Pyrophilus

Hi,

I have a question. My father-in-law's car is exhibiting this symptom:

when cold, gear shifts fine, but once car is driven for awhile and when stopped at red, shifter resists going into 1st gear, and only goes in if you shift to 2nd first and then into 1st.

After two weeks, now it's also getting harder to shift into 2nd gear as well.

I read that a bad trow out bearing can cause the first symptom.

Can anyone who knows alot about manuals tell me if this is correct? Also, short of replacing the bearing (and the clutch), is there a temporary fix until we get to replacing the whole thing?

Also, if this problem progresses, will he get stranded on the road by having the car not go into 1st of 2nd gear?

Thank you for your help,

-Sage

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

I'd bleed the clutch master cylinder first. Cheap and easy.

goon9

iTrader: (13)

Are you losing fluid for your clutch?

icepick

im in paterson i can take a ride to your place im close

Pyrophilus

Thank you for the gesture, but I don't live with my father-in-law, and I really can't help him with the problem except tell him what he should ask a mechanic do.

Plus, even if I had his car with me, I am upto my ears with my '92 GXE. So far, I've replaced front struts, new front rotors and pads, new rear drums and shoes. This from a person who didn't even know what an oil change actually was about two years ago...

I have new CV outer joints that need to go on, and new control arms and ball joints that are waiting in the garage, and a small tranny leak that I cannot seem to isolate (because undercar is all grease from torn CV boots). I have severe steering vibrations on high speed braking, that I cannot seem to figure out. I am horrified that I might need new wheel bearings, because I simply cannot imagine how I would even pop off or put on the hub let alone push out/push in new bearings...

But the plus side is, this has truly been a learning experience...

mtcookson

iTrader: (2)

when it happens tell him to pump the clutch pedal a few times. if that makes it a little easier to shift the it would most likely be that the lines need bleed and the master cylinder needs filled, like Jeff said.

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

it could be a leaking clutch master or slave cylinder (or even the hose like in my case), or it could be a worn out TO bearing.... or even the clutch itself.

I would first have him look for any fluid leaking around the clutch cable, and on the firewall inside the car. the clutch master cylinder is kinda far up there, but it often will leak inside the car and run down the firewall.. so look for leakage there.

if his fluid level is fine and he doesn't have any leaks, then it's time to start looking at the throwout bearing.
I've actually had one crack on me that was causing the exact same symptoms... drove fine while cold, but after 10-15 minutes in the car, it would stop disengaging the clutch. I'd have to shut it off at a light and stick it in gear, then start the car in gear.
BUT it cracked while I was at the dragstip racing one night, so that's probably abuse that your in-law's car has never seen.


http://mattblehm.com/pics/car/clutch/
look at pics IM000807 through 815 (warning.. ~800kB each!) and you can see what happens when you put a cheap throwout bearing in it. one is a new OEM bearing, the other is the one that a tranny shop put in my car trying to save a few bucks. the build quality just isn't there, and the metal tabs were actually noticeably thinner. probably 2 steel gauge steps smaller (OEM is about 14ga steel, this one is probably 16 or 18ga)

-shock211-

iTrader: (1)

oh god that's a fubard t.o. bearing!
http://mattblehm.com/pics/car/clutch/IM000811.JPG