Strange clutch / gearbox issue.

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Aug 9, 2010 | 12:09 PM
  #1  
T56 from a 2006 LS2 GTO.

Gearbox crunches when changing from 1st to 2nd at high rpm. Can be difficult to get into 1st, often have to double-de-clutch from a standstill/when setting off. Reverse is difficult too.

When putting the car into 1st, from a standstill, the car moves ever so slightly. This is the strange part.

I have had the rear in the air, and engaged 1st gear, and the wheels turn about a quarter of a revolution when the selector is shifted into 1st with the clutch depressed, but that's as far as they turn. If I then rev the engine, with the clutch depressed and selector in 1st, the wheels don't turn. So it doesn't seem like the clutch is dragging/not disengaging properly.

I have spent a horrible amount of time bleeding the clutch, with the master cyl out of the car, and in the car. I have mostly used a pressure bleeder to force through from the top. I have a mityvac but I can't get to the feed hose out of the reservoir with it, because the reservoir is shared with the brake system on this rx7 and there's a level thing blocking access to the back. I have used the mityvac on the reservoir itself though (via a bleeder type cap).

Any ideas what's going on? Some kind of synchromesh problem? It is possible I have either a little too much or not quite enough fluid in the box, if that sounds like a possible cause..

I have altered the piston length/position on the master cylinder, to the point that I am certain the master cylinder is certainly moving the way it should. I am using the original GTO master cylinder.

Hoping somebody knows what's going on!

cheers,
Carl
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Aug 10, 2010 | 06:38 AM
  #2  
Check the fluid in the trans, easy enough..

But your problem sounds clutch/hyd related still. Your master cyl may be leaking past it's seals, etc.. Look into getting a new complete master/line/slave and starting from scratch.
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Aug 10, 2010 | 11:59 AM
  #3  
Thanks Mike. I used my MityVac today, by pulling off the hose that feeds the master cyl off of the reservoir, and pulling vacuum on that with the mity. I certainly got some bubbles out, but I pulled quite a bit of vacuum. Certainly more than the 10-15mm/hg that the GM tech article says to use.

I thought it had helped today, but really it's just the same.

The bottom line is, it plays up from Neutral to 1st or Reverse, and also 1st to 2nd.

I just sat on the driveway with it just now, and everytime I go from Neutral (clutch up), to clutch down then 1st, the car moves very slightly forwards. If I then keep going between the gears there's no movement, but if I pull up the clutch in Neutral, then it'll move a bit going into 1st, and be difficult on reverse.

Last night I ordered an LS7 clutch, alu flywheel and new slave cylinder from Scoggin Dickey anyway.
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