dime1622

ok my shifting is pretty notchy and rough to begin with, especially into first and reverse. however, after driving a lot around town today, it was near impossible to get the car into reverse (had to grind the gears to get it to go) and almost as hard to get it into first. second was a pain as well, and so were third and fourth. after the car had a chance to cool for like 30-45 minutes, it was ok again. it really sucked though cause i feel like im gonna break the shifter off just trying to get it in gear. what could be wrong?

nine-44

Tranny fluid level OK? Clutch master and slave OK? Shifter lever (under the boot) OK?

dime1622

yeah i just changed the tranny fluid to redline mt90 (i have lsd).

i know its not in the clutch as when i try to go into first and it doesnt there is a big thud in the car, as if the linkage is messed up. but my only question is, if it were linkage, would the higher temps make it more messed up? if feels sorta like something is getting in the way, but moreso when its hotter.... how do i check my clutch master and slave cylinders to make sure theyre ok?

MHT

sounds to me like the small damper springs in the clutch disk have broken, when this happens they fall out and intermittantly stop the clutch from releasing fully. Try shifting the car into gear with the engine off, if this is much easyer then the disk is likely your problem, assuming the clutch pedal feels normal when the problem is happening. If the problem is in the hydraulic system, you should be able to feel a difference in the way the pedal operates.

MHT

There should be a little free play at the top of the pedal travel, then the pedal should feel firm. If there is a problem with the master or slave cyls. there will either be a fluid leak somewhere, or the pedal will go a long way down with almost no resistance. If the pedal feels ok then you need to look elsewhere for your answer.

dime1622

yeah the clutch pedal feels fine. i dont understand how springs could have broken, because it becomes ok again after the tranny cools down. in addition, it is easy to get into all gears, even without the clutch depressed, with the car off, except for reverse. but yeah, thats what i have to do, is put the car in reverse before i turn on the car or else i will end up killing my gears trying to jam it into place with the car on.

billybones

I have said this before. 1st rule in a repair is go back to the last thing you did if it is related. Check your fluid level in the tranny. It really sounds like that. you don't want to ignore it and end up with a dammaged trany. IT is easy to do. How many Qts did you get in? It took me quite a few times of pumping and fill hole over flow and waiting for things to settle till I got all the fluid in. Just because it came out of the fill hole does not mean you filled it. the amount is more important.. Just a fyi.. good luck

dime1622

i got the right amount in, im sure of that, i put two quarts in a bucket then used a siphon pump to pump it in. plus, it was doing this before i replaced the fluid

billybones

I hate to be nit picky,, sorry. but it requires 2.75 qts.. and that is with out a cooler. That is according to haynes. it mentions no cooler. I assume that with lsd You have a cooler? I know nothing of turbo trannies but you are almost a quart short.. that is 1/3... Maybe the lsd uses less fluid?

adrian_jaye

hi Dime, ok a few things

1> Clutch, DONT discount the clutch, mine did that before it went.
simple test, jack the rear, remove the inspection panel (on the tranny), put you hand in and grab the torque tube drive shat thingy, rotate left and right, if it clicks, clanks or otherwise, your clutch is gone, its in get you home mode.

2> there could be a clutch oreinted problem ie not the clutch but the surrounding gubbins, hydralics, etc

3> fluid, I cant see fluid being the cause. best way to do the fluid is thus.
a) remove fuller plug
b) remove drian plug, and leave oil to drian fully, (use a jack and tip over if necess)
c) refit drain plug.
d) use the correct oil, at a guess 75/90 80w
e) DONT OVERFILL, I think US measurments are differnt, but UK is 2 Litres (or 2.5 I cant remember sorry) but check your handbook, not the Haynes!
f) pour a quantity of oil into one of thoes one man brake bleeder bottles, stick the plastic hose into the hole and the air from the other side will pump it in.

BOSH !

I seriously think its your clutch, same think happended to me

good luck

billybones

Adrian is right 2.0l I am wrong. Factory calls for 2.0l or 0.53 gallons american.. One last thing not mentioned is the bolt that connects the gear shifter to the tranny.. they can get loose if you do not put the locking wire on it. also make sure the linkage on the tranny is tight. sorry if I mis lead you.

dime1622

dont worry, i remember reading 2.0l in my manual, so i wasnt worried. now i just gotta find a place to get the car up and check the linkage, i seriously wonder if thats the problem....... too bad im at school and theres no hydraulic lift in my parking garage (yeah, i know, im in college and park in a heated parking garage. sweet deal, huh?)