Please Help-Won't shift into gear after clutch installation.

[Lindeberg]

Hey guys,
I just finished spending 1300$ for a clutch install all was fine and dandy. I left the place and when I got to my house maybe 30 miles away, I stopped at a stop sign. My car wouldnt want to go into first cause it would grind.

I shut off the car put it in first and started it with the clutch in. I made it to my house and now my car wont go into first gear. I called the mechanic and hes saying its my fault, cause I bought a used pressure plate.

What do I do, I dont want to pay another 1300$ for a clutch install? Is it my fault cause he didnt send it out to get machined. Cause thats what hes telling me, the pressure plate has to get machined with the flywheel..

Im hoping maybe its just air in the clutch fluid or play with the screw behind the clutch pedal. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thx guys.

Edit: Also when I started the car in reverse my foot was all the way down and the car was moving backwards. I dont know if that might help.

 

[SinaiTSi]

First things first, I would bleed your fluid and try adjusting the clutch pedal.

 

[Lindeberg]

I just stuck my head under my car and it looks like there is leaking oil near the tranny. More in the center of the car though. Could that be clutch fluid?

 

[LTUDSM]

yeaa it could be really possible,but clutch fluid is not the reason why you cant put into first gear,anyway if there is no oil in your tranny you would be able to shift into first gear,it would be hard but youll be still able to do it, talkning bout leak under your car ,first check if your hydraulic system is ok,i had that problem before too,when i went to change my clutch the mechanic told me that my hydraulic is leaking,and it was right under the car,where the power pressue power stearing hose coneccted on the bottom of the engine

 

[IslandTSI]

Yes it probably is. Check and see if it is leaking from the slave cylinder. Bleed the system and make sure the hydraulics are working properly (slave and master cylinder) then move on from there.

 

[ivanr4g63]

Anything you can do helps, for instance try bleeding you clutch system (speed bleeders help alot), don't assume you're done after a few pumps, bleed it until a nice straight stream shoots out of the bleeding valve, check for obvious leaks on your master and slave cylinder if your previous bleeding did not help, if still can't get it in gear try adjusting the clutch pedal rod right under your dashboard (be ready to use foul language at this point as room in there is tight), if non of these things help then yes, you might have a bad pressure plate.

But don't go back to that mechanic unless you get a warranty on the labor, you shouldn't have paid more than $350 average even in canadian dollars. Find a friend, or a friend of a friend, im sure someone you know knows how to do this on a nice saturday evening.

Good luck, and let us know how this turns out.

regards

 

[Lindeberg]

Edit: I stuck my head under the car and its the Slave Cylinder leaking oil all over the place, onto the oil pan and exhaust. Funny thing is I made my girlfriend pump the clutch pedal and when I went in the car, it went into gear. I even advanced the car and went into reverse.

 

[jking29]

Holy crap! $1300!!!???? Ask for a jar of vaseline next time. Seriously, you should find another shop to do your work. Or better yet, get a manual and some tools so you never get taken like that again. If you run into any problems, there are plenty of people on here that could walk you through anything. As far as the leak goes, just replace the slave cylinder and bleed the system. The cylinder is cheap, like $15 from Advanced Auto, and it's an easy job. Heres a link to help you out. http://www.plymouthlaser.com/slave2.htm

 

[DSM-Talon-John]

Ya whats with the cost? I gto a guy who does the labor for 180-220

 

[Lindeberg]

New update o man the oil on the floor is actually the oil return lign the rubber has a slice in it and its leaking everywhere. <

As for the clutch it goes into any gear as long as my foot isnt all the way down, has to be maybe an inch off. I guess I have to fix that somehow, but weird thing is if I push the clutch pedal all the way in it makes a weird noise coming from the clutch. Kinda like a grinding noise but not so loud and of course it doesnt go into gear...

 

[jking29]

Did he surface your flywheel when he did the clutch? If so, he may not have gotten the step right.