cold, it seems to shift just fine, but after driving it for a while it gets quite difficult to shift. It's especially bad when I come to a dead stop and need to get back into 1st to take off. I have to force it in sometimes. At first I thought that maybe my trans fluid was low or needed replaced, but it shifts very smoothly when I first start driving so I don't think that would make any sense It's only an issue once the car is all warmed up and I've been driving for 15-20 mins or so. My guess is the throwout bearing on the clutch? Or something with the pressure plate?

Are there any common problems with clutches on these cars that you guys might know about? I need to get this fixed asap and I don't want to get ripped off. I don't have a garage or time to fix so I'm just going to have to take it somewhere this week..it's my daily driver

thanks

ps...if you know of a trusted garage that knows DSM's in the Philly area let me know...I hate taking my car to mechanics I'm not familiar with.

 

[Stee420aT]

Try bleeding your slave cylinder. These cars have hydraulic clutches right? never looked.

 

[greydelta38]

My Eclipse does it too. It feels like something blocks the slot in the actual H shifter and won't let you shift into the first gear position until you force it in. I had a fleeting thought that possibly the computer may keep you from shifting down into 1st when slowing down to avoid an early redline, but that made no sense. It won't let me shift down into 1st gear even if i hold the clutch, until i get below 15 mph or so. It's weird. None of the other gears do that. I tested it by dropping fifth to second at 60 and it let me shift, smoothly, no problem, until the synchro almost redlined the engine and I pushed the clutch back in. Can anyone explain why first seems to have a problem? I don't know enough about the transmission to talk technical, so treat me as a little bit ignorant to it, please.

 

[Riceburning101]

DSM 1st gears are special. Its a common thing for you to have to come to a complete stop b4 it will let you into first. Once you come to a stop it should let you in unless you have other underlying issues. bleed the clutch slave system and master. another thing you could test is on a level surface come to a stop put the car in 1st and hold the clutch in if the car moves forward then its still dragging and the pressure plate isnt fully disengaging which is why it wont go into 1st.

 

[91rtstealth]

mechanic bled the system and it's fine. He said the slave cylinder is bad..thank god...didn't feel like dropping a new clutch into this car..