Manual Transmission T56 | T5 | MN12 | Clutches | Hydraulics | Shifters

Hard to get into first gear and reverse

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 12-16-2006, 05:54 PM
  #1  
10 Second Club
Thread Starter
iTrader: (7)
 
MyriadPhoenix's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Keystone Heights FL
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Hard to get into first gear and reverse

I will try and describe this the best I can. When the car is not running I can put my car in any gear I please. Once I start the car up and release the clutch then depress the clutch again it is hard to get into gear. When I try the car will move almost like the clutch is not fully disengauging but once it is in gear the car is fine and I can shift through all the grears like butter until I let the clutch pedal out then press it in again and I have the same issue all over again. When I am driving it is fine I do have some issues grinding going into 4th at WOT. I have beat on my tranny pretty hard so I am guessing it might be the syncros but not sure. I have tried bleeding the clutch fluid and replacing it all still does the same thing. I have a mcleod adjustable master cylinder in it and have tried changing the position and still does the same thing. I have thought about placing one of my old factory ones in just to see if that is the issue. I have a spec stage 3+ clutch because I fried the regular stage 3. any help would be great.
Old 12-16-2006, 07:27 PM
  #2  
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (60)
 
Ferocity02's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 9,397
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts

Default

Sounds like the clutch isn't disengaging completely.
Old 12-16-2006, 08:06 PM
  #3  
TECH Apprentice
 
GMTECH4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Columbus,Ga
Posts: 326
Received 7 Likes on 5 Posts

Default

slave cylinder leaking! hurry and fix before you damage your transmission
Old 12-16-2006, 08:39 PM
  #4  
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (10)
 
zlover129's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 1,197
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by GMTECH4
slave cylinder leaking! hurry and fix before you damage your transmission
Sounds like a slave, a friends car was doing something similar so we are going to change the slave this weekend.
Old 12-16-2006, 08:52 PM
  #5  
10 Second Club
Thread Starter
iTrader: (7)
 
MyriadPhoenix's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Keystone Heights FL
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Kewl I will give that a shot. Do you think it could possibly be the master? and would it be ok to try an old master first or should I go straight to the slave?
Old 12-17-2006, 11:49 PM
  #6  
TECH Apprentice
 
GMTECH4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Columbus,Ga
Posts: 326
Received 7 Likes on 5 Posts

Default

if you have the extra parts, time, and money i say go for it
Old 03-08-2007, 09:12 PM
  #7  
10 Second Club
Thread Starter
iTrader: (7)
 
MyriadPhoenix's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Keystone Heights FL
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Ok well 4 months later now I finally got all the parts and put them in my car and I am still having the same issue. I rebuilt my master McLeod master cylinder, put a brand new mcleod clutch line and a brand new slave in the car and I still have issues shifting into any gear from a stop. It did improve a little with the new parts but still not what I would consider acceptable. When trying to put it into gear the gar will roll forward as if I the clutch was still enguaged once it is in gear it stops moving. When the car is not running I have no issues putting it in gear. Any help would be awsome. I am going to call spec tomorrow and see if I should try putting a second shim in to see if that helps it. Well if there is one good thing about this. I am getting really good at R&R the tranny. lol
Old 03-08-2007, 09:37 PM
  #8  
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (5)
 
Jeremiah's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Mustang, Ok
Posts: 1,332
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Mine was doing the same thing, I blead the system really good and it fixed the problem. Mine was bad enough that I allmost couldnt get it into reverse at all without forcing it. I recently changed the fluid to Royal Purple Sincro Max and it made a noticable improvement also.
Old 03-08-2007, 09:53 PM
  #9  
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (2)
 
WE TODD DID's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,627
Received 289 Likes on 169 Posts

Default

Is the clutch rod on the pedal adjustable? If so, make it longer.
Old 03-08-2007, 10:44 PM
  #10  
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (17)
 
nvmy2000ss's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Brentwood CA
Posts: 607
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Sounds like air in the system to me. try using a mighty vac, it works really well.
Old 03-08-2007, 11:11 PM
  #11  
TECH Resident
iTrader: (5)
 
greysteel_M6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: DFW
Posts: 871
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

I've got the same problem with mine it's also a S**t 3 clutch. I've done everything to it and have finally narrowed it down to either a defective pressure plate or a warped clutch disk. Sucks cause the new clutch just went in in Dec.
Old 03-09-2007, 12:11 AM
  #12  
Staging Lane
 
TurboDan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I'm having the same problem with my Textralia OZ700. The master and slave were new with the clutch. I'll try flushing and vacuum bleeding after reading the advice here. Just chiming in to let you know others can feel your pain.

