'01 SS Won't Go Into 2nd Gear!

**Tobynine9** · 12-12-2005, 12:58 PM

Well, it will sometimes but you can feel a rubbing as you pull it into gear.

I've mentioned this on the "Royal Purple in Your M6?" thread but figured I'd start one fresh to catch those of you who are tired of reading about RP.

The clutch pedal has never stuck to the floor. It's behaved oddly after a few WOT upshifts (like rubbing in the middle of the clutch throw rather than at the end of the throw like it normall does) but never actually stuck to the floor.

It feels like the clutch may not be disengaging all the way. When you put it into gear from neutral you can hear the rear end sometimes clunk as it goes into gear. Not sure if this is just stuff lining up as the tranny is shifted from a stop or if this is a very light clutch rub.

Dead stop, clutch pedal to the floor, pull the shift lever back towards 2nd gear. NO movement/engagement.

Moving forward in 1st gear, rev past the "Skip Shift" point, clutch in, shifter back towards 2nd, sometimes a grinding noise as it pulls into gear, sometimes a rubbing sensation through the shift handle, rarely (since yesterday) a clean shift.

All of this started last night after I got off the freeway from a 4.5 hour road trip. Never had this problem beforehand. Thought maybe the fluid had just been overheated and worn down so I replaced the fluid today with a synthetic fluid. This had no effect on the problem.

The 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, and 5-6 shifts all seem to be fine. But I really have little basis for comparison. Could be that those shifts are rougher than they should be too.

On a few occasions it has made the same grinding noise when downshifting 6-5 even with the clutch pedal completely depressed and the revs matched.

It's a 2001 Camaro SS with about 35,700 miles on it. I've only had it since 33k miles so I don't know the full history of the vehicle.

Anyone got any ideas what I should do? I drive a lot for work and I need my car to be there for me. I can't afford to just ignore the problem and tear up my tranny.

**PaganEgyptian** · 12-12-2005, 04:18 PM

I wonder if your getting a low hydralic pressure. I am also wondering if you still haev the line restrictor in your slave cylinder line...... Drill Mod. -TIm

**Tobynine9** · 12-12-2005, 09:45 PM

Pulled the hydraulic system this evening. Cleaned it all up, flushed it out. It was filthy nasty with lots of dark particulates in the fluid. Found out why after we (Dad and I) put it back together and tried to bleed it. The slave cylinder is shot. Bled the system for a good 20 min, wondering where all the fluid was going, before it started to seep out of the bellhousing. Getting good pressure off of the master cylinder but couldn't keep any pressure on the slave cylinder. So, sometime this week, we'll be dropping the tranny and replacing the slave cylinder.

Gives me a good excuse to swap the clutch. Any recommendations?

**oneBADDz** · 12-12-2005, 09:55 PM

Is the car pretty much stock?

**Tobynine9** · 12-13-2005, 04:53 AM

I've not done anything to it. It appears stock otherwise. It has a Corsa catback exhaust. That's it. I'm adding a box lid and K&N this Christmas. Maybe a dyno tune this spring just to maximize the potential in nearly stock trim. I'd like to eventually do some perf work to it but for now, it's nearly stock.

**oneBADDz** · 12-13-2005, 09:52 AM

If it's stock and you aren't planning any major mods, you probably don't want to get anything special as far as clutch goes. The better the clutch, (mcleod, centerforce dual friction, etc.) the less life you will get out of it, and if you aren't running significantly more power than stock they really aren't necessary. The best choice is SLP, it's supposed to be 30% better holding power and it doesn't wear out any quicker. About two years ago I bought one for about 250 and I like it alot

**00SSVERT** · 12-13-2005, 10:55 AM

Originally Posted by Tobynine9

Pulled the hydraulic system this evening. Cleaned it all up, flushed it out. It was filthy nasty with lots of dark particulates in the fluid. Found out why after we (Dad and I) put it back together and tried to bleed it. The slave cylinder is shot. Bled the system for a good 20 min, wondering where all the fluid was going, before it started to seep out of the bellhousing. Getting good pressure off of the master cylinder but couldn't keep any pressure on the slave cylinder. So, sometime this week, we'll be dropping the tranny and replacing the slave cylinder.

Gives me a good excuse to swap the clutch. Any recommendations?

You do know that the fluid drains out of the bellhousing when you open the bleeder right?

