can't get it in any gear

[Mooneggs]

So I was driving last night and I noticed it getting difficult to shift into gear. I had only gone 12 miles when I finally couldn't change gears at all!

The system appeared to be engaging fine when I had my friend press the pedal. But not knowing what else to do I went ahead and replaced the master cylinder (which didn't solve the problem) so now I am about to replace the slave cylinder. I have good pressure with no air in the line.

Any other suggestions what it might be? I'm hoping I don't have to go internal butI was thinking the throwout bearing or something else could be causing the problem but I don't hear any clanging around or anything like that, everything seems normal except I can't get it to go in gear.

When the car is off I can place it in a gear and start it but as soon as I pull it out of gear I can't get it back in another one.

Any help is appreciated...

[wytbishop]

Have you confirmed that the clutch is actually disengaging? Can you put the car in gear with the engine off and push it forward with the clutch depressed (with the help of a friend or a hill)?

If the clutch is not disengaging it's either hydraulic, desintegrated throwout bearing or the pressure plate is toast. I wouldn't bother changing hydraulic parts until I knew that's were the problem was.

If the clutch is disengaging and you can't shift gears that's probably a broken shift fork or some other part of the shift linkage. But based on the gradual onset you described I'd say clutch is the more likely culprit.

[Mooneggs]

I'm guessing pressure plate, throwout bearing or shift fork. I haven't noticed the clutch slipping at all.

[hgallegos915]

So when you press the pedal, can you have someone look at the slave to make sure it moves?

Was there any noise? any grinding?


At this point you need to remove the transmission and inspect clutch and pressure plate.

When my pressure plate blew, the pedal vibrated before it went and it was making a slight whining noise.

Then it was all over, the clutch would not engage.

[Mooneggs]

the slave is definately moving. I have a spare tranny in my garage that I'm comparing it to and it has the same range of motion.

No noise, no grinding, just 12 miles of hard shifting and then it was done.

I am going to remove the transmission and see what is going on in there... good thing I have the spare tranny I should have everything I need. I'm guessing I'll have to order another clutch/ pressure plate kit. I need to look back at my records but I'm pretty sure this is the same exedy kit I put in years ago... probably got close to 130k on it.

[Sleeper6]

I had the same issue in mine and it turned out to be the slave wasnt holding enough pressure to dissengage. It moved when you hit the pedal but it didnt move the full range of motion leaving me stuck in whatever gear I was at until I shut the car off and it sit for a few minutes. After about a day of that though I couldnt even get it to go from 1st to 2nd so I got aggitated and changed everything when I got it on the rack only to have a friend show me my slave was fried.

Oh and it had full grip when it was in gear to by the way, hope this might help.

[Mooneggs]

I went ahead and replaced the slave and still didn't work... It was worth it to me even if it was a waste of time.

So I started to remove things and got stuck on the DS axle... sometimes it pops right out, others... 3-4 hours and nothing... sigh

I have 2 mx-3's that can't be driven...

so I'm driving our bowling league car!! I'll post a pic soon haha

[Daninski]

Hard or lack of shifting can happen when no fluid is present in the tranny. That arm only moves about 1/2 an inch at the tranny. A bad throw out bearing can cause binding on the shaft and that can cause you to loose the ability to shift as well. If your clutch was gripping fine it may just be the throw out bearing. I'd wait to buy a new clutch until I checked out the pressure plate and disk. They can rebuild the unit too if there's a brake shop or machine shop around. I use to get my Borg and Beck racing clutch redone for 1/4 of the price of a new one. Good Luck

[PATDIESEL]

My J-Spec trans recently did that to me. Same exact thing. I still have not cracked it to see what had busted, but it went from difficult to shift to only shifting when the car was off in about 10 miles...
I did find that somehow the little round-headed bolt that the shift lever teeters on had broken. i reaplced that, but still the same issue. I had to reinstall my old G-series trans which has no LSD

[Daninski]

Dibs on Pat's LSD.

[Mooneggs]

thanks for the info... when I drained the tranny fluid there was plenty...

oh and here's my temporary transportation 1995 Lincoln Town Car Cartier Edition!!! I am a BALLER now lol this thing is like driving a sofa on wheels or a boat or something... it's ridiculous hahaha

[Daninski]

That car needs to be dropped, 1.5 inches should do. Tint the windows next and your pimpin it. Those cars are like driving a boat. Nice change of pace tho.

EDIT I just realized,,,it's not flat black aaaahh.

[fowljesse]

It's the antiMooneggsmobile. You should get a straw hat, and those huge square sunglasses that go over regular glasses.

[PATDIESEL]

You need a plastic cup holder that goes on the window edge (they really do still sell those at WalMart... lols), some white walls and a cue tip wig.

[Mooneggs]

well I finally got the axle to come out today... the next problem is my SRD crossmember... This thing is so worn down it looks like I've been scraping it on everything. apparently I've hit something and it bent the edge back to where I can't remove the bolt!

I'm just going to cut it with a dremel tool since I can't bend it back: