Very HARD to shift into first

[AREA 91]

I've pulled the starter, but how are the pressure plate bolts accessed? Is the only way to check to rotate the engine and reach a couple fingers in there? If that's my problem, will they be noticeably loose?

You want to check each bolt as you rotate the engine over.
I like to use a "feeler guage" and try to slide it in between the flywheel and pressure plate. You should not be able to!

 

[badgett]

I had the same problem with my MTX. It was the white cable bushing on top of the tranny. To test that I pryed the bushing back toward the firewall about 3/4 of and inch. Stuck a homemade spacer between the bushing and the bracket that holds the bushing and cable filling the gap. Tranny shifted smooth as silk after I did that. I didn't leave it that way but it did tell me what I needed to replace.

 

[shokid24]

This sounds like my problem

 

[DrCheeto]

This sounds like my problem

 

[ShadetreeSHOguy]

holy old threads batman!