Next step for me will be an LS7 clutch.
Old 03-09-2007, 12:19 AM
  #13  
Staging Lane
 
TurboDan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Another thing...does the car want to start rolling when you let up on the clutch pedal ever so slightly? Mine starts rolling just a fraction of an inch off the floor. That would be another indicator that the clutch is dragging.
Old 03-10-2007, 10:18 AM
  #14  
10 Second Club
Thread Starter
iTrader: (7)
 
MyriadPhoenix's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Keystone Heights FL
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Well I used a mighty vac to bleed the clutch in the first place and no air at all will come out.I am 100% confident that there is nothing wrong witht he hydrolics. I tried extending the adjustable shaft as far out as it would go and have the same issue. When I let off the clutch just a little bit it doesn't move once I get it into gear untill I get a decent way up on the pedal. I called spec and they said the only other thing I could do was to put a second spacer into it and see what happenes so we did that and the engagement issues are a little better but still not perfect, but that is now a mood point because with the extra spacer the clutch will not fully engage. lol So I have to pull the tranny again and give spec a call and get a rma number and am going to send it back to them along with the flywheel and they said they will check everything on it and let me know what is wrong. When they tell me when and if something is wrong I will let you know.
Old 03-11-2007, 10:14 PM
  #15  
Staging Lane
iTrader: (1)
 
Grillrd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Whitehall, PA
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by MyriadPhoenix
Well I used a mighty vac to bleed the clutch in the first place and no air at all will come out.I am 100% confident that there is nothing wrong witht he hydrolics. I tried extending the adjustable shaft as far out as it would go and have the same issue. When I let off the clutch just a little bit it doesn't move once I get it into gear untill I get a decent way up on the pedal. I called spec and they said the only other thing I could do was to put a second spacer into it and see what happenes so we did that and the engagement issues are a little better but still not perfect, but that is now a mood point because with the extra spacer the clutch will not fully engage. lol So I have to pull the tranny again and give spec a call and get a rma number and am going to send it back to them along with the flywheel and they said they will check everything on it and let me know what is wrong. When they tell me when and if something is wrong I will let you know.
I had somewhat of the same problem. Turned out that my O2 sensor wires were burnt through and for some reason caused that problem. Make sure all of your wires are good.
Old 03-12-2007, 02:01 PM
  #16  
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (78)
 
Tootall's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: League City, Tx
Posts: 5,076
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts

Default

what type fluid are you using? Did you try bench bleading your master cylinder first, and then hooking it up?
Old 03-12-2007, 04:12 PM
  #17  
10 Second Club
Thread Starter
iTrader: (7)
 
MyriadPhoenix's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Keystone Heights FL
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I am using GM brake fluid. That is what I was told to use. I did bench bleed the master first then to make sure all of the air was out of it on the bench I used the mighty vac on it. Is there a possibility that it could be my transmission? I would think that if it was the tranny I would be able to slide it into another gear because I would doubt all the syncros would go out all at one time. I am about to pull the tranny again and remove the clutch, pressue plate and fly wheel and send them all back to spec. One other thing I am not using a roller bearing I am using a solid bearing for the piolt bearing. There is no scoring on it so I don't think it is hanging up on the input shaft.
Old 03-12-2007, 04:55 PM
  #18  
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (78)
 
Tootall's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: League City, Tx
Posts: 5,076
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts

Default

you could have done all of the steps correctly but if you have the wrong pressure plate, or clutch, it'll never disengage all the way.

I'd got Hi Low, or Autozone, and pick up a stocker, or better yet, take up there what you already have can compare the two side by side. Lay them flat, spring side up and see if they're the same size. The internal springs don't really matter, you're just looking for the over all height.

Any leaks anywhere . . . you can mix up some really soapy water and check all of the fittings, you don't need much. Hope this helps
Old 03-12-2007, 06:26 PM
  #19  
10 Second Club
Thread Starter
iTrader: (7)
 
MyriadPhoenix's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Keystone Heights FL
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Yes I know that it won't disengage if I have the wrong one that is why I am going to pull it and return it to Spec to check everything over. I have been on the phone with them since I put it in, well more or less. I have done everything they said to try and now it is on there end to make it right which they have already said they will do.
Old 03-12-2007, 11:25 PM
  #20  
TECH Apprentice
iTrader: (17)
 
ALPHA Q's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Arlington, TX
Posts: 375
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

I didn't realize that there was a thread about it, heres my case pretty similar too.

The car would not go into reverse unless is off or when I put the car in reverse keep it there while is turned off then it will slide in. the clutch feels spongy and light, when I press the clutch there is no pressure felt for about an 1 1/2'' and when it's off I can feel the pressure since the beginning. I replace (again) the master and slave and nothing happened. it's got a LS6 clutch with about 18,000 miles.

I'm about to go crazy


Quick Reply: Hard to get into first gear and reverse



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:16 PM.