Newbie here, you have a great site with a lot of good information and you guys seem to know what you're talking about so I have a question for you. I have a 2000 Prelude Type SH and it seems like the clutch is having trouble engaging. It hard to shift in any gear and when I do get it in gear it makes a slight grinding sound until I start moving. I had a problem about a year ago like this to where it wouldn't go into gear but if I threw it in 1st or 2nd and stalled it out it would start working fine again. If I stall it now it again starts working fine but after a couple minutes of driving it starts to do the same thing (hard to shift). Any clues as to what this is. Is this a clutch problem or is the the part that engages the clutch? Or maybe even worse the tranny? Please help!!!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bildo97 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Newbie here, you have a great site with a lot of good information and you guys seem to know what you're talking about so I have a question for you. I have a 2000 Prelude Type SH and it seems like the clutch is having trouble engaging. It hard to shift in any gear and when I do get it in gear it makes a slight grinding sound until I start moving. I had a problem about a year ago like this to where it wouldn't go into gear but if I threw it in 1st or 2nd and stalled it out it would start working fine again. If I stall it now it again starts working fine but after a couple minutes of driving it starts to do the same thing (hard to shift). Any clues as to what this is. Is this a clutch problem or is the the part that engages the clutch? Or maybe even worse the tranny? Please help!!!</TD></TR></TABLE>

what do you mean by "stalled it out". if the gear doesn't wna go in whatever you do don't force it. hmm grinding ya say? sounds like synchro problem. if the clutch wont engage it could mean it's gone. no offense but just how good are you at driving a stick? honest opinion.

 

well.... I've been driving stick since I was 16 so I'd say about 12 years now. This is my my 5th car and they've all been stick and I have never had a problem until now. The stalling is actually induced by me. I turn off the car, then put it in gear, turn it back on and stall it out PURPOSELY, this in turn gets the clutch working fine again or so it has in the past. However, now when i do it it just goes back to doing the same thing after a couple minutes of driving. I just dont understand what exactly is causing the clutch to not engage all the way. I can shift it without a lot of force but definitely with more force than I should have to and when I do get it in gear I hear a small grinding noise coming from underneath the car. I can only really hear it when parked next to a wall or high curb.

 

the stalling can't be too good for your engine. i'd avoid doing that if possible.

 

replace the clutch

 

Check the tranny fluid first, then move on to bigger things like the clutch. If it's low enough it will be very hard to get into gear.