Can't shift into gear when engine is running sometimes....

macuserman

macuserman

Administrator
Staff member
Ok so I've been having an issue where my car would often not want to shift into first or second although second was better when I came up to a stop sign. As in physically did not want to go into gear at all. No grinding, just can't do it refuses outright. I was starting to think that perhaps my transmission needed a rebuild so I've had that on my mind for awhile. Anyhow so today I got the car out jumped it whizzed around my neighborhood no problem. Came back and left it idling for 30min or so in the driveway to charge the battery. Came back out to move it and I can't put it into any gear at all except reverse which grinds nasty so not sure that counts. Seems to me that whenever I have started it up and it is cold I have no problems but the longer I drive it or the hotter it gets the more I have this problem. When I'm driving it and things are working I can shift fine and I don't seem to have an slipping happening. So my question is what the heck is causing this thing to not want to go into gear? Clutch is not that old few years now but I'm not really abusive when I drive it and doesn't seem to slip so I'm just not sure. When the car is off, I can shift through all gears fine of course no problem. I'm not sure what I should be targeting as my issue here.
 
in the clutch set-up ? sounds like the clutch is not releasing from the flywheel, still letting some power thru to the gears while it is running. when it heats up, the metals expand enough to prevent proper dis-engagement ?

never mind, check the taillight fluid boiling point. :P
 
Inspect the clutch. Also look at the shifter mount bushings and linkage. Finally replace the cup bushings in the shifter.
 
blueturbofly said:
in the clutch set-up ? sounds like the clutch is not releasing from the flywheel, still letting some power thru to the gears while it is running. when it heats up, the metals expand enough to prevent proper dis-engagement ?

never mind, check the taillight fluid boiling point. :P
Click to expand...

I know it sounds ridiculous but seriously the car was stuck in my street here for the past hour or so cooling down. Just went back out and was able to shift and bring it back into the garage no problem.

92GT said:
Inspect the clutch. Also look at the shifter mount bushings and linkage. Finally replace the cup bushings in the shifter.
Click to expand...

I just need to have you come over and show me what the heck I'm looking at [usermention=142]@92GT[/usermention]
 
how is the clutch pedal cold, where is the friction point low mid high?
did you try to lift the foot a little, on different clutch setup pressure plate finger can touch clutch disc and make it spin so lifting the foot a little should disengage the disc if it your issue
 
I would always start with the things you can do before pulling the transmission. I have had manual transmission do similar things in the past related to transmission temperature. Mine turned out to be that I was using 80 90 weight motor oil vs. Synchromesh.
1st: I would confirm that it is all gears that won't go in except reverse. Going into reverse has me thinking that it is internal and not the clutch or throw-out bearing.
2nd: I would take a look at the shift bar, and the rest of the bushings as above. It has to be pretty messed up to not shift or the bushings completely frozen, but that doesn't work with temperature. You can visually inspect the bushings and have someone shift through the gears with car off. I cannot think of any heat difference in those external components.
3rd: Check the clutch cable adjustment. I have had that be out, but it would go in gear but act like an automatic with low fluid.
4th: Check to make sure the bottom seam of the transmission and engine is dry.
5th: Verify fluid levels; change fluid; check for particles in fluid.
 
GT4LIFE said:
I would always start with the things you can do before pulling the transmission. I have had manual transmission do similar things in the past related to transmission temperature. Mine turned out to be that I was using 80 90 weight motor oil vs. Synchromesh.
1st: I would confirm that it is all gears that won't go in except reverse. Going into reverse has me thinking that it is internal and not the clutch or throw-out bearing.
2nd: I would take a look at the shift bar, and the rest of the bushings as above. It has to be pretty messed up to not shift or the bushings completely frozen, but that doesn't work with temperature. You can visually inspect the bushings and have someone shift through the gears with car off. I cannot think of any heat difference in those external components.
3rd: Check the clutch cable adjustment. I have had that be out, but it would go in gear but act like an automatic with low fluid.
4th: Check to make sure the bottom seam of the transmission and engine is dry.
5th: Verify fluid levels; change fluid; check for particles in fluid.
Click to expand...

