My car has been feeling funny when shifting to 1st gear and driving off from a standstill, it feels like if the clutch wasnt slipping enough and wont let the clutch engage....but everyother gear after that shifts fine. I know my autotensioner is bad. Could this be causing the ruff 1st gear? It seems to be always from a stand still. When i do it in reverse it does the same thing. I have no problems putting the car in gear.

I can hear the autotensioner flapping around as the car is struggling to get going. Is the tensioner gonna go soon? Im gonna replace it in about 2 weeks, will it hold?

 

I would replace that FAST, the last thing you want is bent valves........ the T-belt coming tensioned and loose may cause it to jump a tooth also, you don't want that either...... you also say the clutch isn't slipping? and it won't engage, thats two opposite things, one says its always out, the other always in..... either way, I would have you clutch checked out also..... my guess is that the car has power loss at the super low rpm, (experienced when taking off from a standstill) which makes me think the timing is screwed up..... have you checked the timing?

 

No i havent done that yet. I was planning on checking all that soon but its starting to scare me now. Is there an fast way to check that with out having to take out the TB covers and valve cover?

 

Yea, get a timing gun....... see where its at

 

replace that damn tensioner too. you'll be hurting if you bend your valves. a buddy of mine replaced his timing belt on his 94 300zx, didn't replace the auto tensioner on it and it seized on him. bent all of his valves, was pretty costly to fix for him. try to save yourself 80 bucks and end up with a whole heap of trouble.