Hard time shifting(sometimes)

**Aetos** · 07-11-2008, 02:07 PM

Car is '99 with 45k on the odometer.

Problem:

Occasionally its hard to push the shifter into gears (has nearly happened on every gear so far). It can happen at any speeds even at idle, but the problem occurs infrequently leading me to believe its not an internal tranny problem(hopefully!), as its occurred with almost every gear so far. Basically you can push the shifter into the "gate" before you make the last small notch into the actual gear which makes you believe you're in gear but when you start letting go of the clutch it starts grinding.

I'm thinking its either the clutch hydraulics or the clutch itself as the problem doesn't always occur, I'm leaning more to the hydraulics, but I'm not sure as you can tell with my post here. My clutch fluid does seem to lean to the brown/slowly turning very dark color.

**stangslayer98** · 07-11-2008, 02:19 PM

my car does the same it is sometimes hard to engage first gear, so you have to row it into second and jab it up into first, this only occurs when im in heavy traffic lots of stop and go.....things i have done new ram clutch and new slave cylinder, so its not your slave cylinder or your clutch, my guess would be syncros wearing out, which is the problem im having aswell

**egod** · 07-11-2008, 07:26 PM

i have that problem with reverse and keeping it there. sucker pops out almost every time and if i hold it hard to make a loud shudder or knock

**STL2SLO** · 07-12-2008, 05:21 AM

Originally Posted by Aetos

Car is '99 with 45k on the odometer.

Problem:

Occasionally its hard to push the shifter into gears (has nearly happened on every gear so far). It can happen at any speeds even at idle, but the problem occurs infrequently leading me to believe its not an internal tranny problem(hopefully!), as its occurred with almost every gear so far. Basically you can push the shifter into the "gate" before you make the last small notch into the actual gear which makes you believe you're in gear but when you start letting go of the clutch it starts grinding.

I'm thinking its either the clutch hydraulics or the clutch itself as the problem doesn't always occur, I'm leaning more to the hydraulics, but I'm not sure as you can tell with my post here. My clutch fluid does seem to lean to the brown/slowly turning very dark color.

You need to try and bleed it. Sounds like there is air in the fluid.

**Firebirdjones** · 07-12-2008, 09:47 AM

With your fluid dirty as mentioned, I would first try a fresh batch of fluid, simply bleeding the system and running a small bottle through it should do the trick. It doesn't hold much fluid and won't take long at all.
If it turns dirty again in a short period of time I would lean towards a master cylinder issue.

98-00 Fbodies had the worst hydraulic systems, and most will switch out to the newer 01-02 master cylinder for better clutch action,,,,,or even better yet do what I did on a new 6speed I just purchased and just install a new adjustable master cylinder and be done with it.

You may not have enough free play from the floor, which would not disengage the clutch completely, if it's still spining slightly you will have a difficult time shifting into any gear. This was my issue,,,,and the adjustable master cylinder cured it completely. Not to mention I can adjust the free play to my driving style making around town driving much smoother as well.

While you have it out drill the line as well for better clutch action as well. I forgot about that when I did mine, so I may take the master cylinder back out to drill the line.

**Aetos** · 07-12-2008, 04:45 PM

Update:

Was testing some stuff while coming home from work today.

While I was idle I was testing the shifting and the first shift with the clutch down seemed to be hard to go into gear(any gear), while any subsequent shift while the clutch was still down was a lot smoother. If you let go of the clutch and press it down again the process was restarted, first shift hard(any gear) then any subsequent shifts were once again easy.

Also, when I shutoff my car at home I tested shifting and the shifting seemed a lot smoother while the engine was off.

What could all this mean?

**BMJ99Z28** · 07-12-2008, 07:08 PM

I would try bleeding it first, then if that don't work replace the master. When i bought my car in feb i thought i had tranny problems took it to get the transmission rebuilt the guy said the throwout bearing (release bearing) was gone put in a new slave and did the line drill mod still had trouble replaced the master and all is well.