I am using synchromesh, I changed it myself so I do know what's in it, without that I used to have some issues with the syncros in first and second years ago before I started using syncromesh.

I know this is going to sound weird but it seems like the hotter it gets the worse it gets like first goes first then second then third etc. Reverse doesn't "work" but it's different the other gears in that I can hear gears grinding when I try to put it in reverse where as the other gears I can't put it in at all just won't even move the shifter.

Regarding the other points I guess I need to spend some quality time inspecting everything. :-(
bostssgt said:
how is the clutch pedal cold, where is the friction point low mid high?
did you try to lift the foot a little, on different clutch setup pressure plate finger can touch clutch disc and make it spin so lifting the foot a little should disengage the disc if it your issue
Click to expand...
I mean the clutch peddle seems to engage where it always does when I'm driving it, I drove around the neighborhood and we have some hills here etc and shifting was solid and it pulled hard up the hills no problem. I will experiment though and report back.
 
Rageous said:
What was the resolution to the issues?
Click to expand...

Current resolution was to park the car in my garage and leave it there indefinitely :laugh: :laugh: . No so real talk, our twins were born on February 8th, and I have spent the last few months prepping for their arrival and now I'm in survival mode taking care of them now that they are here. My wife tripped and broke her ankle a few days ago as well so everything is crazy. I am planning to fix it though, I have a brand new clutch setup on the shelf in case that is the problem after all, and I'm working on a transmission refresh got all the parts for that just need to send it off for rebuild. I wish there was someone local I don't have any time to send it out. :(
 
Congratulations on the twins. Sorry about your wife breaking her ankle. One of our friends at the GeoMetroForum.com is selling new OEM 1.3 flywheels and clutches . They were take outs at a shop turning Metros into EV's Brand new. I bought 2 sets. I hope this helps.
 
couple things you might try..

Check the cable linkage arm that bolts onto the clutch release fork shaft.
Sometimes the pinch bolt can loosen and it can shift position on the
splines. If you wipe it clean and look from above, make sure
the dots are lined up. There is a dot on the top of the cable linkage
arm, that should line up with the dot on the clutch fork shaft.

zUJoz2R.jpg


Inspect your shifter linkage from underneath and make sure everything
is intact and the bolts are tight, and that there is no play or worn
bushings and that it is firmly bolted to the shifter shaft on the transmission.
You could have some linkage bushings close to the exhaust, that are
becoming spongy as they heat up.

You may need a new clutch cable as it may have worn or stretched,
or just loosened up on the clutch fork shaft arm. Chances are you
might just get away with a simple cable adjustment. Tug on the cable
where it meets the arm and determine if there is too much slack.
Or measure the play (just feel it with your foot) on the clutch
pedal. How much play is there before you actually feel tension?
There's a spec in the FSM, but you might just know by feel if it doesn't
feel right, or loose before actually engaging.

Since you are a new daddy, and letting your car idle 30mins to charge
the battery, this says the car is sitting for days or weeks at a time.
The clutch gets funny when not used. These cars like to be driven
on a regular basis. When I start driving a car that's been sitting for
months, it takes a day or two of daily driving to work that clutch
back in to where it feels more or less normal.

Now if the clutch is toast, of course you will have issues getting
it into gear, but it was probably fine before and you can milk a
worn clutch for a long time. My bet is a simple cable adjustment.

You can also try different fluid. I've never used synchromesh,
well maybe a couple times. I got 800k on a transmission and
still haven't cracked the case, just change the fluid every couple oil
changes. That's the cause of the failures, nobody services
the transmission, it takes like 5 mins. I've run 5w30 and never
had a problem. Also used the teflon additives when they were popular
back in the day. Now in my daily driver I'm running about 50/50
5w30 and Lucas Oil stabilizer in my rebuilt transmission with a
gear driven torsen LSD and it shifts like butter. Sure I have the very
occasional couple tries to get it into first gear at the stop light
on a 34 year old transmission, but for the most part she's perfect.

GGeOmJ4.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top