Very hard to get into 1st gear

[riceeater]

I've got 90 model SHO, it's all stock with about 150000 miles, new clutch at 135000 miles, it has just recently become extremely difficult to get into 1st gear, especially at a complete stop. Has anyone else run into this? I'm hoping it's just an adjustment. Thanks in advance....

 

[SHOkid13]

I've got 90 model SHO, it's all stock with about 150000 miles, new clutch at 135000 miles, it has just recently become extremely difficult to get into 1st gear, especially at a complete stop. Has anyone else run into this? I'm hoping it's just an adjustment. Thanks in advance....

Have you checked/changed the tranny fluid?

Is the clutch pedal getting heavy too?

 

[riceeater]

Fluid is good, clutch is the same as always, it shifts well into other gears.

 

[Ishodu]

Have you tried lifting up on the clutch pedal to see if theres slack? If there is it will auto adjust and you will hear a click.

 

[SHOkid13]

Fluid is good, clutch is the same as always, it shifts well into other gears.

When you are shifting into 1st, are you stopped?
When you try to shift into other gears, are you stopped?

If it is only first and only when you are stopped, try this: When you are coming to a stop, put the trans in neutral, and just before you actually stop (5mph or so), depress the clutch and slide the stick into first. It is easier to do this if you are stopping gradually, rather than a quick stop, because it gives you a larger window of time that it is easy for the gears to line up.

See if that does anything different.

 

[NoFlipping]

Mine did the same thing - hard into 1st only. Eventually it reared its ugly head - bad TOB eating the the fingers on the pressure plate. Any reverse grind?

Good luck.

 

[SHOkid13]

Any reverse grind?

The reverse grind on myne was pretty bad near the end. Understandable since it doesn't synchro Reverse.

 

[NoFlipping]

It's my understanding that the grind gets MUCH worse when the TOB is on its way out since the clutch never fully seems to disengage compounding the lack of a sycnro for reverse.

 

[SHOkid13]

It's my understanding that the grind gets MUCH worse when the TOB is on its way out since the clutch never fully seems to disengage compounding the lack of a sycnro for reverse.

It isn't the TOB that causes the clutch to not release all the way, it's the broken and bent fingers on the pressure plate.

 

[riceeater]

dumb question....what's a TOB?

 

[Redline]

Throw Out Bearing

 

[SHOkid13]

dumb question....what's a TOB?

Not a dumb question. Keep asking questions.

 

[riceeater]

I was finally able to get under the car. I was able to shift the car manually at the transmission, and it was smooth as silk. I got my wife to try and put in first from inside the car, and she still had trouble. But then, with just the slighest amount of pressure on the linkage, it popped into gear easily.Not really seeing anything wrong I tightened up any of the bolts for the cables and linkage, and it now shifts perfectly. Go figure! Thanks a lot for any of help that was sent.

 

[Pillarian]

The only dumb question is the one you didn't ask that caused the trans/clutch to grenade. (someone said this a long time ago, but I can't remember who)

 

[MelectroK]

We need an explosion smiley. That way I could insert it here to simulate a naded tranny