**Tobynine9** · 12-13-2005, 01:37 PM

Yeah, I know it does. But it's not maintaining any pressure and the fluid that is leaking isn't leaking out of the bleeder.

**Tobynine9** · 12-14-2005, 05:36 AM

Replaced the slave cylinder last night. $150 for the part!! Geeze. I'm scared to ask what a Chevy dealer would want for it.

It's working now. Goes into all the gears neatly and smoothly while idling. Unfortunately, a good bit of the trans fluid leaked out when we pulled the driveshaft and I only had 1 qt. of spare fluid - not enough to fill it full. So, it's fixed but not yet driveable.

I'm excited. Once I get it all buttoned up and the t-storms clear out after today, I'm gonna wash her and polish her and we're going on a date!!

**Tobynine9** · 12-15-2005, 05:29 PM

Mother Fu**er!! That didn't fix it.

It still grinds when pulling into 2nd. We replaced the slave cylinder and properly bled and properly put everything all back together.

The end result: a lighter clutch pedal and clean hydraulic fluid. That's it.

Is it possibly the master cylinder or do I need to get the transmission rebuilt?

**Tobynine9** · 12-15-2005, 05:31 PM

I didn't buy this car to blow sh** loads of money on keeping it running. I'm pissed.

**Nate00SS** · 12-15-2005, 09:08 PM

I experienced a similar problem with my 97 Z28. Sorry to say you most likely need to rebuild your trany. The syncros tend to go bad if a shift is ever missed a WOT. They are pretty delicate and grinding them at 6000rpm has a way of destroying them. Not many people know, but it is possible to shift past second gear. Same with all the other gears. Your best bet is to rebuild the tranny, and then buy an after market short throw shifter. Like a b&m or hurst. They will have adjustable stops to make shifting past the gear impossible.

**oneBADDz** · 12-15-2005, 09:44 PM

Nate is right about shifting past 2nd, f-bodies are known for having the 2nd gear stop for the shifter set improperly. what happens is the 2ng gear sync gets pulled too far and the springs can't hold the hub spacers in the syncro, and they actually just fall out. Everyone says have it rebuilt. . .I pulled mine apart, picked the hub spacers up off the bottom of the tranny and stuck em back in. Smooooooth as silk baby. I had the exact same symptoms that you described in your initial post beforehand

**Tobynine9** · 12-16-2005, 03:31 AM

I thought the SS had a Hurst shifter? It's got a big H on the top of the lever.

**Tobynine9** · 12-20-2005, 01:42 PM

UPDATE :

I got the transmission rebuilt with new 2nd gear, new 1-2, 3-4, and 5-6 slider assemblies, a shift fork, brass fork pads, and billet keys for all the synchros.

Here's what was wrong -
Being a 2001 transmission it already had the carbon blocker rings. The friction material on the 2nd gear blocker ring somehow separated from the ring itself. The remnants were mulled around by 2nd gear and the synchro stopped working properly. As a result, 2nd gear was pretty much shot and wouldn't engage. THAT was the problem. Joe says he's never seen this before. I'm hoping he never sees it again.

Joe at www.t56rebuilds.com did the rebuild for me here in Houston. He gave me an excellent price. I'm bolting it all back together, refilling the tranny, and going for a drive tonight to see how it all feels.

Wish me luck and pray your blocker rings don't separate!

**oneBADDz** · 12-20-2005, 02:23 PM

Awesome, another LS1 back on the road, good luck

**Tobynine9** · 12-20-2005, 08:30 PM

It's back on the road for sure. Tranny is awesome. Now if I could just figure out what that clunk-clunk-clunk-clunk noise is when I'm turning. It's appeared tonight after I finished buttoning up the transmission.

**ss~zoso~ss** · 12-28-2005, 02:40 PM

i have the same problem as you with my transmission, it only happens when i'm on it WOT, its is so depressing that i cant powershift the gears..... idk of anyone around where i live who can rebuild my tranny

**Tobynine9** · 12-29-2005, 04:51 AM

The clunk-clunk noise was my own stupid fault. I forgot to torque the transmission mount tightly to the transmission. It was tight to the crossmember but loose on the transmission allowing just enough movement to thump around. Pulled off the crossmemember and replaced it with a properly torqued poly mount. Mucho better.