exit10

i just recently got my car as some of you know, its a 5spd. it kinda feels "sticky" when i try to shift to first, its difficult to get it in smooth. Could this be the shifter itself, or what. Also the clucth squeeks.. should wd-40 work?

Zack342

iTrader: (89)

Clutch is on its way out... sorry budy

I30tMikeD

iTrader: (8)

Don't use WD-40 on the clutch squeak. It will stink and drip on the carpet. Get some silicone lube and put it on the shaft the goes into the firewall. it's real hard to get up under the dash though.

Having a hard time getting into first is a common thing with a 5spd 4th gen Max. A couple different things work for me. Either bliping the throttle a bit first, double clutching, or going into second gear first.

Bourne

I've been having the same problem, I had a feeling that it was the clutch. Poop.

MaxxAddict

To my understanding, this is how nissan designed it. If ur at a roll, u shouldnt downshift to 1st gear. 1st gear is only from accelerating from a stop.

Basically this is a safety device so ur girlfriend wont screw up the maxima while attempting to drive a stick.

tell her that there are other types of sticks that she can learn how to manipulate.

exit10

i dont think its the clutch. i had been told the clutch is a brandnew racing clutch. I can still chirp. Do u really think its going?

MDeezy

iTrader: (27)

chirping doesnt mean your clutch is good.

if you have difficulty getting into first, its a very good sign the clutch is going.

exit10

darn... how long do you think i can use this one for untill mines dead? roughly

Bigwalt304

i had this problem, it was always sticky in the morning time till i wasnt able to get it in gear while the car was on only when it was off. i took it too jiffy lube and the said the adjusted the clutch and bleed the clutch master cylinder. its been fine for 2 months now. hope this helps

exit10

hmmm thanks alot

mansurxk

iTrader: (14)

its not the clutch, i had the same problem, it was bad before, my clutch went out. now that ive replaced it the problem is slightly alleviated, but its still a problem. i30tmiked is right though, double clutch, or go into second and slide upto first. thats what ive been doing and it works everytime.

90stanza

my brother likes to put it into second then back in to first but I dont like that because i can hear a thud when he does it. I ethier double clutch, blip the throttle or just plain stop and then put it into first.

exit10

i dont understand the idea of double clutching. ive seen my friend do it but i dont get it. can ne one explain?

TonyGotSkilz

iTrader: (6)

i'd love to know as well, i'm new to a 5-speed myself and don't get double clutching at all?

happyscrappy

Essentially a double-clutch is the process that you use when downshifting to make sure the engine and transmission are spinning at the same speeds when you disengage the clutch.

Here's a copy-paste from a site about driving a manual transmission. You can do a Google search and find lots of pages about driving a stick shift that all pretty much tell you the same thing.


Let's look at the sequence of events that occurs when we shift, say from third to second gear:

* Clutch pedal is depressed, clutch disconnects transmission from engine. Transmission (and clutch lining) is still connected to, and being turned by wheels
* Driver shifts out of third gear. The output portion of the transmission is still being turned by the rear wheels. The input portion of the transmission, including the clutch lining is not being turned by anything, and begins to slow down.
* Driver shifts into second gear. The input portion of the transmission (including the clutch lining) is once again connected to the output portion.
* Clutch pedal is released, once again connecting the engine to the wheels.

This sounds quite simple, but we do have a problem: In the third step described above, the input portion of the transmission is connected to the output portion. However, the two gears that are connecting to one another are spinning at very different speeds - and the input gear is slowing down! So how do the two gears mesh together smoothly?

In old cars, they didn't. You either rammed them together, "grinding" the gears until pure friction started to speed up the input gear, grinding bits of metal off in the process, or you used a technique called "double clutching". Double clutching adds one more step to the process described above:

* Clutch pedal is depressed, clutch disconnects transmission from engine. Transmission (and clutch lining) is still connected to, and being turned by wheels
* Driver shifts out of third gear. The output portion of the transmission is still being turned by the rear wheels. The input portion of the transmission, including the clutch lining is not being turned by anything, and begins to slow down.
* Clutch pedal is released, connecting the engine to the input portion of the transmission only.
* Gas pedal is depressed, revving the engine, and speeding up the input portion of the transmission, so that the input portion matches the speed of the second gear of the output portion.
* Clutch pedal is depressed, once again, disconnecting the engine from the input portion.
* Driver shifts into second gear. The input portion of the transmission (including the clutch lining) is once again connected to the output portion.
* Clutch pedal is released, once again connecting the engine to the wheels.

Fulltone74

If my car is hard to get into 1st, I try going into 2nd gear and then back to first. Sometimes that works.

If that doesn't work, then I inch the car forward in 2nd gear (or if on a non-level surface, let the car roll in neutral a few inches) and then put it back into first. That works every time.

Redline trans fluid helps a lot with the notchy feeling. I used to have it in every gear when I had a short throw shifter. After switching to Redline, I only had the problem in first gear.

Afterwards, I put in the stock shifter and the problems going into first gear were reduced but not totally eliminated.

Batxel

iTrader: (1)

When my clutch was going on my max I was still able to get into all gears. I believe your problem is dealing with the clutch slave cylinder. Check the master cylinder resvior and make sure it's still full, it's next to the brake master cylinder. Also try changing your tranny oil to redline mt-90 {http://myoilshop.com/}

Dave B

My Maxima does this at 113K miles and it's done it since I bought it nearly 6 years ago with 30K miles. It's the 1st gear lockout you're feeling. NEVER, I repeat NEVER, force the shifter into gear. You're only asking for problems. Double clutching and a slight blip of the throttle should get you the gear you want. Double clutching will allow you grab 1st at 30mph if you want it.

MDeezy

iTrader: (27)

seems like that trick works on all manuals.

my friend does the same thing in his 89 pathfinder, go to second then to first, I've had trouble from time to time getting into first, and I know clutch need changing (again) and tranny does (again) but till I can afford it, I'm pampering every shift to make it last.

double clutch it (in a nut shell) is basically revving to match the speed of the gear your shifting too, usually when I'm turn and I shift down to 2nd and I'm going about 15-20mph, revving to 2k is the sweet spot. usually when shifting down (beacuse your not going fast enough for that gear) 2k usually works fine the synchros will help you out the rest of the way but you've matched pretty good (usually)