Hard to shift into gears... my 89 5spd

meltboy11 · January 05, 2009, 06:28:59 PM

So I was drving tonight and everythings been great with the 89 5spd as I said the other day. When all of the sudden it gets hard, like very hard to shift into gears. Clutch fluid is fine and it shifts near perfect when the car is off. But when running,... 80% of the time now it's really tough to get into gear, and I can't even put it in reverse or it grinds... it normally did that a little unless I shifted up into 5th a little before going down into reverse, but now I have to shut the car off in order to get into reverse then start up again. This definately sounds internal, and unfortunately I know next to nothing about standard trannies so what do you think it is?

I just checked my haynes manual and it says that there is a dipstick to check the lubricant level near the master cylinder.. well if it then I can't find it to save my life... I know there is that plug on the lower end on the drivers side of the tranny... but I thought that was just to fill, is that where I check the level, maybe that is my problem.

flybynite · January 05, 2009, 07:03:20 PM

Sounds like a bad clutch disc... Especially if you have no obvious leaks in the clutch m/c system.. ;)

meltboy11 · January 05, 2009, 07:09:20 PM

I don't think that it is the clutch anymore after reading up on similar problems on the w-body forums... It seems like it may be air in the system or possibly a bad slave cylinder, I am going to try to bleed the system but it sounds like a real PITA tomorrow and see what happens.

meltboy11 · January 05, 2009, 07:11:11 PM

The clutch seems like it is engaging just fine, when it's down it's doesn't try to pull at all and as I release it, it seems to act normal when I go to start from a start. I just can't imagine that a clutch would just "go" completely out of the blue like that, it was shifting fine since I bought the car, I shift into 3rd today, grind a little and it's been Fd ever since.

TGP Nick · January 05, 2009, 07:22:02 PM

The dipstick is on the rear part of the transmission, more toward your driver's side front wheel. You will need to get under the car to access the dipstick.

meltboy11 · January 05, 2009, 07:27:56 PM

ok thanx nick, I was hopin you'd see this thread...lol According to the haynes book it was up top in a similar location to the autos dipstick. I know what you are talking about though, I have seen that before when I had the tire off once, I will pull it in the garage tomorrow and checkl everything. I have to really think it's gota be air in the system, cuz I can't imagine all the synchros going at the same time, and I also can't imagine a clutch just shitting the bed out of nowhere. Did you have that shifting into reverse issue when you had it where you had to shift into a forward gear first?? I can't remember if it has been like that the whole time I have had the car.

TGP Nick · January 05, 2009, 07:34:08 PM

Yeah, its in a different location than the auto dipstick, there's Haynes for ya.. :laugh:

I'm not really sure what to expect.. It worked completely fine for me when I had it. The only issue I had was an intermittent slight grind into reverse on some winter mornings. It was never bad though. I would check the trans fluid first.

Other than really cold winter mornings, I never had it grind on me.

killinprixs · January 05, 2009, 08:25:09 PM

could be the CMC ( under the dash by your feet) or slave could be leaking internally... have you looked for leaks?

meltboy11 · January 05, 2009, 08:57:41 PM

CMC, master cylinder???
and I wasn't able to check for leaks, it was dark out and I didn't wana get dirty as I just took a shower before I went out so I just parked it at home and will look at it tomorrow to see if there are any leaks or anything noticable.

killinprixs · January 05, 2009, 09:03:21 PM

yea they're not TOO hard to get at... changin the CMC or slave is a little tricky tho cuz theres no bleeders anywhere.

cobracmdr · January 06, 2009, 07:06:06 AM

Jim before you go breaking open the lines on the system (which BTW is a huge pain in the ass to bleed) try this:

Make sure the resevoir on the strut tower is full of fluid. Get in the car with it off and pump the clutch 50 times. Wait check fluid in the resevoir, repeat do this 3 times. This worked on my friends car. I agree it sounds like you might need a new slave master setup. Good luck with it.

Ken

meltboy11 · January 06, 2009, 11:46:59 AM

Ya, so how about today, I start it up, it's still tough to shift... I jack it up, check the fluid, check for leaks, fluids fine, actually slightly over full, not burnt at all, smells and looks fine, no leaks. I take off the clutch fluid resevour (can't spell that word for the life of me)...lol and check the hose and no leaks there, put it all back together, take it for a spin and now it's fine, shifts great... wtf?..lol I'm thinking maybe there was some ice on the linkage or something that may have been restricting it, cuz it even shifts into reverse better now... werid? but thanx for the replies, at least I know what to look for if it happens again. I am still going to change the fluid this weekend, I am due for an oil change anyway.

killinprixs · January 06, 2009, 11:54:18 AM

glad to hear you figured it out. The linkage can get siezed up which will cause hard shifting and could possible break a cable. i could barely move mine back and fourth off my JY trans... slid the pin out, oiled it up and ill never have to worry about that again. good luck

meltboy11 · January 06, 2009, 12:13:49 PM

lol I wouldn't exactly say I figured anything out... :p it just works now and I guess that's the important thing.

Prospeeder · January 06, 2009, 02:34:22 PM

Maybe change the trans fluid? My manuals occasionally would start grinding randomly in some gears, and a change of the fluid solved it, my Mazda took ATF DexIII in its 5 speed and when i changed it, it was black! If it hasnt been done for awhile (I dont think you have to change trans fluid like autos.)