apchar

I've got a 96 accord with a 5-speed manual transmission. It is very difficult and sometimes almost impossible to shift into any gear. The stick just won't go. This is especially true first thing in the morning when starting out. After I've been on the road for 10 minutes or so it will shift but reluctantly. I have to sit there and pump and pump the clutch and jiggle the stick until it will shift and I have to pull/push hard on the stick to get it to do that. I know how to drive a stick and the clutch pedal is pressed all the way to the floor.

Things came to a head today as I managed to wrestle the stick into 1st for a left turn but it woudn't go into 2nd. I almost got clobbered.

What could cause this? I hate to go to a mechanic without some idea of what's wrong.
Thanks.

FIDIRO

Start by checking the clutch fluid. Top it off with DOT 3 brake fluid. The Reservoir should be mounted close to the firewall driver's side.

I would also check your trans fluid as well.

Good luck

timmy0tool

as stated above this is prolly due to your having low transmission fluid. replace or add some using only genuine honda MTF or syncromesh if desired.

make sure you're clutch line is bled correctly. bleed it as you would with braking systems. air in the system can cause the clutch slave to not fully extended thus leaving the clutch semi-engaged.

hondaccord

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by timmy0tool &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">as stated above this is prolly due to your having low transmission fluid. replace or add some using only genuine honda MTF or syncromesh if desired.

make sure you're clutch line is bled correctly. bleed it as you would with braking systems. air in the system can cause the clutch slave to not fully extended thus leaving the clutch semi-engaged.</TD></TR></TABLE>
those would be the first things I would check too. if after doing these two steps you still have the problem I would replace the clutch. Just rember to dump the old fluied and fill it up with new, on both the trany, and clutch master cylender. Also make sure to get your fluieds from honda.

apchar

Just to complete the thread for future readers. I added a little fluid to the clutch fluid reservoir which is just to the right of the brake fluid reservoir. That didn't help. In fact, then my clutch pedal wouldn't spring back even after resetting it (by pulling it back.) I couldn't figure out how to bleed the line so I took it into a mechanic. He said both the master and slave cylinders had to be replaced ($430!!) I'm a little suspicious. What are the odds that 2 components would fail simultaneously? But it works now. I'm going to have to learn to fix this thing myself and find a place I can do it (apartment managers frown on this sort of thing.)
Which are better: Chiltons or Haynes books? Are the Chiltons pro series books worth the expense?
Thanks all,
Art.

rollercosta123

raplace you slave cylinder

rawkus

Chances are either the master or slave cylinder were leaking and he replaced both just to solve the problem without diagnosing which of the two was actually leaking. The other problem I had on a 95 Accord was the Clutch line damper leaking, the slave cylinder was replaced and it didn't solve the problem, so I completely replaced the clutch line, minus the damper, and no problems since.
Dan

cleancord

Your master clutch cylinder is bad....this is the reason why you can hardly go to any gear. I had the same problem with my 95 accord ex 5spd a month ago. I got my master cylinder changed and it solved the problem.

When you change your master cylinder, you might as well changed the slave cylinder also. [The slave is only like 50 bucks]. So get them both changed.

I'm 99% sure that this will solve your problem...good luck

FIDIRO

Wouldn't air in the line cause the clutch to stay down. It's a shame you couldn't get someone to help you bleed it first before you took it in. It could have been as simple as bleeding it.

Was the oil level low in the clutch reservoir before you put oil in it? If it was it could have gotten air in the system; if not then the repairs you got done were necessary.

Either way glad to see your problems are fixed.

rollercosta123

first bleed the system then replace.

Chiovnidca

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by apchar &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">He said both the master and slave cylinders had to be replaced ($430!!) I'm a little suspicious. What are the odds that 2 components would fail simultaneously? </TD></TR></TABLE>
When one of them is bad it's a good idea to replace both. If you replace just one, be prepared for the other to take a crap.