<FONT SIZE="5"><u>See update at the bottom </u></FONT>


<u>Backstory:</u>

I spent a good part of today working on my car, replacing the oil pan gasket, valve cover gasket, and a valve cover stud. Job was done and I went for a test drive...

Everything seemed fine so i found a good spot to turn around to head back. I did a few circles with the steering at nearly full lock each way to listen for wheel bearing/cv noise.
I then accelerated normally into 3rd gear and went to test the brakes (they felt a little weird at the last stop). I braked moderately (still in gear) to test brake feel and I was about to release the brakes when it suddenly decellerated harder. It's very wet here, so I thought I just hit some standing water. I pushed in the clutch and released the brakes and everything seemed normal.

<u>The problem:</u>

From then on, I'm having a hard time getting into gears at higher rpm's without grinding (if I can get in at all). At a stop, I can engage all gears just fine and can get into 1st/reverse normally. From 1st, I can get into 2nd and then 3rd normally if I don't take the revs too high. If I double clutch and rev match just right, I can get it into gear without grinding, but if I'm off I get a grind or it wont go in at all. Once I am at 40mph+ if I take it out of gear, it is difficult to get it back into any gear.

I'm still not sure what caused the sudden decelleration. The clutch grips like normal and isn't slipping. Since it seems to happen in many gears, it sounds like it has to do with the clutch mechanism. RPM related tells me its a bearing in the trans. Not sure what to make of it yet.

I'm hoping its not something inside the trans like a bearing or synchro.



Modified by Flood5 at 12:23 PM 11/13/2006

 

does it pull to either side

 

Nope, drives normally except for the shifting prob.

Could a worn/broken motor mount cause this? I'll check my mounts when I get home.

 

What about free revving with the clutch in. does it happen then

 

What do you mean?

If the car is stopped in neutral with the clutch in, I can put it into any gear like normal.

If I'm going 40mph and I put the clutch in (then to neutral), its very difficult to get into any gear.

Or do you mean with the car is stopped in neutral with the clutch in, rev it to 3k and then try for a gear? I haven't tried this, will give it a go when I get home.

 

I just ment car in gear clutch in revving at a stop. Making sure it's isolated to the tranny.

 

ok. i had the exact same issues with my gsr til yesterday. i bought a new clutch and wen we pulled the old one, it was obliterated. a piece was broken loose and would grab and prevent the clutch from working correctly. how many miles are on your car? also, stock clutch? another thing to check for is to put it in 4th or 5th and run it up to like 5k or 6k on the road. when you push the clutch does it feel like its not completely disengaging, like does it pull? bring back some of this information and well talk.
edit-my clutch felt like it was gripping as normal too, no slipping

 

Did the same sudden decel thing happen to you too?

The clutch is disengaging fully. I can get it rolling in 1st, push in the clutch, (while still in 1st) rev it as much as I want and it the car will still roll to a stop like normal.

 

Your clutch can still grab fine, but go into gear hard with it being bad.

Best thing to do is just split the trans, you'll know a lot more then,
but it's more then likely that the clutch has gone, or some type of debris is caught inside it.

How much mileage has been on this clutch also?

 

140k on the chassis, not sure if/when the clutch was replaced. I have a clutch kit ready to go - I just want to diagnose it before i take it apart. It would suck to put it all back together just to find it was the trans.

 

based on my own personal experience, i would say that i am confident that its the clutch, because it only happens at rpms above 3-4. just be ready to spend about 14 hours working on that thing. and also that you dont push the axle seal in wen you put the axles back in...learned the hard way. good luck.

 

I opened it up yesterday to find this....


Piece broken off the clutch


The piece that broke off.


Where it should be.


This is what it should look like.


You can see where it used to sit.


A different spring. All the other springs are in good shape.


Any idea what could have caused this?

 

dude, that's almost exactly wat mine looked like. worn to the rivets with a shard stuck in there. hows your flywheel look? mine was ruined.

 

Flywheel looks normal. I replaced it with a Fidanza

 

replaced mine w/ the exedy lite, but i jw. glad you found the prob.