Disengagement Issue...is my Clutch Gone???

[tsi1991awd]

So since I bought my car (last Sunday) the tranny was grinding in 3rd and 4th. Tuesday all hell broke loose. Long story.

But let's skip to today...the tranny will shift into all gears just fine when the car is off. So I have no doubt the tranny is good (it was rebuilt in 2005). But with the car running, I can't get it into gear. It won't go into first...it will be hard to put into 2nd and it just grinds as if the clutch isn't even pushed in. It will go into 3rd fine. Won't go into 4th and 5th. And it will grind the same as 2nd gear when I try to put it into reverse.

With that said...I have bled the clutch 4 different times, even used a speed bleeder and bled it all. Still no use. I am not able to adjust the master/slave properly because when I try, the slave is always able to push back...it never locks up like it is supposed to (if you know how to PROPERLY adjust the clutch, you will know what I mean.)

I got under the car while my wife pushed the clutch in and the slave cylinder extends and pushes the fork fine. The fork doesn't extend all the way to the left and "bottom out" on the housing, but it does look like it is travelling the amount it is supposed to.

So my question is....is my clutch just toast? As I said, everything was rebuilt in 2005. It has an ACT 2600 and Fidanza flywheel. All parts are brand new...clutch fork, TOB, TOB clip, pivot ball, etc. etc.

I am thinking the clutch finally went and it's time for a new one but I want some input before I go and drop $700 on all new parts.

 

[BoostFrenzy]

If you can go into some gears but not others, something internal got chewed up. As a precaution, change out the trans fluid and see if any pieces come out.

 

[Gasolinebaptism]

Well since you bought it, was there noticeable slip?

 

[viprez586]

DON'T DRIVE IT! Look in my gallery at my trans, you don't want this to happen to you. Make sure all the bellhousing bolts are there and that it is flush with the block. Pictures in my gallery is the aftermath when they mysteriously disappear.

Otherwise the flywheel step height could be off.

Other things to consider:
Shimming the pivot ball 1-2 washers.

Try backing off the pedal - I had this problem after I resurfaced my flywheel and installed a clutch. The fork can be over-extending causing the same exact problem.


http://www.roadraceengineering.com/clutchandflywheeltech.htm

 

[tsi1991awd]

Well after messing with it more, the clutch engages immediately when I let it off of the floor, and this is after I put the thing in gear to drive.

Also, it will go through all the gears just fine when the car is OFF. With the car on, it will go into first but it's hard. 2nd will grind. 3rd and 4th it will go easy and 5th is hard or not at all. Reverse grinds and is hard to put into gear.

I also want to mention that once I go into 3rd gear and put the car back into neutral, it is still in gear. The bracket on the transmission looks like it is in neutral, and the cables are in neutral....I even extended the bracket on the transmission to the 3rd gear and 4th gear position and back to neutral. But when I start the car, it will still be stuck in 3rd gear. So I go back and check that the shift levers on the tranny are in neutral AND THEY ARE. I move the levers up and down and go into 3rd and 4th...go back to the car and start it then it is fine...it's in neutral.

But again...if I shift into 3rd gear at all WITH THE CAR ON, then it will be stuck in 3rd no matter where the shifter is at...even with the shifter in Neutral. It's weird as hell. But once it is actually in neutral again, and the car is off, then it'll shift through all the gears just fine.

So is it an internal issue PLUS the clutch or....?? I don't know....

 

[viprez586]

Probably both.
I'd tear out the trans and send it out or figure out whats going on.